Where the Nine Streets Are
De 9 Straatjes, the Nine Streets, are a grid of short side streets in Amsterdam's canal belt, the Grachtengordel, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They run across the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Singel canals, bordered by the Raadhuisstraat to the north and the Leidsegracht to the south. Three rows of three streets link the canals, which is how the area got its name.
From the Prinsengracht towards the Singel, the streets are:
- Reestraat, Hartenstraat and Gasthuismolensteeg (northern row)
- Berenstraat, Wolvenstraat and Oude Spiegelstraat (middle row)
- Runstraat, Huidenstraat and Wijde Heisteeg (southern row)
The area is about a 10- to 15-minute walk from Dam Square and Amsterdam Centraal. Trams along the Raadhuisstraat stop at Westermarkt, at the northern edge of the district, which is the most convenient stop for most visitors.
A Short History
The land was laid out around 1612 as part of Amsterdam's great 17th-century expansion, when the canal belt was built for the city's merchant elite. The side streets connected the grand canal houses and served them with workshops and trades. Several street names recall the processing of animal skins: Huiden means hides, Ree is roe deer, Beren bears and Wolven wolves.
Most of the buildings date from the 18th century, and there are more than 140 listed monuments in the area. The "9 Straatjes" name is much newer: it was coined in the 1990s, when local business owners began promoting the area together, and their association was founded in 1996.
What to Shop For
The district has more than 250 shops, cafes, restaurants, galleries and small hotels. Chains are rare; most businesses are independent. The main categories are:
- Vintage and second-hand clothing
- Independent fashion boutiques and designer labels
- Shoes, bags and accessories
- Jewellery, often from local makers
- Home and lifestyle shops
- Art galleries, bookshops and specialist stores
The mix changes regularly, as small shops open and close. The official de9straatjes.nl website keeps an up-to-date directory by category, which is the best way to find current shops before you go.
Opening Hours
Opening hours vary by shop. As a rule in central Amsterdam, many independent shops open later on Monday, sometimes only from midday, and open on Sundays with shorter hours. Thursday is the city's late shopping evening, when some shops stay open longer. Cafes in the area serve breakfast from early morning. If there is a particular shop you want to visit, check its own hours before travelling.
Cafes and Breaks
The canal bridges at the ends of each street are among the most photographed spots in the city, and the cafes along the streets are a natural place to rest. Weekday mornings are calmer; Saturday afternoons are the busiest time, when the narrow pavements fill and cyclists squeeze past. Remember that the paved strip along each street is often shared with bikes, so keep an eye out before stepping off the pavement.
The streets are narrow and lined with small shopfronts, so it is easy to walk past a shop without noticing it. Walking each street in both directions, or switching sides of the street, helps. Most shops are small, and with a large bag or a pushchair it is worth leaving space for other customers in the doorway.
Nearby Sights
The Nine Streets combine well with other canal belt sights. Huis Marseille, a museum of photography, is at Keizersgracht 401, and Het Grachtenhuis, a museum about the history of the canal belt, is at Herengracht 386. Felix Meritis, an 18th-century cultural centre, is on the Keizersgracht. Just north of the Raadhuisstraat are the Westerkerk and the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht; tickets for the Anne Frank House are sold online only, for a time slot, and often sell out, so book well ahead.
Planning a Visit
Allow two to three hours to walk all nine streets at a relaxed pace with a coffee stop. Starting at the northern row near the Westerkerk and zigzagging south towards the Leidsegracht keeps the walk logical, and it lets you cross each canal on the way, where the bridges give long views along the water. Weekday mornings are the easiest time to browse at leisure and talk to shop owners, many of whom run their own businesses. Afterwards, the Leidseplein area is a short walk south, and the Jordaan neighbourhood, with its own markets and small shops, lies just across the Prinsengracht to the west.
