Netherlands Guide
Amsterdam
Shopping
1 American Book Center Kalverstraat 185. Vast stock, all in English, with lots of imported US magazines and books. Especially good gay section. Students get a ten-percent discount.
2 Athenaeum Spui 14 Excellent all-round bookshop with an adventurous stock, though mostly in Dutch. Also the best source of international newspapers and magazines.
3 The English Bookshop Lauriergracht 71 
020/626 4230 Stocks a well-chosen collection of titles on a wide range of subjects, in particular literature, many of which you won't find elsewhere.
4 Jacob van Wijngaarden Overtoom 97, west across the Singelgracht from Leidseplein The city's best travel bookshop, with knowledgeable staff and a huge selection of books and maps.
5 Scheltema Koningsplein 20, just south of Spui Opening time: Open late and on SundaysAmsterdam's biggest and best bookshop. Six floors of absolutely everything, including reasonable English book sections.
6 Waterstones Kalverstraat 152. Dutch branch of the UK high-street chain, with four floors of books and magazines. A predictable selection perhaps, but prices are sometimes cheaper here than elsewhere.
7 Albert Cuypmarkt Albert Cuypstraat, between Ferdinand Bolstraat and Van Woustraat The city's principal general goods and food market, with some great bargains to be had. Mon– Sat 9am–5pm. South of the city centre; trams #4, 16, 20, 24 or 25 from Centraal Station.
8 Amstelveld Prinsengracht Opening time: Mon 10am–3pmFlowers and plants in a pleasant canalside location near Utrechtsestraat, but much less of a scrum than the Bloemenmarkt. Friendly advice on what to buy too.
9 Bloemenmarkt Singel, between Koningsplein and Muntplein Opening time: Mon– Sat 9am–5pm, some stalls on Sunday Stretching, this very popular market specializes in flowers and plants, ostensibly for tourists, but is frequented by locals too. Bulbs for export (with health certificate).
10 Boekenmarkt Spui Opening time: Fri 10am–3pmWonderful rambling collection of secondhand books, with many an interesting find lurking in the unsorted boxes.
11 Boerenmarkt Noordermarkt Opening time: Sat 9am–4pmNext to the Noorderkerk, this organic farmers' market offers all kinds of organically grown produce, fresh bread, exotic fungi and fresh herbs.
12 Kunstmarkt Spui & Thorbeckeplein Opening time: Both Sun 10am–3pmLow-key but high-quality art market in two locations, with much lower prices than you'll find in the galleries; prints and occasional books as well. Neither operates during the winter.
13 Noordermarkt Noordermarkt Next to the Noorderkerk, this is a junk-lover's goldmine, with a general market on Mondays full of all kinds of bargains, tucked away beneath piles of useless rubbish. Get there early. There's also a farmers' produce market (Sat 9am–4pm; see Boerenmarkt above) and a bird market (Sat 8am–1pm).
14 Waterlooplein Behind the Stadhuis Opening time: Mon– Sat 9am–5pmA real Amsterdam institution, sprawling and chaotic, this is the final resting-place of vintage clothes, antique junk and secondhand records.
15 De Bijenkorf Dam 1 Dominating the northern corner of Dam Square, this is the city's biggest and most diverse department store, a huge bustling place that has an indisputably wide range and little snobbishness. Departments to head for include household goods, cosmetics and kids' wear; there's also a good range of newspapers and magazines.
16 HEMA Nieuwendijk 174 A kind of Dutch Woolworth's, but of a better quality: good for stocking up on toiletries and other essentials, and occasional designer delights – it's owned by De Bijenkorf, and you can sometimes find the same items at knockdown prices. Surprises include wine and cheese in the back of the shop.
17 Metz & Co Keizersgracht 455 Classic store, with the accent on Liberty prints, stylish ceramics and designer furniture of the kind that's exhibited in modern art museums: just the place to pick up a Rietveld chair. If your funds won't stretch quite that far, settle for a cup of coffee in the top-floor restaurant, which gives great views over the city.
18 Vroom & Dreesmann Kalverstraat 203, entrance also from Rokin The main Amsterdam branch of a middle-of-the-road nationwide chain, just near Muntplein. It's pretty unadventurous, but check out the listening stands in the CD section on the top floor – the best place for a free Mozart recital with a canal view.
19 Albert Heijn Koningsplein 4, just west of Muntplein 
www.ah.nl Opening time: Mon– Sat 10am–10pm, Sun noon–6pmAmsterdam's main branch of a nationwide supermarket chain, but still small and crowded. There are other central branches at Nieuwmarkt 18 and Waterlooplein 131, but prices are marginally lower in those further out of the centre – Vijzelstraat 117 and Westerstraat 79 for instance.
20 J.G. Beune Haarlemmerdijk 156 Age-old chocolatier with exquisite confectionery and enticing window displays.
21 De Bierkoning Paleisstraat 125 The "Beer King" is aptly named: 950 different beers, with the appropriate glasses to drink them from.
22 Gimsel Huidenstraat 19 Very central, with a good selection of fruit and vegetables and excellent bread. A short walk west of Spui.
23 Jacob Hooij Kloveniersburgwal 1 In business at this address since 1778, this is a traditional homeopathic chemist with any amount of herbs and natural cosmetics, as well as a huge stock of drop (Dutch liquorice).
24 De Kaaskamer Runstraat 7 Friendly cheese shop, with tapas and olives too.
25 Kwekkeboom Reguliersbreestraat 36 & Ferdinand Bolstraat 119 One of the city's most famous pastry shops, showered with awards. Serves coffee too.
26 De Natuurwinkel Weteringschans 133 Main branch of a chain selling only organic food – and thus a little more expensive than the mainstream.
27 Paul Année Runstraat 25 The best wholegrain and sourdough breads in town, bar none – all made from organic grains. Try their home-made muesli.
28 
Puccini Staalstraat 17 Perhaps the best chocolate shop in town – all handmade, with an array of fantastic and imaginative fillings.
29 Boudisque Haringpakkersteeg 10–18 One of the city's best record stores, with a good selection of metal, reggae, world music and dance.
30 Broekmans & Van Poppel Van Baerlestraat 92 Classical music specialist, with historical recordings, smaller labels, opera and sheet music.
31 Concerto Utrechtsestraat 54 New and used records and CDs in all categories; equally good on baroque as on grunge. The best all-round selection in the city, with the option to listen before you buy.
32 Condomerie Het Gulden Vlies Warmoesstraat 141 Condoms of every shape, size and flavour imaginable, in the heart of the Red Light District. All in the best possible taste.
33 Frozen Fountain Prinsengracht 465 Great houseware and furniture store selling wonderful examples of modern Dutch and Scandinavian design.
34 Geels & Co Warmoesstraat 67 Oddly situated among Warmoesstraat's loud bars and porn shops, this is one of the city's oldest and best-equipped coffee and tea specialists, and has a small museum of coffee upstairs.
35 Gerda's Runstraat 16 Amsterdam is full of flower shops, but this one is the most imaginative and sensual.
36 1001 Kralen Rozengracht 54 "Kralen" means beads, and 1001 would seem a conservative estimate in this place in the Jordaan, which sells nothing but.
37 P.G.C. Hajenius Rokin 92 Long-established tobacconist selling its own and other brands of cigars, tobacco, smoking accessories, and every make of cigarette you can think of.
38 Posthumus Sint Luciensteeg 23 Posh stationery, cards and, best of all, a choice of hundreds of rubber stamps.
39 ‘t Winkeltje Prinsengracht 228 Jumble of cheap glassware and crockery, candlesticks, antique tin toys, kitsch souvenirs, old apothecaries' jars and flasks. Perfect for browsing.
40 Witte Tandenwinkel Runstraat 5 The "White Teeth Shop" sells wacky toothbrushes and just about every dental hygiene accoutrement you could ever need.