5 Best Places to Shop in Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam

By the beginning of the 18th century, Amsterdam had a virtual monopoly in the diamond industry in Europe, so when diamonds were discovered in South Africa in 1869, there was a windfall for Amsterdam's Jewish communities, a third of whom worked in the diamond trade. Built in 1879, the headquarters of GASSAN was once home to the Boas diamond-polishing factory, the largest in the world, where 357 diamond-polishing machines processed around 8,000–10,000 carats of rough diamonds per week. Today, GASSAN offers polishing and grading demonstrations and free hour-long tours, in more than 27 languages, of the building and its glittering collection of diamonds and jewelry. After the tour, have a stone set to your taste by one of GASSAN's expert goldsmiths. There are other locations in Centrum, Museum District, and at Schiphol Airport.

Born from a progressive platform devoted to exploring the front-lines of avant-garde and underground culture, this fashion and design concept store showcases men's and women's fashion, shoes, accessories, and housewares by brands such as Alex Zeta, Han Kjøbenhavn, Ninamounah, Ximon Lee, Yume Yume, Wolter Pot, and many others.

On Nieuwmarkt square, next to the 15th-century former city gate known as De Waag, you'll find a charming farmers’ market on Saturday, where you can stock up on organic cheese, bread, meat, fruit, and vegetables. There's also a flea market on Sunday in summer, with art, books, and other curiosities.

Named after the Surinamese slang for "shoes," this boutique sells an exclusive selection of sneakers from brands such as adidas, Puma, Nike Air Jordan, and Mephisto, as well as apparel from Patta’s own label. Coveted collaborations on limited editions have given the store a certain swagger in the city’s street-wear scene.

You'll feel like you've traveled back to the Roaring '20s when entering this hat shop, with its flapper-style cloches, flatcaps, and fedoras. Purchase bespoke sinamay hairpieces and modern men's and women's hats in every style and color.