Hot deal to Amsterdam’s markets: Fly from London for £49

Without a doubt the essence of Amsterdam isn’t found at the Rijksmuseum, it’s at the markets. Every local will tell you that. Now that spring is in full bloom and the warmer weather has finally arrived, it’s about time to get to Amsterdam and experience its marketplaces. Fly from London for only £49 in May.

You can get a whole lot more at Amsterdam’s markets than fresh flowers, cheeses and fresh baked-goods. They are a mecca for finding those odds and ends that you don’t really need, but definitely can’t live without. Second-hand books, furniture, bike pumps, clothing, vinyl records… Each of the city’s marketplaces is a world of its own, squeezed in side streets, along the banks of the canals and between narrow houses.

Top Markets in Amsterdam

• Albert Cuyp: 300+ stalls selling flowers, fabrics, cheese, fish, spices, vegetables, etc. Take tram 16 or 24 to the Ferdinand Bolstraat to get there. Open Monday to Saturday.

• Waterlooplein: the most touristy of them all, find your wooden clogs here along with  ornaments, kitschy decorations, books, records, cycle accessories and other typical “Dutch” paraphernalia. Take tram 9 or 14 to Waterlooplein stop. Open Monday through Saturday.

• Bloemenmarkt: flowers, flowers and more flowers, the stalls float on the water of the canal and you can even find curious items like clog-shaped flower pots. Open daily between Muntplein and Koningsplein.

• Noordenmarkt: Saturday is the busiest day here, it’s when organic produce hits the stalls from the local farms. Samples are in abundance and the broodworst shouldn’t be missed. Open on Saturdays from 10am, Mondays the market sells second-hand clothes. Located in the Jordaan district.

Which market would you like to shop at? Have you ever visited Amsterdam in spring?

Img: ethanlindsey, Flickr cc.