Amsterdam is a shopper’s paradise, especially if rummaging through the markets and looking for that priceless artifact buried in the rubbish is your thing. Of course, all the expected chain stores and designer boutiques are here, but don’t just head for them, make sure when you leave your Amsterdam city hotel that you look for the most interesting shopping opportunities.

Antiques or junk?

IJ Hallen in the north of Amsterdam there is a huge flea market. Check the internet for opening days, but be sure to visit if you have the rummage bug. Take the free ferry across the IJ to the market, where there is a small entrance fee, but it’s worth it for the chance to delve into the hordes of items for sale. Antique furniture sits alongside paintings and battered guitars. You never know you might find that lost Van Gogh!

If you like to go shopping for peace of mind but still like to find a second-hand bargain for spiegelgracht and Nieuwe Spiegelstraat They are in the city center near the Rijksmuseum. Here you will find many antique shops and art galleries and it is a good place to buy pottery or Delftware. If your city hotel in Amsterdam is centrally located, you won’t have to go far to carry your purchases.

For fashion lovers For lovers of vintage and contemporary fashion, shopping opportunities abound. There are great vintage stores scattered around the city where you can find wonderful bags, shoes or outfits from yesteryear. If you have money to spare and want to spend it, you can find high-end fashion throughout Pieter Cornelisz Hooftstraayou; this is where you will find products like Gucci, Cartier et al. At the other end of the spectrum, the Waterlooplein Market will give you a nice selection of fun t-shirts and you might be lucky enough to get a bargain on an up-and-coming designer before you do.

For food lovers

Foodies will delight in Amsterdam’s food markets. One worth mentioning is the Albert Cuyp Market that offers food from all corners of the earth and is a suggestive mix of foods that you will not be able to resist. The mini fridge in your city hotel in Amsterdam will soon be full of your finds. For traditional Dutch food, the market to visit is noordermarkt where farmers from all over the Netherlands sell their organic products at reasonable prices.

Wherever you look in Amsterdam, you’ll be spoiled for choice in opportunities to spend your money.