In short: which one?
- A Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday: only the Albert Cuyp is open, since the Noordermarkt is a market only on Mondays and Saturdays. On Sundays both are closed (see our guide to Amsterdam's markets).
- Eating on the spot, with family, without planning: the Albert Cuyp, open six days a week, with herring, kibbeling, poffertjes and hot stroopwafels.
- Browsing for finds and strolling between the canals: the Noordermarkt on Monday (flea market) or Saturday (organic market).
- Only one slot available: on a Saturday morning both are open; choose the Noordermarkt for the neighbourhood atmosphere, the Albert Cuyp for the buzz.
The Albert Cuyp Market
The Albert Cuyp Market has occupied the Albert Cuypstraat since 1905. It has about 260 stalls and presents itself as the largest daily market in Europe. You will find fruit and vegetables, fish, cheese, fabrics, clothes and accessories, as well as Dutch snacks: raw herring, kibbeling, poffertjes and stroopwafels. It is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 to 17:00; the De Pijp metro station (line 52) comes out at its western end.
- Atmosphere: lively, popular and very diverse, with vendors calling out their prices.
- Who it suits: food lovers, families, anyone who wants a market open almost every day.
- Good to know: the crowd builds up late in the morning, especially on Saturday; the market is a classic hunting ground for pickpockets. The district is described in our guide to De Pijp.
The Noordermarkt
The Noordermarkt surrounds the Noorderkerk, in the north of the Jordaan, by the Prinsengracht. On Monday from 8:30 to 14:00 it is a flea market: vintage clothes, books, records, crockery and antiques, extended by the Westerstraat fabric market (9:00-13:00). On Saturday from 9:00 to 16:00 it is the boerenmarkt, an organic market created in 1987: seasonal vegetables, bread, cheese, flowers. On Saturday the Lindenmarkt, on the nearby Lindengracht, adds a big neighbourhood market from 9:00 to 17:00.
- Atmosphere: that of a local residents' market, calmer and greener, with café terraces around the square.
- Who it suits: vintage and farm-produce lovers, couples, anyone who wants to combine a market with a walk in the Jordaan.
- Good to know: on Monday the best flea-market pieces go early; on Saturday, arrive before 11:00. Bring cash and a reusable bag.
Comparison
| Albert Cuyp | Noordermarkt | |
|---|---|---|
| District | De Pijp | Jordaan |
| Days | Monday-Saturday | Monday (flea market), Saturday (organic) |
| Hours | 9:30-17:00 | Monday 8:30-14:00, Saturday 9:00-16:00 |
| Type | Food, fabrics, clothes, snacks | Vintage and books (Monday), producers (Saturday) |
| Atmosphere | Popular, lively | Neighbourhood, calmer |
| For eating on the spot | Excellent | Good (apple pie at Winkel 43, stalls) |
| For browsing for finds | Limited | Very good on Monday |
| Getting there | De Pijp metro (line 52) | 15-minute walk from Central Station |
| Entry | Free | Free |
Our advice
If you can only do one: the Albert Cuyp for tasting, strolling and enjoying a market almost every day; the Noordermarkt if you like flea markets, vintage or farm produce, on a Monday or a Saturday. To complete your plans, see our guides to what to eat in Amsterdam, thrift and vintage shops and free things to do.
