9 Straatjes

The 9 Straatjes, or Nine Streets, are a cluster of small shopping streets in Amsterdam's seventeenth-century canal ring, lying between the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. Each of the nine runs across the canals rather than along them, connecting the four main waterways with narrow lanes and little bridges. The district forms part of the canal belt that UNESCO added to its World Heritage list in 2010, and it keeps the scale and character of the Golden Age city better than most other districts.

The streets include names like Reestraat, Hartenstraat, Wolvenstraat, Runstraat, Huidenstraat, Berenstraat, Oude Spiegelstraat, Gasthuismolensteeg and Wijde Heisteeg. Their names often recall the trades that once worked here, such as tanners and hide merchants, and they were mostly workaday lanes behind the grand canal houses. Today the narrow fronts hold independent boutiques, vintage clothes shops, design and interior stores, bookshops, galleries, and a number of small food shops, which makes it a favourite with people who prefer individual stores to large chains.

Beyond shopping, the district is a pleasant place to wander. The bridges over the canals are a favourite photography spot, and the tall gabled houses with their hoisting beams lean slightly over the water. Cafes, bakeries and small restaurants fill the corners, and many have tables beside the canal in good weather. The pace is slower than in the busy streets around Dam Square, and early on a weekday is especially quiet.

The Nine Streets sit close to many other attractions. The Anne Frank House and the Westerkerk are a short walk to the north-west, the Jordaan begins just across the Prinsengracht, and the Bloemenmarkt and Begijnhof are within reach to the south-east. Dam Square and the Amsterdam Museum are also close, so the area can easily form part of a larger walking route through the old centre.

Shop opening hours vary, and some stores are closed on Mondays or open later on Sundays, so check if you want to buy something specific. The district suits shoppers, couples, photographers and anyone who enjoys the architecture and atmosphere of the canal ring. A leisurely visit takes two or three hours, longer with a stop for lunch. Trams run along nearby streets, but the area itself is entirely pedestrian and cycle traffic, so mind the bikes.