De 9 Straatjes Amsterdam: Guide to the Nine Streets .

History of De 9 Straatjes

The streets that now form De 9 Straatjes developed as part of Amsterdam's major expansion during the 17th century. As the Canal Belt was constructed, smaller cross streets connected the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht.

Trade and craftsmanship played an important role in this part of the city. Several street names still refer to activities connected with the processing and trade of animal hides. Names such as Huidenstraat, Reestraat, Berenstraat, and Wolvenstraat refer to hides, deer, bears, and wolves and provide a reminder of the businesses once associated with the area.

Although the streets themselves are centuries old, the collective identity of "De 9 Straatjes" is much more recent. Local entrepreneurs began promoting the nine streets together as a distinct shopping area during the 1990s. The initiative helped establish a shared identity for the area's independent shops and businesses, and De 9 Straatjes subsequently became one of Amsterdam's best-known shopping districts.

Today, the streets form part of Amsterdam's historic Canal Belt, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Historic canal houses, bridges, former commercial buildings, and narrow shopfronts provide the setting for the modern shopping and hospitality district.

Which Are the Nine Streets?

De 9 Straatjes consists of three sets of streets running across four major canals. From north to south, they are:

Reestraat – Hartenstraat – Gasthuismolensteeg
Berenstraat – Wolvenstraat – Oude Spiegelstraat
Runstraat – Huidenstraat – Wijde Heisteeg

Together, these streets cross the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht, and Singel. Walking through the area therefore involves repeatedly crossing the canals, with bridges providing views along some of the most characteristic sections of Amsterdam's Canal Belt.

The streets themselves are short, so visitors can walk through all nine relatively easily. However, the concentration of shops, cafés, galleries, historic buildings, and canal views means it is easy to spend considerably longer exploring the area.

Immediately west across the Prinsengracht lies the Jordaan. The two areas are often explored together, but they have different histories and characters. De 9 Straatjes forms part of the formal 17th-century Canal Belt, while the Jordaan developed as a more densely populated working-class district with a much more irregular street pattern.

Shopping in De 9 Straatjes

Shopping is the main reason many people visit De 9 Straatjes. The relatively small shopfronts and historic buildings have helped create a retail environment dominated by boutiques, specialist businesses, vintage stores, fashion shops, galleries, jewellers, design stores, and food shops.

Vintage and second-hand fashion are particularly well represented, alongside independent clothing brands and stores selling accessories, jewellery, homeware, books, gifts, and design products. The variety between individual shops is one of the main differences between De 9 Straatjes and Amsterdam's larger shopping streets.

The area is therefore particularly suited to browsing rather than visiting a single major store. Shops are spread across all nine streets and along the surrounding canals, making the historic streetscape part of the shopping experience itself.

Visitors interested in exploring other retail areas can combine De 9 Straatjes with the nearby Jordaan or continue towards Kalverstraat, Haarlemmerstraat, and other areas featured in our guide to shopping in Amsterdam.

Cafés and Restaurants

The Nine Streets contain a large number of cafés, lunchrooms, bakeries, restaurants, bars, and specialty food shops within a very compact area. They range from informal coffee shops and lunch spots to restaurants and historic cafés.

Because the area attracts both shoppers and visitors exploring the Canal Belt, cafés and restaurants can become particularly busy around lunchtime and during weekends. In warmer weather, small terraces along the streets and canals add to the lively atmosphere.

The surrounding Canal Belt and nearby Jordaan provide many additional options within a short walk, making De 9 Straatjes an easy area to combine with lunch, dinner, or drinks elsewhere in the historic center.

Things to See Around De 9 Straatjes

Although De 9 Straatjes is primarily known as a shopping district, its location within the Canal Belt places several cultural attractions and historic buildings nearby.

Huis Marseille on the Keizersgracht is a photography museum housed in historic canal houses, combining changing photography exhibitions with the architecture and interiors of the buildings themselves.

The Museum of the Canals, or Grachtenmuseum, on the Herengracht explains how Amsterdam's Canal Belt was planned and constructed and provides useful historical context for the streets and waterways surrounding De 9 Straatjes.

Other cultural attractions can be found throughout the surrounding center, while visitors interested in exploring further can find a wider selection in our overview of museums in Amsterdam.

The canals are attractions in their own right. The bridges crossing the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht, and Singel provide long views along the waterways, with historic canal houses, houseboats, trees, and bridges forming some of the most recognizable scenery in Amsterdam. Several of Amsterdam's most beautiful bridges can be found throughout the wider historic center.

Exploring De 9 Straatjes

Walking is the easiest way to explore the Nine Streets. The entire district is compact, and the short distances between the streets make it easy to move between shops, cafés, canals, and nearby attractions without following a fixed route.

De 9 Straatjes is also centrally located between several other major areas. Crossing the Prinsengracht leads directly towards the Jordaan, while Dam Square and the rest of Amsterdam Centrum are a short distance to the east. The Anne Frank House and Westerkerk are located nearby along the Prinsengracht, while continuing south through the Canal Belt eventually leads towards Leidseplein.

Cycling is useful for reaching the area and combining it with other parts of Amsterdam, but the Nine Streets themselves are often busy with pedestrians, shoppers, delivery traffic, and other cyclists. Exploring the individual streets on foot is generally the easiest way to see the shops and surroundings.

The waterways provide another perspective on the district. Many canal cruises in Amsterdam travel through the historic Canal Belt, while visitors who prefer to explore independently can choose a boat rental in Amsterdam.

Character of the Area

De 9 Straatjes combines two important sides of central Amsterdam: the historic architecture and canals of the 17th-century Canal Belt and a dense concentration of independent shops, cafés, restaurants, and small businesses.

Its modern identity as the Nine Streets is relatively recent, but the physical streets, canal houses, bridges, and commercial history of the area are centuries old. The surviving references to historic trades in street names such as Huidenstraat, Reestraat, Berenstraat, and Wolvenstraat provide a particularly visible connection between the area's past and present.

The district is also small enough to form part of a wider route through central Amsterdam rather than requiring an entire day on its own. Combining De 9 Straatjes with the Canal Belt and nearby Jordaan provides a good introduction to three different sides of Amsterdam's historic center within a relatively small area.