One of Amsterdam’s busiest shopping streets, Kalverstraat is named after the “kalvermarkt”, or “calves market”, that was held in the city during the 17th century. Here shopping enthusiasts will find a variety of items to peruse and purchase from shops that are lined on both sides of the street, from clothing to bags and perfume in budget-friendly stores like Forever 21, Pull & Bear and Topshop.
Visitors can take respite in one of the coffee shops, grab a quick bite at the variety of fast food restaurants or explore the popular Madame Tussauds Amsterdam attraction. Parallel to Kalverstraat is Damrak, where visitors will find a range of restaurants and hotels, while visitors can smell fresh tulips, narcissus and other flowers at the famous Flower market on the Muntplein sitting at the end of Kalverstraat. Less than a 10-minute walk to De Bijenkorf, Amsterdam’s biggest department store and Magna Plaza, one of the few shopping malls in the city, shoppers are spoiled for choices in the area.
Beginning at Amsterdam’s central Dam Square, it extends 750 metres to the Munttoren tower, a former part of the city’s medieval walls that sits in Muntplein square. A pedestrian-only area, Kalverstraat’s shops can be explored on foot without worrying about car traffic and can be reached via train, tram, bus or taxi. Only a 15-minute walk to Centraal Station, the city’s main train station, and less than ten minutes from Dam Square, Kalverstraat is easily accessible from any point of interest in the city.
Kalverstraat is the most famous shopping street in the Netherlands. While it’s known for its mid-range priced shops, it has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive streets in the world for shops to rent a space. So much so, in the Dutch version of Monopoly Kalverstraat is the most expensive street.