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Rotterdam is the number-one shopping city in South Holland. Its famous Lijnbaan and Beurstraverse shopping centers, as well as the surrounding areas, offer a dazzling variety of shops and department stores. Here you'll find all the biggest Dutch chains, like Mango, Morgan, Invito, and Sacha. The archways and fountains of the Beurstraverse, at the bottom of the Coolsingel, make this newer, pedestrianized area more pleasing to walk around. It now boasts some of the highest commercial rents in town, and even has a nickname: "Koopgoot," which can mean "shopping channel" (if you like it) or "shopping gutter" (if you don't). Exclusive shops and boutiques can be found in the Entrepotgebied, Delfshaven, Witte de Withstraat, Nieuwe and Oude Binnenweg, and Van Oldenbarneveldtstraat. West Kruiskade and its vicinity offer a wide assortment of multicultural products in the many Chinese, Surinamese, Mediterranean, and Arabic shops. The shops in the city center are open every Sunday afternoon, and there is late-night shopping (until 9) every Friday.
Look along the Voorhaven and its continuation Aelbrechtskolk, in Delfshaven, for the best antiques. On Sunday head to the Schiedamsdijk, where you can expect to find a market (noon–5) that specializes in antiques and old books.
The expansive Binnenrotteplein, between Sint Laurenskerk and Blaak station, is home to one of the largest street markets in the country (Tuesday and Saturday 9–5:30). Among the 520 stalls you can find a flea market, book market, household items, used goods, food, fish, clothes, and flowers. The market's approximately 100 food stalls are housed inside the impressive Markthal, on one side of the square, open daily and worth a visit in its own right.
