Albert Cuyp - Street Markets, Amsterdam

One of the most pleasant activities is wander around street Markets. They are usually open everyday and you can find everything you need.

The biggest in city is Albert Cuypmarkt in Albert Cuypstraat, open Monday-Saturday from 9am-5pm. It's not in the city center, but it's a must-see thing for me. You can find there a good choice of restaurants and
trendy cafes.

You will surely find another markets on your visit, but you may also want to visit Flea Market (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:30 Saturday), this one is in the Waterlooplein area (closer to the center, you can take Nieuw Doelenstraat from Rokin-Vijzelstraat-Rokin crossing) and you can take profit and see the Stopera, the incredible building where opera and city hall share the same roof. Incredible, isn't it?

The best way to go there is by bike.

Waterlooplein Flea Market on Waterlooplein, is the perfect place to find a vast array of bargain goods ranging from traditional souvenirs to antiques and even erotica, and is open daily except Sundays.
The Waterlooplein Flea Market was the daily market in the Jewish Quarter, dating from abt. 1890. Originally, Jews were barred from owning shops, and so they traded goods in the streets.

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This is one of Amsterdam’s trendy areas & as I was staying at my friends Saraphati Plaza suite all these places were on the doorstep. Many of these places have outside seating so you can enjoy your beer come rain or shine, at 11pm they no longer serve outside. Some of the nice places you can have a drink at are Krull Sarphatiparkstraat, De Duiwel, Or the Green Butterfly. A lot of the café / bars serve Belgium beers & Kriek (Cherry beer) is one of my favourites and of course they serve Heineken but usually in halfs so if you want a pint you better request it.

Also for reference the dutch requirement is to have at least a 2 finger head on your beer so don’t complain about that. Also bear in mind that to eat & drink in this area it may in fact be more expensive then eating in other districts more central.

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This should really be a shopping tip - maybe I'll put a proper shopping tip about it in the place it really belongs, but as a "Thing to Do" this market is what a local street market should be: the exotic Eastern sculptures vying with the vibrant aubergines, the bunches of fresh coriander on the veg stalls exuding their aroma, competing even against the olives and sausages of the deli. The ould kaas, of which nibbles are freely available, next to the monster live lobster who would love to nibble if only his hands weren't tied. Cheap shoes, shirts and nighties, check yourself out in an antique mirror. Halal meat and saris, a rather elegant redhead checking out a silk shawl.

A set of sockets with ratchet wrench, Nivea hand cream for those that don't do dishes, pots and pans for those that do. Light bulbs by the dozen or even singly and shades to match, frilly or arty, tables and chairs, matched and missed - well worth the visit, but not just for tourists!

PS if thirsty don't forget to drop into Legendz! (That must be at least 2 beers now guys? ;p)

From monday till saturday (9am till 18am) the shops are open.
This was bad for my wallet, really bad ;))
Here you can find everything, clothes, watches, food, cleaning products, shoes,....
It is all very cheap, but compare the shops, I bought a handbag for 7€. A bit further away I saw the same for 21€ !!!!
On their site you can find a lot of the shops and the brands they are selling.
Have fun shopping !!

Along Albert Cuypstraat between Van Woustraat and Ferdinand Bolstraat, you'll find this open air market that sits a little off the beaten path. Here you'll find everything from fresh fish to handbags......flowers to books. It's a daily market and vendors start pulling down their tents around 5 o'clock. Definitely not as crowded as some of the other markets closer to the center of the city and sits a short walk from the Museumplein!

Forget Wal-Mart, Costco, and all the other Mega-Chains for suppling your needs. To get a feel for how Amsterdamers shop for basic needs, check these two out. Clothes, bakerys, fish stalls, CD's, spices, and all sorts of other neat, interesting stuff is offered at these markets. Thrift-shop chic must have started over here, because you'll see a fashion kalidascope of every color, pattern, & style represented in what people wear. Check out the fish stalls for a quick meal of something deep-fried on a roll, usually with some kind of mayonaise sauce &/or chopped onions. There's a spice store along Albert Cuyp that shouldn't be missed. Your nose will be put through a trip around the world in here. Makes me think back to when the Dutch East India Company pretty much ruled the world of trade and made fourtunes from it. There are a number of warm, woody cafes along the Cuyp, perfect for a quiet coffee break from the bustle of the street & to watch the action. Again, you can't go wrong picking up an order of frites from one of the stands. A mellow coffeeshop just off the markert is KATSU. They seem to lean more toward the Sativa grass, which is a more cerebrial kind of high than an Indica, but YOU knew that already, right?? After a stop here, theres a few block area surround KATSU, just south of Albert Cuypstraat that has a very neighborhood feel & a few cool bars/brown cafes. During (yet another) late-night on the town I stumbled across a fun looking place called "Dopey's Elixir ". I could never find the place again, but you gotta love the name. Sarphati Park is in the area, another mellow refuge on your trip to/from the Greenhouse down on Tolstraat. My favorite shoarma shop is about one block north of Albert Cuypstraat where the street kind of splits on Ferdinand Bolstraat, (the main north/south drag south of the Heineken Factory). Just look for the taxis on their lunch break parked outside, always a good sign.

I've heard this is Europe's longest market at about 2 miles.

The market is located in de Pijp which will take you out of the centrum. Tram 4 to the market stop will take you directly there.

Along with the fresh cheese, meats and fruits you will find fabric and underwear! Shampoo to luggage. An interesting mix.

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The Albert Cuyp market (of which more later) really is well worth a visit. As you wander, taking in the local atmosphere (deeply-inhaled nasal breaths as you pass the cheese stalls, breath out as you pass the fish). It now becomes that time when you start to feel the roof of your mouth sticking to your tongue (or vice versa) after the overindulgences of the evening before, a watering hole becomes a sudden necessity, rather than a mere digression, and there are worse places to digress in than Cafe Legendz - brilliantly marketed and it does what it says on the tin!

It was the blackboard (the one on the front page) that caught my eye, my feet refusing to continue despite a direct order from the "rational" left lobe. Then the outside boards delivered the coup-de-grace - FEET 1 BRAIN 0 - Ha! Good old feet, never let me down ;)

I suppose this is a modern equivalent of the traditional "brown cafe" in as much as it's not actually brown. The barman, who happened to be Italian, having arrived via the Channel Islands, lived up to the propoganda, passing the time of day with a bit of travel "shooting the bull", giving directions to an English couple who popped in looking for a "coffee", and generally being genial with all and sundry.

If you happen to be passing, before or after your haring broodje, digress in and say Hi!

Well, the easiest location is Dam sqaure and the shops lining the street from central station towards Damrak. You have lot of choices in many shops.

An economic option is to buy them at Albert Cuyp street market. Here also, you find the enormous keychains, fridge magnets, candies, Delft showpieces, T-shirts etc.
In one of the shops, I also got an additional souvenir as gift because I purchased lot of items
;-)

When u feel cold or tired, goto the Bagels and Beans cafe at the end of the street. You find people of all ages relaxing amidst a noisy chatting environment.