Welcome To Amsterdam’s Nine Streets – Amsterdam’s “9 Straatjes”


Different types of tourists flock to Amsterdam and one of these types is the “Shopaholic”. For those who love authentic Amsterdam and are fond of trendy shops, it is highly recommended to visit the 9 Straatjes or “Nine Streets” as it’s called in the English language. This part of Amsterdam is ‘the place to be’ for hip Amsterdammers and everyone from the Netherlands or abroad who loves original clothing shops and (organic) lunch restaurants.

Why is it called the “Nine Streets?”

The 9 streets are transverse streets that connect the Heren-, Keizers-, and Prinsengracht (3 x 3 = 9 Straatjes). It was built at the end of the Golden Age because the old city area did not offer sufficient space for all activities. In the 9 streets it was literally bursting with trade, craft & culture and in 2010 this is still noticeable. You can find many craft businesses here and a variety of specialized shops. The street names – such as Huidenstraat, Runstraat and Wolvenstraat – remind us of the craft of leather processing. The 9 streets form a unique shopping area in the Netherlands and the centre of the Amsterdam canals where many monumental buildings can still be admired. In short: more than worth it for a visit!

The Nine Streets consists of nine side streets of the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Singel in central Amsterdam which have been promoting themselves with that name since the 1990s. Together they form a sub-neighbourhood within the larger western canal belt, one with many small and diverse shops and restaurants. The construction in this area goes back to the first half of the 17th century. Interested to learn more about the canal belt area and how it came to be? Visit the Museum of the Canals, which is housed in a 17th-century canal house on the Herengracht!

Pro tip: enjoy the wonderful architecture in the Nine Streets area from the water during a relaxing canal cruise and shoot some magnificent photos!

nine streets amsterdam

Inside the 9 Streets

You will find De 9 Straatjes in the middle of the canals. Between Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. Just behind the Palace on the Dam Square. The Dutch say, 3 × 3 = 9 Straatje because the street is in the middle of Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht and brims with craft, trade and culture.

The 9 Straatjes: a concept in itself in Amsterdam. It forms a collective name for nine picturesque streets that lie between the Raadhuisstraat and the Leidsestraat in the centre of Amsterdam.

The following streets and alleys are among the Nine Streets:

  • Berenstraat
  • Gasthuismolensteeg
  • Hartenstraat
  • Huidenstraat
  • Oude Spiegelstraat
  • Reestraat
  • Runstraat
  • Wijde Heisteeg
  • Wolvenstraat

The 9 streets’ form a unique area. It is teeming with Amsterdammers and domestic and foreign tourists. The area literally feels like an open-air museum in the middle of Amsterdam because of the fun activities and the original shops and eateries that you can find here. Of course, many galleries are located here and they organize beautiful exhibitions. Do not be surprised if you are sitting next to a famous Dutch celebrity while having lunch. Many famous Amsterdammers live in the neighbourhood of this trendy part of Amsterdam – also called the Amsterdam canals – and they like to be found in the 9 streets.

What’s there to see around the 9 Straatjes?

When you’re in Amsterdam to shop, you do it in the Nine Streets. The Hartenstraat, Wolvenstraat, Huidenstraat, Reestraat, Runstraat, Berenstraat, Gasthuismolensteeg, Oude Spiegelstraat and Wijde Heisteeg are the nine streets and there are lots of great things to do around there. From nice boutiques to vintage, fashion, home accessories and art. From Scandinavian brands to European brands, coffee shops and the cosiest restaurants. It is not for nothing that the Nine Streets are popular with tourists and locals alike. Stroll along the canals or buy some flowers at the Flower Market. The Rembrandt Square isn’t very far away and the Leidseplein and Museumplein are also just 15 minutes walk from the Nine Streets.

Note: Most shops in the Nine Streets are open every day from 10:00 – 17:00 and open from 12 noon every Sunday!

The Bible Museum on the Herengracht

The Biblical Museum is a museum on the Herengracht in Amsterdam. The aim of the museum is to give an insight into the role of the Bible in society and culture in the present and the past and, together with the visitor, to search for the stories and sentiments that live within our society and culture, both within the museum walls as in the country.
The museum has the first printed Bible in the Netherlands, the so-called Delft Bible from 1477. It also has a first edition of the 1637 State Translation. There are models of the Temple of Solomon, the Temple of Herod and a 19th-century model of the Tabernacle. The museum has archaeological finds (mainly from the period from the 1st century BC to the 1st century AD), religious objects and a number of prints. In the garden of the museum, there are a number of plants and trees mentioned in the Bible, such as the date palm, oleander, fig tree and Judas tree.

The European Center for Art, Culture and Science in the Felix in de Steigers (formerly Felix Meritis) house on the Keizersgracht

is the name of a former society and the accompanying building at Keizersgracht 324 in Amsterdam. From 1988 to 2014, the Felix Meritis Foundation was located in the building with a European Center for Art, Culture and Science. The Felix Meritis Society was founded in 1777 by Jan Gildemeester Jansz. The building opened its doors On October 31, 1788, and in 1988, the Foundation established a European Center for Art, Culture and Science.
Felix Meritis became an international meeting place for artists, scientists, cultural entrepreneurs and politicians and provided space for public debates, cultural exhibitions and international projects and exchanges.
Note: The art centre is currently undergoing a renovation and is due to open in the summer of 2019.

The Dutch Institute of War Documentation on the Herengracht:

The institute was established on May 8, 1945, under the name of the State Office for Documentation of the History of the Netherlands in Wartime. On 1 October that year, the name was changed to that of the National Institute for War Documentation. The NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies is housed in a national monument at the Herengracht 380 in Amsterdam, originally built between 1888 and 1890 by architect Abraham Salm, commissioned by the Dutch tobacco planter Jacob Nienhuys.

The Flower Market

The Flower Market is a floating flower market, it has a diverse range of flowers, cacti, home and garden plants, bulbs, seeds, plant pots, vegetable food, and garden tools. A wonderfully colourful place to wander around with a wide range of unusual and interesting plants. The market runs along the Singel between the Koningsplein and the Muntplein, the market is called a floating market because it is on boats.

The flower market, flower and plant market is a permanent market in the centre of Amsterdam. The market was established until 1862 in St. Lucienwal and in 1883 the market moved to the current location of the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal. At that time the market was called trees and plants market, fresh flowers were only sold for the first time in the 60s.

The market stalls are erected on boats that float in Amsterdam’s oldest canals. In the past decades, the flower market has increasingly become a famous tourist attraction in Amsterdam. The flowers on sale vary per season and locals come in the spring for the tulips, in the summer for roses and in December for Christmas trees. There is even a Christmas store that sells Christmas decorations and candles all year round.
Opening Hours
Monday – Saturday: 9:00 am to 5:30 pm
Sunday: 11:00 – 17:30

And furthermore …

Those who walk in ‘the 9 streets’ are short of eyes to see everything. Here one does not find large chain stores but many small original one-man businesses. There is a special fifties-sixties store for your interior. There are also haberdashery stores here. It is teeming in the 9 streets of the curio shops and also clothing shops with their own designs can be found here. A lunch or dinner should not be missed when you visit the 9 streets. In the streets, there are many small eateries where people cook organically or sell food made from original recipes. For example, fresh bread is baked daily in certain cases or a fresh fruit milkshake is made right before your eyes. Every business has something authentic and that is exactly what makes the 9 streets so special.

How to get to the 9 Straatjes by public transport

The 9 Straatjes are located in the middle of the canals. These are the connecting streets between Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. Just behind the Royal Palace on the Dam Square and between Westertoren, Leidsegracht and Spui.

Address
9 Straatjes
Postbus 11558
1001 GN Amsterdam
The Netherlands.

From Amsterdam Central Station

Trams 2, 4, 11, 12, 14, and 24: Exit at the stop ‘Koningsplein’ and you can walk around the Nine Streets from there.

From Museumplein/Leidseplein

Trams 1, 2, 11, and 12: Exit at stop ‘Koningsplein’.

For real-time travel information from wherever you are to the 9 Straatjes, please check out this link;

button-9292-plan-my-journey

Parking Around The 9 Straatjes

Public transport still remains the best way to visit the 9 Straatjes because parking can be very expensive in Amsterdam. The 9 Straatjes can be quite busy, especially during the summer months and this can be very inconvenient for people visiting with a car.

For a visit to the 9 Straatjes, you can park in the following parking facilities:

IJDock Parking
Parking Oosterdok

Are you interested to take a look at other places for a day trip in the Netherlands? We made an overview of the very best places for a day trip while you’re visiting Holland.

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