Amsterdam: An overview - Part 15

Prinsenstraat and Herenstraat

The Prinsenstraat and Herenstraat are an excellent introduction to the essence of Amsterdam.

They cross three of the city' s best known canals and these two connected streets take you from the busy Dam Square to the quite Jordaan neighbourhood. These streets offer a small town experience with a selection of small elegant shops in the centre of Amsterdam. De Bijenkorf Amsterdam is a trend setting department store at Dam square. De Bijenkorf is the multibrand store of the Netherlands with many international brands having their own sections inside. It’s worth a visit just to see some of the breath taking decorations in de Bijenkorf’s unique shop windows which makes them one of Amsterdam’s must see attractions. . The store which occupies 21, 000 m2 is Amsterdam’s largest department store. It is open seven days a week at Dam 1

Magna Plaza

Magna Plaza is an indoor shopping area in a historical building which is directly behind the Royal Palace. As I mentioned earlier it was the former main post office for Amsterdam. It was built at the end of the 19th century and now houses a collection of shops with cover more than 40 brand names, you can find it open 7 days a week at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 182.

9 Straatjes

The Negen Straatjes, which translates as nine little streets, intersect the main canals between the Leidsestraat and the Jordaan district, and are dotted with an array of restaurants, cafés, art galleries, jewellers, boutiques and vintage stores. This is a great area to just stroll around, look at the shops or stop for a coffee while looking at all the city has to offer.

The Fashion and Museum District

The Fashion and Museum District is one of the best areas in Amsterdam for historical buildings. It is here that you will find Amsterdam' s famous museums, the Royal Concertgebouw, old style hotels, the Vondelpark and exclusive boutiques. The exclusive brand shops include Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Armani and Cartier, interesting to walk by but not for your everyday shopper. Some of the more affordable younger brands, like G-Star, Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss also have their stores in these streets. There is also the Van Baerle Shopping Gallery which is located in the Conservatorium Hotel at Van Baerlestraat 50.

Albert Cuyp Market

There is no other place quite like the Albert Cuyp street market in the whole of Amsterdam. The market started trading over 100 years ago and now has over 300 stalls. The stalls line both sides of Albert Cuyp Street which is in the De Pijp neighbourhood. Stalls sell everything from fruit, vegetables, cheese, fish and spices to clothes, cosmetics and bedding. The prices are among the best in the whole city so it defiantly worth a look. The market can get very crowded on a Saturday so weekdays are a better option.

The Haarlemmerdijk

The Haarlemmerdijk is a long, trendy shopping street, stretching from east to west towards Central Station. It is a lively strip where you will find everything from shoes, independent labels and second-hand clothes to specialty food products, interior design items and Dutch collectables.

Continued in part 16