10 best things to do in Amsterdam to immerse yourself in Dutch life

On almost any given day, all across Amsterdam, you can find open-air markets, selling everything from vintage clothes and antiques to handmade trinkets to traditional foods. The largest and liveliest is Albert Cuypmarkt, a block-long market in De Pijp that has been around since 1905. From Monday to Saturday, over 250 stalls set up shop along Albert Cuyp Street, trading in a huge variety of goods, from discount clothes and housewares to Dutch specialities like raw herring and stroopwafels.

Mondays and Saturdays, head to the quaint Jordaan and the Noordermarkt, which has been operating for over 400 years on the square in front of the Noorderkerk church. Discover a treasure trove of flea-market finds, including used vinyl, second-hand clothing, old books, and antiques galore.

Since 1910, the Dappermarkt has served the Oost district, now one of the most vibrant, culturally diverse neighbourhoods in the city. Among the 250 stalls, you’ll find flowers, fresh fish, and fruit and veg, plus a huge range of speciality foods, spices, and colourful textiles from Turkey, Suriname, Morocco, and the Middle East – reflecting the area’s melting pot of nationalities. There are also plenty of Dutch products on offer, from stroopwafels to Gouda cheese. Prices here are much cheaper than what you’ll find at other markets, making it worth the short trip east. The Dappermarkt is open every day except Sunday.

At IJ-Hallen in Amsterdam Noord, you can rummage through 500-plus indoor/outdoor stalls packed with second-hand clothing, home goods, toys, and assorted knick-knacks; the market takes place one or two weekends a month and has a small entry fee.

Amsterdam’s rotating Sunday market takes place on the first, second, and last Sunday of every month in several locations around the city. Among them is an Art, Design, and Vintage market inside De Hallen, a converted tram depot, and outdoors at Museumplein, where local designers showcase fashion, art, jewellery, and home goods.

Addresses: Albert Cuypmarkt, Albert Cuypstraat between Ferdinand Bolstraat and Van Woustraat, 1073; Noordermarkt, 1015; IJ-Hallen, NDSM-Plein 1, 1033; Dappermarkt, Dapperstraat 74, 1093