Amsterdam
Practical Life
Shopping
Amsterdam is a shopping nirvana with a wide range of stores catering to different
audiences, tastes and budgets. The only drawback is that most shops close by
6 in the evening. Shops are open till 9pm on Thursdays and on Sunday from 10
-17:00.
The commercial areas in Amsterdam are:
- Nieuwedijk- Kalverstraat: the main shopping artery crammed with shops, big and small selling everything from books to clothes
- Leidsestraat: another vibrant street which ends in the Leidseplein, a lively square to people watch once you're done with your shopping
- PC Hooftstraat: home to some of the most expensive brands, this is the place to go to if you've got exclusive taste
- The Nine streets is an interesting area to stroll through. It has a unique blend of shops you will not find elsewhere - there's the tooth brush shop, the candle shop, a shop that sells everything from the 1920's, another that sells only things from the 50's and 60's!
Super and Hypermarkets
- Albert Heijn
- Super de Boer
- C1000
- Jumbo
- Lidl
- Spar
- Aldi
Malls
- Bijenkorf Shopping Centre
- V&D Shopping Centre
- Hema
- Magna Plaza Shopping Centre
- Maison de Bonneterie
- Amsterdam Diamond Centre
For the night owls, there are night shops (avondwinkels) that can be found in major cities, usually opening from 4pm to 1 or 2am. In general, shops shut a little earlier on Saturday.
29/02/2008
12/01/2023
International bookshops
Both belonging to the same group, Van Der Velde Boeken:
Groningen, two shops: the main at Grote Markt has an underground floor just for english books, and on the first floor also used ones, dutch, english, and germans.
A fistful of french spanish and italian books also in A-Kerkhof, to be honest not so many.
Zwolle: It deserve a visit because there's a church who has been transformed in a very nice bookshop. Dutch books, of course, but english and german too. Just brand new books on sale. There is also a nice coffee bar.
Groningen, two shops: the main at Grote Markt has an underground floor just for english books, and on the first floor also used ones, dutch, english, and germans.
A fistful of french spanish and italian books also in A-Kerkhof, to be honest not so many.
Zwolle: It deserve a visit because there's a church who has been transformed in a very nice bookshop. Dutch books, of course, but english and german too. Just brand new books on sale. There is also a nice coffee bar.
25/11/2022
Bookshops for English books
There are actually at least 6 English bookstores in Amsterdam (but they might also sell other languages):
* Waterstones of course, the #1 British book seller, with a large store covering 4 floors: Kalverstraat 152, 1012XE, Amsterdam, 1012
* The English Bookshop (also known as The New English Bookshop) is a smaller bookstore (not multi-storey!) but dedicated to English and International literature: Kalverstraat 223
* The Book Exchange (since 1978) is a second-hand bookshop operating over 3 floors with non-fiction, travel books, fiction, fantasy, psychology and politics: Kloveniersburgwal 58, 1012 CX Amsterdam
* Athenaeum Boekhandel & Nieuwscentrum sells international press and magazines but also has a section for English language books: Spui 14-16, Amsterdam
* The American Book Center (aka the ABC) has a huge selection of American and British titles over several floors. Address: Spui 12, 1012 XA Amsterdam (ABC has got branches in The Hague and Leidschendam)
* The last one is not 100% English, as it is Scheltema the biggest Dutch bookshop in Amsterdam. However, you will find an impressive section for English books: Rokin 9 (close to Dam Square), 1012 KK Amsterdam
* Waterstones of course, the #1 British book seller, with a large store covering 4 floors: Kalverstraat 152, 1012XE, Amsterdam, 1012
* The English Bookshop (also known as The New English Bookshop) is a smaller bookstore (not multi-storey!) but dedicated to English and International literature: Kalverstraat 223
* The Book Exchange (since 1978) is a second-hand bookshop operating over 3 floors with non-fiction, travel books, fiction, fantasy, psychology and politics: Kloveniersburgwal 58, 1012 CX Amsterdam
* Athenaeum Boekhandel & Nieuwscentrum sells international press and magazines but also has a section for English language books: Spui 14-16, Amsterdam
* The American Book Center (aka the ABC) has a huge selection of American and British titles over several floors. Address: Spui 12, 1012 XA Amsterdam (ABC has got branches in The Hague and Leidschendam)
* The last one is not 100% English, as it is Scheltema the biggest Dutch bookshop in Amsterdam. However, you will find an impressive section for English books: Rokin 9 (close to Dam Square), 1012 KK Amsterdam
25/11/2022
Bookshop for French books
You will find French books at Le Temps Retrouvé in Amsterdam.
https://www.letempsretrouve.nl/
According to the website Petit Futé, the place has become the headquarters of the French and francophiles of the city and in the country.
https://www.letempsretrouve.nl/
According to the website Petit Futé, the place has become the headquarters of the French and francophiles of the city and in the country.
25/11/2022
Spanish Bookshop in Amsterdam
This is El rincón del libro, with Spanish books for adults and children.
https://elrincondellibro.nl/
https://elrincondellibro.nl/