Shopping A-Z

Reviewed is a selection of interesting Amsterdam stores, some of which you might not otherwise have found. Use the list to save you time and trouble with your shopping list, or simply to locate interesting stores.

Art

Posters and reproductions of famous artworks are an excellent item to buy in Amsterdam. The Dutch are known for their high-quality printing and color-reproduction work, and one of their favorite subjects is Holland's rich artistic treasure-trove. Choose any of the three major art museums listed below as a starting point.

For van Gogh prints, the Van Gogh Museum, Paulus Potterstraat 13 (tel. 020/570-5200; tram: 2, 3, 5, or 12), is an excellent good source for reproductions. At Museum Het Rembrandthuis, Jodenbreestraat 4 (tel. 020/624-9486; tram: 9 or 14), you can buy a mounted Rembrandt etching for 15€ to 20€ ($24-$32); it's not an original, of course, but it is an individually produced high-quality modern printing done by hand in the traditional manner. For something simpler (and cheaper) to remind you of the great master, Het Rembrandthuis also sells mass-printed reproductions of the etchings and small packets of postcard-size reproductions in sepia or black and white on a thick, fine-quality paper stock.

Reviewed are just a few of Amsterdam's 140 or so galleries that display and sell photography, sculpture, and contemporary, modern, and ethnic art.

Diamonds

These reputable stores offer guided diamond-cutting and polishing tours for free, and sales of the finished product: Amsterdam Diamond Center, Rokin 1-5 (tel. 020/624-5787; www.amsterdamdiamoncenter.com; tram: 4, 9, 14, 16, 24, or 25), at the Dam; Coster Diamonds, Paulus Potterstraat 2-8 (tel. 020/305-5555; www.costerdiamonds.com; tram: 2 or 5), at the Rijksmuseum; Gassan Diamonds, Nieuwe Uilenburgerstraat 173-175 (tel. 020/622-5333; www.gassandiamonds.com; Metro: Waterlooplein), at Oudeschans; Stoeltie Diamonds, Wagenstraat 13-17 (tel. 020/623-7601; www.stoeltiediamonds.com; tram: 4, 9, or 14), at Rembrandtplein; and Van Moppes Diamonds, Albert Cuypstraat 2-6 (tel. 020/676-1242; www.moppesdiamonds.com; tram: 16, 24, or 25), at Ruysdaelkade.

Fashions

Paris may set the styles, but young Dutch women -- and some of their mothers -- often know better than the French how to make them work. Whatever the current European fashion rage is, you can expect to see it in store windows all over Amsterdam, and in all price ranges. It's fun to ferret out the new, young crop of Dutch designers who regularly open stores in unpredictable locations all over town.

Kids

Some museum gift stores are good sources for toys and other children's knickknacks. Try the stores at the Theatermuseum, Herengracht 168 (tel. 020/551-3300; tram: 13, 14, or 17), for masks, costumes, and minitheaters; Science Center NEMO, Oosterdokskade 2 (tel. 0900/919-1100; bus: 22), for scientific and educational toys and gadgets; and both the Tropenmuseum, Linnaeusstraat 2 (tel. 020/568-8215; tram: 7, 9, 10, or 14), and Artis Zoo, Plantage Kerklaan 38-40 (tel. 020/523-3400; tram: 9 or 14), for model animals and eco-stuff.

Sex

Amsterdam's free and easy -- you could even say laid-back -- attitude to the mysteries of the flesh has spawned a vast range of stores devoted to satisfying customers' needs, whether real or pure fantasy. Many of these stores are down-and-dirty, sleazeball kinds of places, but not all. Here are some with a sense of style.

Night Owls -- A local avondwinkel (evening store) is a resource not to be ignored for keeping you stocked with after-hours munchies. Suppose you feel like an evening in your hotel, and you either don't fancy the room-service menu or your hotel doesn't provide one. Not to worry: There's bound to be an evening store close to the hotel (ask the front desk). Many can prepare takeout meals to about the same standard as you would find in a typical Dutch eetcafé, for 10% to 20% less than restaurant prices. Hours are usually from 5 to 11pm or midnight.

From Ships to Shops -- KNSM-Eiland (KNSM Island), in the redeveloping Eastern Harbor area, has a streetload of interior design stores. The island is named after the Dutch initials of the old Royal Dutch Steamship Line that was based there -- the Koninklijke Nederlandse Stoomboot Maatschappij. Shops here include Pol's Potten, KNSM-laan 39 (tel. 020/419-3541; www.polspotten.nl), for furnishings, accessories, kitchen stuff, and knicknacks by hip young designers; and Keet in Huis, KNSM-laan 297 (tel. 020/419-5958; www.keetinhuis.nl), for children's lifestyles. Tram: 10.