De Negen Straatjes (Nine Streets): Complete Shopping Guide

De Negen Straatjes the "Nine Streets" is a nine-block shopping district in Amsterdam's historic canal ring, wedged between the Prinsengracht and Singel canals. It's the closest thing Amsterdam has to a single, walkable neighborhood built entirely around independent shops: think vintage clothing, small designer boutiques, specialty cheese and wine shops, and galleries, all inside 17th-century canal houses. Amsterdam is one of ANYDOKO's favorite European cities to cover, and this guide breaks down which streets to prioritize, what to buy where, and how to shop it the way a local would without wasting a half-day wandering in circles.

What Is De Negen Straatjes?

De Negen Straatjes sits inside Amsterdam's UNESCO-listed canal belt (the Grachtengordel), formed by nine short side streets that cross between four main canals: the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht, and Singel. The district isn't one long shopping street it's a compact grid, roughly three streets by three streets, tucked just behind the Royal Palace on Dam Square and a short walk south of the Jordaan.

Quick Facts	Details
Location	Between Prinsengracht and Singel canals, Amsterdam Centrum
Number of streets	9, arranged in a 3×3 grid
Best for	Vintage and thrift, small designer boutiques, cheese/wine shops, jewelry, gifts
Nearest landmark	Anne Frank House (about a 10-minute walk north)
Shopping night	Thursday, when many shops stay open later
Typical shop hours	Most open around 10:00–18:00, later on Thursdays
Getting there	Tram 13 or 17 to Westermarkt, or a 10–15 minute walk from Dam Square

The name is older than the current shopping identity of the area. The streets themselves date back to the 17th century, but local shop owners only formally organized under the "Negen Straatjes" branding in the mid-1990s, which is when the district became known as a dedicated shopping destination rather than just a residential canal neighborhood.

The Nine Streets, One by One

Knowing the actual street names helps more than it sounds like it should, because each one has developed its own loose specialty over the decades. From west (Prinsengracht) to east (Singel), grouped by the canal they sit between:

Between Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht:

• Reestraat

• Berenstraat

• Runstraat

Between Keizersgracht and Herengracht:

• Hartenstraat

• Wolvenstraat

• Huidenstraat

Between Herengracht and Singel:

• Gasthuismolensteeg

• Oude Spiegelstraat

• Wijde Heisteeg

Several of these names Berenstraat ("bear street"), Wolvenstraat ("wolf street"), Huidenstraat ("hides street") are leftovers from when this area was a center for the leather and skin-tanning trade, long before it became a shopping district. You don't need to memorize the map; the whole grid is small enough to walk end to end in about 15–20 minutes without stopping.

What to Buy in the Nine Streets

The Nine Streets work best when you shop by category rather than trying to cover every street methodically. Here's how the district generally breaks down.

Vintage and Thrift Shopping

This is arguably the strongest reason to visit. The district has a long-running cluster of vintage and second-hand stores, ranging from curated designer resale to bargain-bin thrift racks. Vintage store Bij Ons is one of the well-known names here, and pieces are generally priced more reasonably than vintage shopping in cities like Paris or London. It's a regular stop on ANYDOKO's own visits to the city, and if you're looking for one specific thing to do in the Nine Streets, this is it.

Small Designer Boutiques

Independent Dutch and European designers run small storefronts throughout the grid, alongside a few internationally recognized names such as Acne Studios. These shops tend to be tiny, sometimes just one room, so browsing moves faster than in a typical department store.

Food and Drink Specialty Shops

The Nine Streets has a handful of shops built around a single product, done extremely well. De Kaaskamer van Amsterdam is a well-regarded cheese shop worth a stop even if you're not planning to buy anything to take home. The smell alone is an experience. De Wijnwinkel covers the wine side. For something sweet, chocolatiers and small delicatessens are scattered through Huidenstraat and Wijde Heisteeg.

Jewelry, Gifts, and the Genuinely Unusual

This is where the Nine Streets separates itself from other shopping areas: hyper-specific boutiques that exist nowhere else. De Knopenwinkel sells nothing but buttons vintage, handmade, and imported and is a good example of the kind of single-category shop that thrives here. Jewelers and small gift shops fill in the rest, particularly on the shorter streets closer to the Singel.

Category	What to Look For	Approximate Street Cluster
Vintage & thrift	Second-hand clothing, curated resale	Reestraat, Berenstraat, Huidenstraat
Cheese & wine	Dutch cheese, natural wine, deli goods	Runstraat, Wijde Heisteeg
Designer boutiques	Independent labels, small-batch fashion	Hartenstraat, Wolvenstraat
Jewelry & specialty gifts	Handmade jewelry, buttons, art prints	Gasthuismolensteeg, Oude Spiegelstraat
Books & records	Secondhand books, vinyl	Scattered throughout

Best Time to Visit the Nine Streets

Weekday mornings are the quietest window, before tour groups and weekend crowds arrive. If you want the full local experience, come on a Thursday evening many independent shops in Amsterdam extend their hours on Thursdays for what's known locally as koopavond (shopping night), so the district stays lively later than usual. Weekends are busiest and best avoided if your goal is unhurried browsing rather than people-watching.

Most shops open around mid-morning and close by early evening, and some smaller boutiques close on Sundays or Mondays, so it's worth checking a specific shop's hours if there's one you don't want to miss.

Nine Streets vs. Other Amsterdam Shopping Areas

If you're deciding how to split your shopping time across the city, here's how the Nine Streets compares to Amsterdam's other main shopping districts.

Area	Vibe	Best For	Price Range
De Negen Straatjes	Boutique, canal-side, independent	Vintage, small designers, specialty food shops	Mid-range
P.C. Hooftstraat	Upscale, museum-quarter	International luxury brands	High
Kalverstraat	Busy, high street	Mainstream chains, fast fashion	Budget to mid
Albert Cuyp Market	Outdoor street market	Souvenirs, Dutch snacks, everyday goods	Budget

If you only have time for one shopping district in Amsterdam, the Nine Streets is the one that's hardest to replicate elsewhere; you won't find a button shop or a hyper-specific vintage boutique like the ones here in a mall.

Take a Break: Where to Eat Nearby

Shopping the full grid takes a couple of hours if you're browsing rather than rushing, and the district is dense with cafés, wine bars, and lunch spots tucked between the shops. Rather than planning a separate meal stop elsewhere, build a coffee or lunch break directly into your route most of the cross streets have at least one small café with canal-side seating.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Trying to "do" every street in order. The grid isn't linear enough to make this efficient shop by category instead.

• Assuming all shops take cards everywhere. Most do, but it's worth carrying some cash for smaller, older-style shops just in case.

• Visiting only on a weekend. You'll get the crowds without the extra Thursday evening hours.

• Skipping the food shops. The cheese and wine shops here are part of the experience, not just a detour.

• Forgetting it's a residential area too. Many of these buildings are homes above the shopfronts to keep noise down, especially in the evenings.

  
  

Frequently Asked Questions

What is De Negen Straatjes? 

De Negen Straatjes, or the Nine Streets, is a shopping district of nine short streets in Amsterdam's canal belt, known for independent boutiques, vintage clothing, and specialty food shops.

Where exactly is the Nine Streets located? 

It's bordered by the Prinsengracht and Singel canals in Amsterdam Centrum, a short walk south of the Jordaan neighborhood and close to Dam Square.

How do I get to the Nine Streets? 

The easiest way is by tram (lines 13 or 17 to Westermarkt) or on foot it's about a 10 to 15-minute walk from Dam Square or Amsterdam Centraal Station.

How long does it take to see the Nine Streets? 

Walking the full grid without stopping takes about 15–20 minutes, but plan for two to three hours if you want to browse shops and stop for coffee or lunch.

Is the Nine Streets good for vintage shopping? 

Yes it's one of the strongest vintage and second-hand shopping clusters in Amsterdam, with prices generally more accessible than vintage shopping in larger fashion capitals.

What day is best for shopping the Nine Streets? 

A weekday, ideally Thursday, when many shops extend their hours into the evening for the local koopavond shopping night. Weekends are busier.

Is the Nine Streets walkable from the Anne Frank House? 

Yes, it's about a 10-minute walk, making it easy to combine both stops in one visit to this part of the city.

Key Takeaways

• De Negen Straatjes is a nine-street shopping grid between the Prinsengracht and Singel canals, split roughly into three parallel rows of three streets each.

• It's best known for vintage and thrift shopping, small independent designer boutiques, and specialty food shops like cheese and wine stores.

• Weekday mornings are quietest; Thursday evenings offer extended shopping hours.

• It sits about 10 minutes from the Anne Frank House, making it easy to pair with other canal-belt sightseeing.

• Shop by category rather than by street order to make the most of a short visit.

Planning the rest of your day around it? ANYDOKO's one-day Amsterdam itinerary pairs a morning in the Nine Streets with the city's best local eats and a self-captained canal boat ride.