Leiden
We start this list with Leiden, one of the nice shopping cities in the Netherlands. With about 650 shops, there is plenty on offer. The large retail chains are located in the centre of Leiden, mostly in Haarlemmerstraat and Breestraat, the largest shopping streets in Leiden. Also worth exploring are the boutiques and specialty shops in the alleys in Pieterskwartier. Here you will find clothing stores, antique and delicatessen shops and art galleries. Just walking around this historic part of Leiden is a great experience. While shopping, you will undoubtedly want to sit down for an extensive lunch. Or are you looking for dinner to end your shopping day? In Leiden you will find many cozy restaurants with the tastiest dishes, such as Lot en de Walvis on the harbour quay. Enjoy a special lunch or dinner at the place where merchants’ goods used to be weighed, Waag Leiden.
Haarlem
Haarlem is one of the nicest shopping cities in the Netherlands. It offers a wide range of shops, from vintage shops to large fashion chains. You will discover a wealth of shops in the historical centre of Haarlem, mostly owned by small, independent entrepreneurs. The large fashion chains are almost all located in the Grote Houtstraat. Real treasures you will find in the Seven Golden Streets. Schagchelstraat offers mainly handmade products, from violins to jewelry and clothing. In Gierstraat you will find more than 50 special businesses, as well as 18 monumental buildings. For a nice lunch or dinner, visit restaurant Frenchie, which also has a very nice hotel attached. The Jopenkerk is an absolute must for a drink: the Haarlem Jopen beer is brewed here.
Maastricht
Maastricht is the ultimate fashion city of the Netherlands. Here you will find beautiful shops, special boutiques and authentic specialty stores in the field of fashion, accessories and design. The shopping area of Maastricht is divided into different streets and areas. City-Noord mainly houses the large retail chains, such as Hema, H&M and C&A. At Entre Deux, between Markt and Vrijthof, you can shop indoors, while the historical district of Wyck mainly offers shops for art, antiques, design, living, fashion and delicacies. There are also good cafes and lunchrooms throughout the city, to take a break for a delicious lunch and get ready for more shopping. Café Sjiek is among the most famous of Maastricht and offers unique Limburg dishes.
Utrecht
The atmospheric old city centre of Utrecht is a true paradise for shoppers; Utrecht is on this list of best shopping cities in the Netherlands for a reason. Explore popular department stores, such as the Bijenkorf, but also small boutiques, trendy concept stores and bustling markets, such as the organic farmers’ market, the flower market, the fabric market and the streekmarkt. Be sure to explore the charming squares and countless alleys; this is where the city really comes to life! The main shopping area, with many big-name shops, is Oudegracht. In the Museum Quarter you will find second-hand and vintage items. The boutiques on Voorstraat and Schoutenstraat are also well worth a visit and offer design pieces by established and young fashion designers. Even bad weather won’t spoil your shopping trip to Utrecht: the newly refurbished Hoog Catharijne mall is the largest indoor shopping centre in the country.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam also a variety of shopping areas. The most famous shopping street is Koopgoot, with many large chains and department stores, such as H&M. Other well-known fashion chains, sports shops and department stores are on Lijnbaan and Coolsingel. For unique boutiques and fashion stores, visit Van Oldenbarneveltstraat in the Lijnbaankwartier, artistic Witte de Withstraat, Nieuwe Binnenweg in the Museum Quarter and Pannekoekstraat in the Laurenskwartier. Don’t miss out on the largest market in Rotterdam, the Markthal, a unique monument of modern architecture in itself. Taste the delicacies and browse the many stalls – and don’t forget to look up.
Amsterdam
The Dutch capital has an incredibly extensive and varied range of shops and is therefore one of the nicest shopping cities in the Netherlands. It offers everything from exclusive shops to large department stores and small boutiques. Kalverstraat, Leidsestraat and P.C. Hooftstraat are the most famous shopping streets. But we also love the narrow streets and historic canal-side streets, such as the Nine Streets. These are located in the Jordaan and part of the monumental canal belt. You will find a unique range of specialized shops offering vintage products and fun original gifts. Make a stop at The Lebanese Sajeria for lunch for the tastiest Lebanese dishes. Of course, Amsterdam has much more to offer, such as Haarlemmerstraat with more than 235 shopping and dining options, and Amsterdam Zuid with beautiful shops of allure. Amsterdam is extremely versatile and offers something for everyone!
Den Bosch
Hip concept stores, trendy fashion stores and beautiful boutiques: you will find it all in Den Bosch. Den Bosch offers both large shopping streets and atmospheric side streets. There are also many nice restaurants and bars in this Brabant city, famous for its Burgundian culinary style. Done some serious shopping and want to keep your hands free for the rest of the day, to explore the city or visit a cultural performance?
Zwolle
Just like the other cities mentioned here, Zwolle has a very wide range of shops, boutiques and culinary establishments, and therefore certainly belongs in this list of shopping cities in the Netherlands. In addition to wonderful shopping areas, Zwolle is also known for the many historical buildings on offer, leaving a lot of history to be explored in Zwolle. In Sassenstraat and Luttekestraat you will find unique boutiques, vintage shops and design stores. Diezerstraat hosts large retail chains, such as H&M and The Sting. You can settle down on Grote Markt in one of the many cozy restaurants and eateries, with a great view of the main historical monuments. A truly magnificent sight!
The Hague
In The Hague, shopping starts at the Central Station. Walking along Herengracht, Korte Poten and Lange Poten, you enter one of the main shopping streets, Spuistraat. The Hague has many different squares, streets and markets – one you should definitely not skip is De Passage. This 19th-century covered walkway is the oldest existing shopping mall in the Netherlands. The large retail chains can be found in Grote Marktstraat. In Boekhorststraat you will find lots of surprising shops owned by independent entrepreneurs. One of the oldest streets in the city centre, Denneweg, is home to up-scale shops, galleries and restaurants. In short, The Hague is a city with a lot of diversity and perfect for shopping in the Netherlands.
Alkmaar
Alkmaar was named shopping city of 2017 and not without reason. Large fashion chains, small streets and unique boutiques can be found in the city monumental centre. The famous cheese market is held here on Friday mornings in summer. The main shopping streets, with the big chain stores, are Laat and Langestraat. Cozy little shops can be found on Houttil, Hekelstraat and Huigbrouwerstraat. Jewelers, restaurants, gift shops, vintage shops, fashion boutiques and coffee shops, you will find it all in Alkmaar. But it’s the canals and beautiful monumental buildings that give Alkmaar its real character.