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Amsterdam’s largest general market runs all the way down this long street in the Pijp area, touting everything from fresh fish to footwear. Come here for fabrics, but don’t come here for clothes (see Albert Cuypmarkt).

Albert Heijn is a rather upmarket supermarket chain – there’s at least one in each area of town. A little pricey, but the selection is wide, the aisles are wide, and they’re wide awake: unusually, several centrally located branches stay open until 10pm.

Named “The Beehive” (which just about sums it up if you’re here at the weekend), Amsterdam’s prestigious department store caters for everyone from children to clubbers. Often described as the Dutch Harrods, prices ensure that it’s only the well-honied that tend to part with their cash here.

Amsterdam’s famous floating flower market – the stalls still float, but now they are permanent (see Bloemenmarkt).

This cheap and cheerful chainstore purveying unintentionally kitsch interior supplies – be that a coffee cup or a toilet brush – has become something of an institution in the Netherlands. One regular customer even requested that her ashes should be scattered in one.

Amsterdam’s organic Saturday “farmer’s market” is a treat rather than a routine shopping trip. Cruise the stalls to the accompaniment of some fine busking and sample free goats’ cheese and other goodies – plus freshly-baked bread, flowers and a fabulous fungi selection.

Burrow away to your heart’s content in this highly browsable and perpetually intriguing indoor warren of antiques and collectibles. When you’ve dug out some bargains, there’s also a café where you can put your weary feet up (see Looier Kunst en Antiekcentrum).

Built between 1895 and 1899, this magnificent building – once derisively dubbed “postoffice Gothic” by its critics – was designed by Cornelis Hendrik Peters (1874–1932) to house Amsterdam’s head post office. Now a shopping mall, around 40 diverse stores are located over its four floors. There are two cafés.

There has been a market on this site since 1627 – a fact you can contemplate as you fight over the bargains with the die-hard clubbers who arrive here after a night out, or with the locals who come for a more civilized Monday-morning rummage. Unbeatable for second-hand clothes and accessories (see Noordermarkt).

Whether your taste is exotic crafts and jewellery or vintage clothes, you can find them from Monday to Saturday at the city’s best flea market – although it’s a jumble at the best of times. When you can take no more, escape to the adjacent indoor markets.