Unique Shops in Unique Amsterdam

Amsterdam is known for some wicked things but

trust me, there is more to Amsterdam than that, much more! Shopping! Yes, that

is one of my favourite things in Amsterdam and that is the reason why I have

selected some of the funniest, unique stores to visit while in these beautiful

city in Northern Europe. Dutch people do not wear wooden shoes but they do have

some pretty special shops that reflect their personalities very well.

Rood

(Red). If you love this passionate colour, you must

pay a visit to this incredible little shop. Just behind the impressive Bijenkorf

department store, between Dam Square and the Red Light District, you will find

Rood, where, as the name suggests, comprises a wide variety of items

exclusively in one colour: red! Clothing items, children’s toys, kitchen

utensils, handbags, jewellery, candles… I was blown away by such an original

idea and I am sure that you will love this space as much as I did. It is

located on Warmoesstraat 137a. www.roodismooi.nl/

Right next to Rood, you will find one of

the most original stores with an

Amsterdam

flair to it. And why is that? Well, where else would you find a shop

entirely dedicated to condoms? A’Dam!

The

Condomerie, located at the border of the Red Light District and with a vast

selection of not only condoms, but also lubricants and gifts of all kinds. On

their website you can also find tips on how to use these contraceptives, how to

choose the right size and model and even a short history of condoms condomerie.com.

When it comes to second hand stores,

Amsterdam offers its visitors many different types of

vintage shopping. Some stores like

Wini Vintage with items to die for, look like designer stores with

a touch of bohemian style. Located on Haarlemmerstraat 29, this is the kind of

place where you can find absolutely unique pieces at reasonable prices: vintage

bags, luxurious night dresses, scarves, tops, skirts, trousers… If however

you rather spend your hard earned money on your home than on yourself, you need

to pay a visit to

Jessica Padt’s store, located on Eerste Tuindwarsstraat 17

in the beautiful Jordaan district, where many of our apartments are located.

Internationally recognized magazines such as Elle and Cosmopolitan have

featured this exquisite vintage shop where pieces from Artifort and Sonia

Rykiel Maison can be found as well as restored couches, chairs and beautifully

embroided cushions that will make your home even more homely.

And what about grabbing a bite before you

head to the next unique shop? My favourite place to have a gorgeous piece of

cake is

De Drie Graefjes www.dedriegraefjes.nl/ Its ideal location (just behind Dam Square

and Kalverstraat) makes it extremely convenient and it is the ideal place to

either grab lunch, enjoy a cup of coffee or indulge in a king size carrot cake

or blueberry muffin. Every time I go there I struggle to choose which kind of

tea I would like to drink. They are all so yummy! The lychee flavour from Dilmah

and the Apple and Cinnamon one from Celestial Seasonings are the reason why I

keep on coming back. Just next door from this lovely cafe, you will find their

own bakery, so if you are in a rush and you just want to get a cupcake or

cookie to go, just go next door to

De

Drie Graefjes, American Bakery. Yes, sometimes we need sugar, when we are

in a shopping spree, do we not?

If I tell you

Nijntje is

to Holland what Tintin to Belgium, first thing you will probably ask me is: Nijntje

who? Ok, let’s try again. Does the name

Miffy

ring a bell? Yes, Miffy, that cute little bunny designed by Dick Bruna long

before Hello Kitty wore her first diaper. Nijntje is not only an adorable

cartoon; Nijntje is a symbol of The Netherlands. If you do not believe me I

recommend you to visit the city of Utrecht, where there is an actual museum

dedicated to Nijnte (short name for

Konijntje

which in Dutch means ‘little rabbit’). This is the perfect store to get a

lovely gift for the little ones back home. And not only the little ones! I have

already set an eye on a huge Nijntje lamp that screams designer and cuteness

all over. And I am warning you, Nijntje is so sweet and pretty you will be

hooked to that bunny forever

.

De

Winkel van Nijntje in Amsterdam

is located on Scheldestraat 61, close to Europaplein.

Their

website is only available in Dutch, but here you can get an idea of what kind

of items you can find: www.dewinkelvannijntje.nl/

I hope you enjoy your stay with us in Amsterdam

and of course my shopping tips. Tot snel (See you soon!)