Amsterdam (Rough Guide) - Martin Dunford [146]
Vandal Com-x Rozengracht 31 (Jordaan and Western docklands) 020/420 2144, www.vandalcomx.com. US comic imports, as well as related toy figures, games and masks. Mon 1–5.30pm, Tues–Thurs 11am–5.30pm, Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 11am–5pm.
Shopping | Shops | Books and comics |
Language
Intertaal Van Baerlestraat 76 (Museum Quarter and Vondelpark) 020/575 6756. Teach-yourself books and dictionaries in every language you can think of, and then some. Tues–Fri 10am–6pm, Sat 10am–5pm.
Selexyz Scheltema See "General bookstores" for more. Amsterdam’s biggest and best bookshop has an excellent range of language books and all sorts of stuff on the Dutch and their habits.
Shopping | Shops | Books and comics |
Politics and society
Fort van Sjakoo Jodenbreestraat 24 (Jewish Quarter and Eastern docklands) 020/625 8979, www.sjakoo.nl. Anarchist bookshop stocking a wide selection of radical political publications. Mon–Fri 11am–6pm, Sat 11am–5pm.
Shopping | Shops | Books and comics |
Religion and occult
Au Bout du Monde Singel 313 (Grachtengordel west) 020/625 1397, www.auboutdumonde.nl. Astrology, philosophy, psychology and mysticism, with classical music playing while you browse. Near Raamsteeg. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 1–5pm.
Shopping | Shops | Books and comics |
Theatre and film
Cine-Qua-Non Staalstraat 14 (Old Centre) 020/625 5588. Film and cinema history books, posters and other film paraphernalia. Tues–Fri 1–6pm.
Shopping | Shops | Books and comics |
Travel
A la Carte Utrechtsestraat 110 (Grachtengordel south) 020/625 0679. Large and friendly travel bookshop. Prinsengracht cross-street. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Fri 10am–6pm (Thurs till 9pm), Sat 10am–5.30pm, Sun noon–5pm.
Evenaar Singel 348 (Grachtengordel west) 020/624 6289. Concentrates less on guidebooks and more on travel literature, of which it has an exemplary selection in both English and Dutch. Near Raamsteeg. Mon–Sat 12.15–6pm.
Pied-à-Terre Overtoom 135 (Museum Quarter and Vondelpark) 020/627 4455, www.piedaterre.nl. The city’s best travel bookshop, with knowledgeable staff and a huge selection of books and maps. Also sells inflatable and illuminated globes and hiking maps for Holland and beyond, mostly in English, as well as adventure holiday guides. Mon 1–6pm, Tues–Fri 10am–6pm (Thurs till 9pm), Sat 10am–5pm.
Pied-à-Terre
Shopping | Shops | Books and comics |
Women’s
Xantippe Unlimited Prinsengracht 290 (Grachtengordel west) 020/623 5854, www.xantippe.nl. Amsterdam’s foremost women’s bookshop, with a wide selection of new feminist titles in English, plus guidebooks and postcards too. At Berenstraat. Mon 1–7pm, Tues–Fri 10am–7pm, Sat 10am–6pm, Sun noon–5pm.
Shopping | Shops |
Clothes and accessories
In many ways, Amsterdam is an ideal place for clothes shopping; prices aren’t too high and the city is sufficiently compact to save lots of shoe leather. On the other hand, don’t expect the huge choice of, say, London or New York. There are good-value, if somewhat predictable, mainstream styles along Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk, with better-quality wares along Rokin and Leidsestraat; the really fancy goods are to be found down in the south of the city on P.C. Hooftstraat, Van Baerlestraat and, further south still, on Beethovenstraat.
There’s a fair range of one-off secondhand clothing shops dotted around the Jordaan, on Oude and Nieuwe Hoogstraat, and along the narrow streets that connect the major canals in Grachtengordel west. The Waterlooplein flea market is also a great hunting ground for vintage bargains. For children’s clothes, see "Shops".
Shopping | Shops | Clothes and accessories |
High-street and designer clothes
Agnès B Rokin 126 (Old Centre) 020/627 1465. Amsterdam city-centre shop of the chic French designer, Agnès Troublé.
Antonia Gasthuismolensteeg 18–20 (Grachtengordel west) 020/320 9443, www.antoniabyyvette.nl. High-fashion shoes, slippers and handbags spread over two smallish shops. Mon noon–6pm, Tues–Sat 10am–6pm (Thurs till