City Centre: Shopping!

The Dam and the Royal Palace form the city centre of Amsterdam. It is an operating base for the Red light district, the many shopping streets and the Central Station.

In front of the Dam, next to the National Monument and 5 star Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, is the Bijenkorf, a high end Dutch department store chain. Magna Plaza, an upscale shopping mall in a beautiful former post office building, is located behind the Royal Palace and next to the Nieuwe Kerk, an exposition centre.

De Dam connects the 2 shopping streets Nieuwendijk en famous Kalverstraat. At the end of the Kalverstraat you will find the Kalvertoren, a petit 3 story mall and from there you can take a right into the Leidsestraat to continue your shopping spree. Damrak street offers mostly restaurants and tourist shops.

The Singel, parallel to the Dam street has a few little interior design shops, the best hair salons and lots of great restaurants where you can have lunch or dinner for reasonable prices.

 

Culture ++ (Royal Palace, National Monument, Nieuwe kerk

Shopping +++ (Kalverstraat, Nieuwendijk, Damrak, Magna Plaza, Kalvertoren)

Eating +++ (many touristy restaurants at the Damrak and Red light district)

Nightlife + (bars in the Red light district. Dress code: anything)

Nature + (all the pigeons on the Dam square)