As the busiest market in the Netherlands and the largest of its kind in Europe, the Albert Cuypmarkt offers everything you'd expect from a marketplace, and more.
Food, clothing, gadgets, bicycles, traditional ethnic products, etc.
Today, I'd like to introduce you to the place in detail.
Albert Cuypmarkt: article summary
Albert Cuypmarkt: a market in the heart of De Pijp
You can find the Albert Cuyp in "De Pijp", a lively part of the city also known as the "Latin Quarter". It's one of the city's most popular districts.
Since the district was built in the 19ᵉ century, it has rapidly become has become very popular with students and artists.
A neighborhood of great diversity
De Pijp is now a very international part of Amsterdam. People from over 144 different countries live there. This makes it a very popular part of town.
Diversity has made its way into the market, stores and restaurants. In addition to the market, you'll find numerous small concept stores, bars and restaurants. This gives the market and the neighborhood its lively character!
The history of Albert Cuypmarkt
The market began around 1904. At the market, all kinds of vendors gathered in an unorganized way to sell their wares. In the 20ᵉ century, this unorganized disorder caused a lot of chaos in the city.
This forced the town council to take action and change the rules a little. The market was changed to a Saturday-only market, but this soon turned into a Saturday-only market. a 6-day-a-week market.
Salesmen had a hard life. They had to get up before dawn. When they arrived at the market, a policeman would blow his whistle. This was the signal for the vendors to run for the best spots.
If you had claimed your place, it was yours for the rest of the day. The competition was enormous and some people were sabotaging others.
The disaster of the Second World War
During the Second World War, Jews were no longer allowed in the market. This had a huge impact, as a third of the vendors were Jewish. Almost none of them returned to the market.
This left a deep scar on Albert Cuyp. But in the sixties and seventies, the market began to flourish again. Sellers came from all over the world, which made the place more colorful.
The Albert Cuyp has had its ups and downs, but it's still standing, stronger than ever. Diversity is what makes this market so special. Everyone comes here, young or old, rich or poor, Dutch or foreign.
Albert Cuypmarkt: discover the spirit of Amsterdam
The Albert Cuyp is the place to discover the true spirit of Amsterdam. There's no other place where you can enjoy the humor and conviviality of Amsterdam.
The market is full of real "Amsterdamers", so even when it's full of tourists, you can still feel the local personality shining through. The people of De Pijp are very friendly, helpful and hospitable.
What can you buy at the market?
The market is full of stalls where you can buy a variety of goods. Looking for clothes or a new pair of shoes? You can find it at Albert Cuyp. There are stalls selling sweaters, jeans, scarves and underwear.
Of course, you can also find plenty of food. Your mouth will water as soon as you'll approach Chris' Olives or Popal Oliva.
At Ron's Notenbar, you can buy all kinds of nuts. And De Peperbol sells the finest herbs, spices and tea. And when you're in the Netherlands, it's impossible to be at a market without tasting and buying cheese.
There are a lot of cheeses on the Albert Cuyp. Visit Bart Kaas, Daalder Kaas, Johan Kaas or Say Cheese.
How to get to Albert Cuypmarkt?
The Albert Cuyp market is within easy reach. Take the streetcar as the locals do. It's one of the the city's fastest transport system.
There are many streetcars that will bring you from the Amsterdam Central Station at the market. You can take the streetcar 4 and get off at Stadhouderskade.
After a walk of just 50 meters, you've reached your destination. You can also take streetcar 16 or 24. You'll need to get off the streetcar at Albertcuypstraat.
What are the opening hours?
Albert Cuyp market opens
- Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It would be wise to be there on time, as there is so much to see that you can easily spend the whole day there.
The Albert Cuypmarkt is a place you can't afford to miss during your stay in Amsterdam. On site, you'll be able to sample tasty dishes and enjoy items sold by local producers.
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