De 9 Straatjes = 3×3 picturesque shoppingstreets and 4 canals.
With >250 special shops, eateries, hotels, galleries and museums
In the middle of Amsterdam World Heritage Canal Belt!

World Heritage & Hip

The Nine Streets stands for over 250 shops, unique eateries, hotels, museums and more at 9 picturesque shopping alleyways and 4 canals. In the hart of Unesco World Heritage Amsterdam, between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsegracht. De 9 Straatjes offers a great overview of the architectural style of Amsterdam heritage with the most wonderful monuments and canal palaces. Even after 400 years it is very lively with trade, craft and culture. Note: the location got its special name De 9 Straatjes when during the nineties last century, entrepreneurs in the area of ‘Felix Meritis’ and ‘Leidsegracht Noord’ started to work together. They came up with this special name and formed a new shopping spot in Amsterdam city center and more specific The Canal Belt. Since then De 9 Straatjes became more and more known as Amsterdam’s best shopping spot. Why? This special and unique locality goes from mishmash to chic and from ethnic to antique, vintage and contemporary. It’s places like this that really make you feel comfortable in Amsterdam, so they say!

The Canal Belt

All the world is built around Amsterdam, wrote the famous Dutch poet Joost van den Vondel in the 17th century. During that golden age the old area of the city within the Singel bursted out of its seams. So a ring of canals was dug, the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. The design of this city expansion was called the Grachtengordel (canalbelt). It opened the eyes of New York and Paris and made Amsterdam into a famous city. The Amsterdam main canals with its ‘canal palaces’ were connected by side-streets for the needs of the rich trading families along the Heren-, Keizers- and Prinsengracht. The area always was burstling with trade, craft and culture. About 400 years later entrepreneurs of the stores, hotels and restaurants of a specific piece of the Canal Belt the name De 9 Straatjes, referring to nine alleyways between the 4 main Amsterdam canals. The names of some of the little streets are connected tot the old skin industry and trading. As Huiden-, Ree-, Beren- en Wolvenstraat stands for Skins-, Deer-, Bears- and Wolvesstreet!

The 9 Streets In The Press

‘For that true taste of A’dam. Nine little streets that are big on personality.’ (National Geographic)

‘It’s areas like this that really make you feel comfortable in Amsterdam.’ (Lonely Planet)

‘A must if you want to hang out where the locals do.’ (Thomas Cook Travel Magazine)

‘In the mood for some retail therapy? Visit De 9 Straatjes. It is charming and delightful.’ (Vanity Fairs)

‘Easily Amsterdam’s best shopping hub; a charming mixture of designer boutiques, art galleries, vintage clothing stores, gift shops and places to eat and drink.’ (The New York Times)