Markets

by Tanja
Amsterdam markets

Strolling around on a local street market in Amsterdam will get you that authentic feeling you need whilst visiting a foreign country. Almost every neighborhood has its own local market open from Monday to Saturday. There are also traveling markets and flea (vintage) markets. In this article are listed all the markets in Amsterdam per area and a map. Check out the calendar of  Amsterdam Events to see when these markets are taking place in Amsterdam.

Markets in the center of Amsterdam

Organic food market at Nieuwmarkt, every Saturday

Nieuwmarkt is the name of a square in the historical part of town. Every Saturday there is an organic food market with organic local produce such as vegetables, bread, and pastry. This is a great market if you are hungry because there is a lot of fresh food made.

The organic food market on Nieuwmarkt is every Saturday from 9 till 4 pm.

Nieuwmarkt organic food market Amsterdam.
Freshly made potato chips at Amsterdam Nieuwmarkt on Saturday.

Second hand market at Waterlooplein

The Waterloo Square (Waterlooplein) has even been honored in a famous Amsterdam song in the melody of Aux Champs-Elysees and it deserves it. Amsterdam Waterlooplein hosts not only a bric-a-brac kinda flea market (including furniture) but also lots of new (cheap) vintage and second-hand clothing.

The market Waterlooplein is closed on Sundays and holidays.

Second hand clothes market
Second hand clothes in piles on Waterlooplein market Amsterdam.

Book market at Old Men’s Gate, every day (not Sunday)

My personal favorite: a roofed book market in the wonderful passageway Oudemanhuispoort (old men house gate). The name refers to the history of the surrounding historic buildings, which used to be guest houses for the elderly.

Book market Amsterdam

After 6 p.m. the booksellers lock up their books in the special cabinets inside the passage, which have been created for exactly this purpose in 1857. Old men have always been interested in old books, I guess.

The sellers have not just books (also English) but sell also old postcards, old maps, and pictures of Amsterdam.

The Amsterdam book market is open every day except Sunday.

Art market at Spui, every Sunday

Near Begijnhof on Spui square is a small open-air exhibition where Dutch and international professional artists show their work. You will find paintings in oil and acrylics, watercolor, graphic arts, sculpture, ceramics and jewelry at this art market. Art Plein Spui offers the opportunity to buy directly from the artists, without galleries or museums being involved.

The art market at the Amsterdam Spui takes place every Sunday from March to December.

Book market at Spui, every Friday

Find rare, second hand and out-of-print books in Dutch, English, French, German and other languages at the Spui Book market. Besides special and obscure books, you can also find original prints, maps, pamphlets, posters, and periodicals. The booksellers come from all over The Netherlands and bring some real treasures.

The book market at Spui is every Friday.

Spui art market
Markets at Spui.

The Amsterdam Flower Market

The Amsterdam Flower Market (‘Bloemetjesmarket’) is located in a busy shopping area in the center of the city. The flower market sounds good, and it’s featured in all the tourists’ guides, but it’s not so good. There are hardly any flowers on this market, just a lot of souvenir shops and flower bulbs. The quality of the flower bulbs is not very good. It’s better to order flower bulbs online or get them last minute at the airport.

The Amsterdam Bloemetjesmarkt is every day, except on Sunday and holidays.

Art market at Rembrandtplein, every Sunday

The market at Rembrandtplein is a modern-art market. Just like the art market on Spui you can find here all sorts of paintings and drawings, often with an Amsterdam theme. But there is also jewelry and wood carvings. The art market is free to visit and the artists are present so you can talk to the artist about the work. Great for an original souvenir!

The Rembrandt Art Market takes place from March to October, every week on Sunday.

Museum Market at Museumplein, every 2nd Sunday

Every two weeks there is a market at Museum Square. (‘Museumplein’). For sale are stylish design items and you can often meet the designers yourself. Great for an original souvenir. There are also food stands.

The Museum Market is at Amsterdam Museumplein every second Sunday of the month.

Dates for Museum Market in Amsterdam in 2019:
20 January
17 February
17 Maart
21 April
etc.
(every 2nd Sunday of the month)

Stamp market on Wednesday and Saturday

The stamp market is a charming and small market, hidden from sight but still right in the center. Stamp collectors come together to enjoy finds of rare stamps, unusual coins, and old postcards. 

The Stamp market is every Wednesday and Saturday till 16.00 at Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 276, near Dam Square.

Markets at Jordaan Quarter

Antique market on Elandsgracht

Antiques don’t handle the Dutch humidity very well, so the Amsterdam antique market De Looier at Elandsgracht is indoor. The market is in a labyrinth of connected rooms, with furniture, jewelry, silverware and collectibles around every corner.

Antique market De Looier is closed on Tuesday.

Monday Noordermarkt, vintage, books, antiques and fashion

The most famous market for hipsters is the Monday morning market at Noordermarkt in the Jordaan Quarter. At Noordermarkt you will find a variety of reasonably priced fashion, vintage clothing, vintage furniture, second-hand clothes, shoes and so on. There are also obscure artifacts and antiques found here: books, old records, lamps. You can bargain a good price.

The Noordermarkt only takes place on Monday morning. Come early!

Monday Westerstraat: Textiles

Next to the Noordermarket, also on Monday morning, you find the large textile or fabric market in the adjoining Westerstraat. In Dutch we call this a ‘lapjesmarkt’, an old type of market back from the days when people still made their own clothes and sewing your own window curtains was a normal activity for the house wives.

The Westerstraat Amsterdam textile market is also on Monday morning.

Saturday Noordermarkt, organic food

The square around the Noorderchurch is the location for a large biological food market. Prices are not cheap, but the goods are delicacies, many from local farmers: mushrooms, beautiful cheeses, pâtés (also vegetarian), fresh herbs, olive oils, nuts, and delicious bread. Especially worthwhile is to try the many food stalls with typical Dutch treats and Dutch traditional food like pea soup and sausage in winter and oysters and fresh herring all year round. Recommend the Amsterdam market for foodies.

Noordermarket biological market takes place all day on Saturday.

markets in amsterdam organic food

Saturday Lindengracht

The Saturday Market at Jordaan stretches along the Lindengracht. This part is a more traditional food market and household wares. The entire Amsterdam Jordaan Quarter is dotted with boutiques, lunchrooms, restaurants, and cafés serving some of the best dutch apple pie.

The Saturday Market in Jordaan is till 16.00 hours.

Lindengracht organic market Amsterdam
Friendly Lindengracht Market every Saturday serves up a variety of organic produce, household wares and clothes.

Market at The Pijp

Daily market Albert Cuyp

The Albert Cuyp market at the Amsterdam neighborhood De Pijp is famous for being ‘typically Amsterdam’. It is a daily food market, but it sells also a lot of non-food items like clothing.  The market is very popular among people from other parts of The Netherlands.

For the tourists, more and more stalls offer hot street food from Holland like hot stroopwafels, poffertjes (small pancakes) and patat (french fries).

The Amsterdam market Albert Cuyp is every day, except Sunday. Take tram 16, 20, 24 or 25 or Metro 52 to De Pijp. Walking will take you 10 minutes from Museum square.

poffertjes albert cuyp market
Tourist enjoy sweet Dutch poffertjes at Albert Cuyp Market at Amsterdam Pijp.

Market in Amsterdam East

Daily market Dappermarkt

In the East of Amsterdam, Dappermarkt is special because it is very cheap and very multicultural. People from all over the world, like (the former Dutch colony of) Suriname, Africa, (the former Dutch colony of) Indonesia and Eastern Europe who live in the area, shop here to find the products they are familiar with.

The Amsterdam market Dappermarkt is open every day till 16.00, except Sundays.

Markets in Amsterdam West

Sunday Market at Westergasfabriek, every 1st Sunday

Cultural park Westergasfabriek hosts many markets on weekends. The Sunday market is a monthly fashion, art and design market. Here, creatives, upcoming artists, and already successful designers present their own designs to the public. You can find original work for friendly prices, like ceramics, jewelry, art and kid’s toys. There is also a large variety of biological food from stalls.

The Sunday Market is outside and indoor, every 1st Sunday of the month.

Farmers market at Haarlemmerplein, every Wednesday

At the end of Haarlemmerstraat, you will find a large square that holds a small farmers market every Wednesday. It’s mostly biological produce from local farms.

Daily Ten Katemarkt

The most popular market in the neighborhood of Old West (Amsterdam Oud-West) is the Ten Kate market. This a daily market, every day from Monday to Saturday you can find cheap fresh foods and exotic fruits and veggies. The market is surrounded by coffee bars, lunchrooms, and restaurants. Take tram 7 or 17.

Amsterdam markets
Ten Kate Markt, Amsterdam.

Food court at Amsterdam Halls

The Food Halls are located at the Amsterdam Halls, next to the Ten Kate Market. The Amsterdam Food Halls is an indoor food court. Local entrepreneurs offer culinary bits to eat and drink. It’s not cheap and it can get quite busy, but it’s worth trying if you are a food lover. In this complex of buildings, you can also find a cinema, restaurants, bars and a public library.

The Amsterdam Food Halls are located next to the Ten Kate Market, along Kinkerstraat. The Food Halls are open every day till 23.30, Friday and Saturday open till 1.00 am. Take tram 7 of 17.

Markets in Amsterdam Noord

Flea market IJ-Hallen

Flea market II-Hallen consists of huge halls full of stands with second hands: clothes, shoes, records, furniture, vintage and antique. All at very good prices and it’s easy to find (or make) a bargain. In winter, the stands are inside. In summer, the market is also outside. The flea market is located at NDSM, a great area to explore. It’s easy to reach by free ferry (15 minutes) which leaves behind Central Station.

The IJ-Hallen flea market is every month. Check out the Amsterdam events 2019 for dates.

2. Pekmarkt

Amsterdam Noord has been a social housing area for a long time, but in the 10 years, the area is gentrifying quickly. Higher-income people are buying houses here and the neighborhood reflects that change. One of the changes is the change of the traditional Mosmarkt changing into Pekmarkt. Now, also artisanal and biological food stands stand next to the old vegetable sellers. There is a market in Amsterdam Van der Pekstraat every Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Cheese markets outside Amsterdam

The most famous markets of Holland are of course the cheese markets. Traditionally, at a cheese market cheese was sold to shop owners. There are still 5 cheese markets in Holland: Alkmaar, Edam, Hoorn, Gouda and Woerden. Only the markets of Gouda and Woerden are ‘real’, meaning cheese is still sold between the manufacturers and the shop owner. All the others are more tourist attractions or reenactments. Obviously, it’s a good idea to buy your wooden shoes and cheese here to take home. Read more about a visit to a cheese market.

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