Shopping on your Amsterdam Vacation

Your Amsterdam Shop – What to Buy:

Shoppers for gifts and souvenirs in Amsterdam will be happy to know that there are hundreds of tourist shops where you can buy anything from chocolates to tulip bulbs or Delft porcelain.  However, don’t be in a hurry to buy as the tourist shop may not be the best place to purchase the genuine items.

If chocolates, cheese or other foodstuff are what you’re after, you may be better off going to an ordinary supermarket where prices will be cheaper.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for more expensive items like jewellery or diamonds, then it’s best to go to one of the specialist shops in the city.  Authentic Royal Delft porcelain for instance is only available at a handful of licensed dealers.

So what is there to buy in Amsterdam?

Food

Chocolate lovers will be familiar with those tubes of Verkade and Droste chocolate pastilles, the best of Netherlands chocolates.  I like these as you can have the little individual pastilles without over-eating – in theory that is.  They are very moreish so be careful not to become addicted.   Hand-made Belgian chocolates are also popular Dutch sweets.

There’s plenty of cheese varieties in Amsterdam and instead of just buying the familiar red-wax covered Edam, you can try the many varieties of Gouda with varying maturities.  Those Mini Babybel Edams are handy to take on your travels as the red wax seals in the cheese and makes this a convenient snack.  If you’re allowed to take cheese home, you can buy rounds of Dutch cheese in presentation packs.

Amsterdam is famous for its flowers and at most shops and in the supermarkets, you’ll see flower seeds and tulip bulbs.  But, if you happen to live in countries where bulbs and seeds are prohibited, you can always buy a bunch of tulips carved out of wood.  There are some good quality ones that would look quite nice in the kitchen.

Ceramics

Fallen head over heels in love with Amsterdam and would like to take a little bit of it home with you?  The good news is that many of Amsterdam’s tourist attractions are available in model-sized ceramics.  Yes, you can buy ceramic windmills in Delft blue, canal houses, farm houses and even pretty Dutch maidens.

Dutch Clogs

I was looking forward to buying a pair of these until I found out how heavy they were.  I’m not sure what I would do with a pair of clogs back home – maybe throw them at burglars – but they’ve always held an interest for me.

Porcelain

Genuine Delft porcelain is produced by De Porceleyne Fles only and all products from this factory come with a certificate of authenticity.

Diamonds

Amsterdam is one of the major diamond centres in the world.  If diamonds are on your shopping list, this is the place to check out some brilliant-cut diamonds and learn more about diamonds as well.  See our visit to Gassan Diamonds factory.

On a sightseeing tour to Zaanse Schans, I found that the gift shop there is filled to the brim with a good range of souvenirs and little gift items.  See the photo above.

Things to do in Amsterdam

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