For browsing tourists and serious deal-seekers alike, a visit to one of Amsterdam’s open-air street markets is a great way to experience the city’s lively cultural heritage, plus snag a bargain or three. Open-air markets have existed here for centuries, long before supermarkets and shopping centers entered the scene—though you will find few of these wedged along the city’s narrow canals—and they still offer some of Amsterdam’s best, most inexpensive treasures.
Amsterdam boasts several permanent street markets. Some are open daily while others only on certain days of the week. Each has its own distinct character, though the bustle and banter between vendors and browsers and the sheer variety of stuff on display always creates a colorful atmosphere (even despite the city’s typical overcast skies.)
Whether you’re shopping for what’s new or nostalgic, visiting Amsterdam’s street and flea markets will give you the chance to hone your bargaining skills, line your shopping bags and get a glimpse into how this mercantile nation has always done business.
Albert Cuyp Markt
A favorite amongst locals and operating since 1905, the Albert Cuyp (named after the famous Dutch landscape painter) is found in the city’s lively de Pijp neighborhood. Over 300 market street stalls offer everything from locally grown greens, fresh meats and cheeses to clothing, shoes, and spices hailing from all corners of the globe. The market is flanked by numerous restaurants and cafés, which are a great place for people watching—just sit back and watch a cross-section of multicultural Amsterdam parade past. Or if you want to go Dutch, grab some raw herring with onions from a street vendor. The only drawback here is that the quality of certain products may be just as cheap as the price, so look out for where it’s made. Open daily, except Sundays, 9-5pm. To get there: Trams 16/24
Dappermarkt
Located on Dapperstraat in east Amsterdam, this busy market draws vendors from Turkey, Morocco, Surinam and Indonesia, and is popular with shoppers with a nose for finding the best value in town. National Geographic Traveler dubbed it as one of the Top 10 Shopping Streets in the World (2007) and it’s always crowded, offering multicultural fare from general goods to exotic food. This is the perfect market to come to for satisfying any hunger pangs. Open daily, except Sundays, 9-5pm. To get there: Trams 3/7/9/10/14 or 15-minute walk from Waterlooplein
Waterlooplein Flea Market
This former thriving Jewish market found its second life in the 1960s as a youth hotspot and has appealed to the young, bargain hunters and tourists ever since. Amsterdam’s largest flea market, Waterlooplein is a collection of cramped stalls stocked with “antiques” (though arguably, nothing valuable), secondhand clothing, kitsch memorabilia, vinyl, rugs and the kind of stuff you’d expect when someone completely cleans out their closet—or their grandfather’s. The prices here are competitive and there’s an eclectic mix old and new. That also goes for the square itself. Rembrandt’s house is just around the corner and the new music theatre, Stopera, is located on its edge. Open daily, except Sunday 9-6pm. To get there: Metro to Waterlooplein or 15-minute walk from Central Station
Spui Book Market
For those fond of dog-eared books or avid readers hunting for collector’s items, the small market here offers a good selection books, maps, photographs and prints. Located on het Spui, once a popular meeting place for the city’s Provo movement in the 1960s and adjacent to the American Book Center, the small square has always welcomed the exchange of ideas and words in every form. Most books you’ll find here are in Dutch, but there are some English and international titles if you look long enough. Open Fridays, 10-6pm; To get there: Tram 2/5 or 10-min walk from Central Station
Noordermarkt Flea Market
Once a graveyard—luckily the bodies were moved to make way for its current incarnation as a market— Noordermarkt in the Jordaan boasts the Monday Morning Market, a popular market offering a wide range of goods from shoes, records and fabrics to animal horns and traditional Dutch Delft tiles. The flea market pools around the church and a textile market stretches along the adjoining Westerstraat. On Saturdays the market also offers organic food, veggies, breads, cheeses, spreads and flowers. The café lined square is also ideal for grabbing coffee or a bite to eat and watching locals trying to balance their new finds and groceries on their bikes. Open Mondays 9 - 1 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. To get there: 15-min walk from Central Station heading west.
Dara Colwell - As a military brat, I was shuttled from place to place with little say in the destination. This habit stuck well into my teenage years, ...
