Albert Cuypmarkt

What it is

Albert Cuypmarkt is a street market on the Albert Cuypstraat, in De Pijp. It fills the stretch between Ferdinand Bolstraat and Van Woustraat. It is the busiest market in the Netherlands, with around 260 stalls, and it is counted as the largest day market in Europe. About six million people come every year.

It is worth the walk because it is still a working market. Amsterdammers shop here next to tourists, students and day-trippers. The street is closed to traffic while the market is open, so you walk down the middle among the stalls.

How it began

The market started as a loose collection of street sellers and handcarts. By the early 1900s it had turned into chaos. In 1905 the city council decided to set up an organised market, at first only on Saturday evenings. In 1912 it became a daily market, and it has kept that role since.

The street and the market are named after Albert Cuyp, a painter of the 17th century.

There is a newer piece of history on the street too. In 2005 a statue of the singer André Hazes was unveiled here. Hazes grew up in De Pijp. In 1959 the actor Johnny Kraaijkamp Sr. heard him singing at the market and noticed his talent. Look for the statue as you walk.

What to look for

The stalls sell fresh produce, clothes, flowers, fabrics and snacks. Go slowly and look at what the locals are buying.

Start with a stroopwafel. Watch it being made and eat it while it is still warm. Then find a fish stall and try herring, the Dutch way. It is a simple, salty bite, and it is what people here eat.

Cheese stalls are easy to spot. Ask if you can taste before you buy. Listen, too. Stallholders call out their prices, and the noise is half of the experience.

When you have had enough of the crowd, step into the side streets of De Pijp. There are cafés and restaurants close by, and the pace drops at once.