Friesland
No drink is more traditional to seafaring Sneek than beerenburg, a local herb-infused gin originally drunk by sailors to warm their cockles at sea and…
Must-see shopping in The Netherlands
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Friesland
A mooch around the workshop and boutique of Hindeloopen's oldest furniture maker is a highlight. Founded in 1894, the family business is run today by…
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Utrecht
Whichever side of the lens you prefer to be, if you love pre-digital, black-and-white photography, this specialist shop-gallery will probably be your…
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Amsterdam
Not a hotel, but a local design house. Droog means 'dry' in Dutch, and these products are full of dry wit. You'll find all kinds of stylish versions of…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
More than just a concept store showcasing Dutch-designed haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion, furniture, art, gadgets and homewares, the 700-sq-metre…
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Amsterdam
On the last Sunday of the month De Pure Markt sets up in Park Frankendael, with artisanal and organic producers selling delicious gourmet foodstuffs…
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South Holland
A shop associated with a social enterprise, Wereldwijven (Worldpeople) trains migrant women in sewing and embroidery, giving them a potential income…
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De Pijp
Painted cotton-white inside and out, this chic little shop makes and sells its own scented candles and perfumes, and stocks fashion, jewellery and…
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Utrecht
Obliging, knowledgeable staff can help you make sense of over 700 varieties of beer, arranged by flavour rather than provenance.
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Rotterdam
An emporium of eco-conscious and sustainable products, this indoor market hosts small businesses selling food, soaps, clothing, homewares, furniture and…
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Groningen
With its organic coffee bar, homemade cakes and impeccable choice of Dutch brands, this small concept store is worth lingering in. Among its designer…
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Rotterdam
Its name is revived local slang for 'pride', and this concept store in the Het Industriegebouw creative industries building is clearly proud of the…
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Haarlem
Haarlem is at its liveliest during its regular Monday and, especially, Saturday market, when its namesake square fills with stalls selling fresh produce,…
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Amsterdam
Travel lovers will be in heaven in the galleried, skylit interior of Europe's largest travel bookshop. If it's travel- or outdoor-related, you can dream…
Amsterdam
J&B Craft Drinks offers a huge range of craft beers, ciders and tasty soda from all over the globe, which are available cold from the fridge, making them…
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Groningen
In business since 1934, this cheesemonger sells the finest cheese from the Netherlands – more than 300 types – and around the world. Look for local…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Jeweller Suzanne Hof set up this boutique to showcase designs from her own label, Sugarz, but also to provide a platform for small-scale designers from…
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Amsterdam
The perfect place to pick up an interesting gift or souvenir, Het Faire Oosten is stocked with beautiful homewares, quirky books, accessories and clothing…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Established in 1865, this wonderfully preserved shop with original timber cabinetry produces lacquer stamps for wax seals (and sells sealing wax), brass…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Artist Mark Raven's distinctive vision of Amsterdam is available on posters, coasters and well-cut T-shirts that make great souvenirs. Prices are…
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Maastricht
A cathedral of books – literally. Don't miss the relaxed coffee-house area that takes the place of the altar.
Amsterdam
Covering the square once known as Vlooienburg (Flea Town), this flea market isn't huge but there are some good finds (and a bit of tourist tat, too)…
Rotterdam
Styled on the barbershops of old, Schorem offers traditional gel-thick haircuts like pompadours, flattops and contours. However, it’s the atmosphere that…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Rambling over three storeys, this excellent bookshop is the biggest source of English-language books in Amsterdam. Its greatest strengths are in the artsy…
Amsterdam
For anarchist, communist and feminist tomes and zines on everything from pirates to punk, try this long-running not-for-profit bookshop (since 1977 and…
Amsterdam Noord
This whopping flea market takes place once a month, with 750 stalls outside in a huge area at NDSM-werf. It goes indoors into two NDSM warehouses from…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
In the heart of the Red Light District, this brightly lit boutique sells condoms in every imaginable size, colour, flavour and design (horned devils,…
De Pijp
Enormous wheels of Gouda line the walls of this enticing cheese shop, and more cheeses fill the glass display cabinet. Crispbreads and crackers are on…
Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Amsterdam's savviest bookshop is a bit of an intellectual and style hub. Its adjoining newsagent has a selection of cutting-edge international magazines,…
De Pijp
Individual, affordable designs for women arrive at this London-inspired boutique every couple of weeks, keeping the selection up-to-the-minute.
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Leeuwarden
For an excellent selection of books about Friesland, including a couple of translations of Frisian poets and novelists, duck into this Frisian bookshop…
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Amsterdam
Browse quality craft, fashion and design produced by talented locals. Markets typically take place at Westergasfabriek on the first Sunday of the month,…
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Haarlem
Dutch designers whose works are stocked at this design shop include Elke van den Berg (porcelain clocks, vases and bowls), Dirk Vander Kooij (3D-printed…
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Amsterdam
Chocolate is almost too beautiful to eat at this luxury choc stop, with homemade pralines and truffles ready to melt in the mouth. There are over 50 kinds…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
This grand 19th-century landmark building, once the main post office, is now home to an upmarket shopping mall with more than 40 boutiques stocking…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Everything at this light-filled contemporary boutique is made from hemp: skincare ranges (soaps, moisturisers, and body washes such as hemp and ginseng),…
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Rotterdam
Making cheese for close on four centuries, this family business specialises in buurenkaas (neighbourhood cheese), which it makes on a farm outside…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Amsterdam's most fashionable department store has a grander exterior than interior, but it occupies the city's highest-profile location, facing the Royal…
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Medieval Centre & Red Light District
Secondhand books weigh down the tables in the atmospheric covered alleyway between Oudezijds Achterburgwal and Kloveniersburgwal, where you'll rub tweed…
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Haarlem
Premium Dutch cheeses, such as Roomano (a hard Gouda-like cheese from Friesland) and Zeekraalkaas (sheep's-milk cheese with samphire from the West Frisian…
