Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam is the largest open-air market in the Netherlands and the single best place in the city to graze your way through Dutch food, browse cheap clothes, and watch real Amsterdam life unfold. Stretching for almost a kilometre along Albert Cuypstraat in De Pijp, it draws around twenty thousand visitors a day and has been running since 1905. This guide covers the hours, the best stalls, a walking route that takes ninety minutes if you stop to taste everything, and the hands-on stroopwafel activity sitting two minutes from the market entrance. If you want to explore the surrounding neighbourhood, our guide to things to do in De Pijp Amsterdam covers Sarphatipark, brown cafes, and the workshop on Albert Cuypstraat.
Whether you are visiting Amsterdam for the first time or you live around the corner, the Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam locals love is worth a slow morning. Here is exactly how to make the most of it.
Opening Hours and Best Time to Visit
Albert Cuyp Market runs Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm. It is closed on Sundays. Stalls start setting up around 8am and pack down between 5pm and 6pm, so do not arrive at 4:55pm hoping to shop. The market never opens on Sundays or on the major Dutch public holidays (Kingsday, Liberation Day, Christmas, New Year).
The best time to visit Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam is mid-morning on a weekday. Arrive between 10am and 11am and you get full stalls, friendly vendors, and easy elbow room. Saturday is the busiest day by a wide margin, with queues at the popular food stalls building from noon. If your only option is a Saturday, come at 9am sharp or after 3:30pm when the lunch rush has cleared.
Rain rarely stops the market entirely, but it thins out the crowd considerably. A drizzly Tuesday morning is a wonderful time to wander.
How to Get to Albert Cuyp Market
The market runs along Albert Cuypstraat between Ferdinand Bolstraat and Van Woustraat. The two closest tram stops are Albert Cuypstraat (tram 4 from Centraal Station, about ten minutes) and Stadhouderskade (tram 24). If you are cycling, there is plenty of bike parking at both Sarphatipark and along Ferdinand Bolstraat.
From Centraal Station, the journey takes around fifteen minutes by tram and twenty by bike. Walking takes about forty minutes and is genuinely pleasant if the weather cooperates: down through the canal belt, across Singelgracht, and into De Pijp.
A Walking Route From East to West
The market is set up along one long street, so a logical route is east-to-west starting at Van Woustraat. This way you finish near the workshop, the metro, and the best afternoon coffee in De Pijp.
Stop 1: Fresh stroopwafels at the eastern entrance. Look for the long-running stand just inside the Van Woustraat entrance. The waffles are pressed in front of you on a hot iron. Eat one warm before you do anything else. For background, our history of the stroopwafel explains why a freshly pressed one is so different from the supermarket version.
Stop 2: Herring at the fish stand. About a hundred metres in, on the south side, you will find a classic Hollandse Nieuwe stand serving raw herring with chopped onions and pickles. Cost is around four euros. Pick it up by the tail, dip it in the onions, eat it standing up.
Stop 3: Cheese tasting. Several cheese vendors have stalls clustered around the middle of the market. Ask for a piece of aged Gouda at least eighteen months old. It crunches with calcium crystals and tastes almost caramelised. Most vendors will let you taste before you buy.
Stop 4: Fresh produce and Dutch flowers. The middle of the market has the best vegetable and flower stalls. Tulips are cheap and fresh year-round. Strawberries in June are exceptional. Pick up a small bag and move on.
Stop 5: Poffertjes at the Ferdinand Bolstraat end. Small spongy pancakes by the dozen, served with butter and powdered sugar. A portion costs around five euros. This is the most photographed stall in the market for a reason.
Stop 6: Surinamese rotis and other ethnic food. Amsterdam’s Surinamese community is heavily concentrated in De Pijp, and the market reflects it. A roti with chicken or vegetarian filling at one of the takeaway stalls costs around eight euros and is one of the best lunches in the city.
The Workshop Two Minutes Off the Market
The stroopwafel workshop on Albert Cuypstraat sits two minutes off the market itself, near the Ferdinand Bolstraat end. It is a hands-on 45-minute activity where you press your own stroopwafel on a real iron, slice it open, and fill it with warm caramel. Sessions hold up to 20 people and run several times a day.
Most visitors do the market first, then book the workshop as an early-afternoon activity. It works equally well for solo travellers, couples, families, and groups of friends. Booking ahead is recommended, especially on weekends. You can also reserve via the FunAmsterdam stroopwafel page if you want to bundle it with other De Pijp experiences.
This pairing is genuinely the best food day in De Pijp: a morning of grazing at the market, a hands-on hour pressing your own waffle, and an afternoon coffee in Sarphatipark. For more on stroopwafel options across the city, see our guide to stroopwafels in Amsterdam.
Beyond Food: What Else to Buy
Albert Cuyp Market is not just food. About half the stalls sell clothing, fabric, household goods, and odd electronics. Prices are low and the quality varies. Best bets are bicycle accessories (lights, locks, bells), socks and underwear in cotton multipacks, and Dutch fabric prints in floral or geometric patterns.
Avoid the souvenir-grade wooden clogs and the cheap “Holland” magnets. They are imported, overpriced, and not what real Dutch souvenirs look like. If you want a souvenir, get a piece of aged Gouda or a bag of fresh stroopwafels instead.
Where to Sit Down After
If you want to sit down after the market, you have three good options within five minutes’ walk.
Cafe Berkhout on Stadhouderskade is a classic Dutch eetcafe with strong beer and a kitchen that does small Dutch plates from noon. Bakers and Roasters on Eerste Jacob van Campenstraat is the best brunch spot in De Pijp, with a Brazilian-Kiwi twist. Sarphatipark itself is a beautiful place to picnic with what you bought at the market.
For a fuller food itinerary, our guide to Dutch food in Amsterdam covers brown cafes, rijsttafel, and where to find proper stamppot.
Tips From Locals
A few things locals know that visitors usually miss:
Bring cash. Many stalls take card, but the smaller vendors and the cheaper produce stands often prefer cash. There is an ABN AMRO ATM at the corner of Albert Cuypstraat and Van Woustraat.
Go to the middle of the market for cheaper prices. The stalls at the two entrances are slightly more expensive because they catch tourist traffic. Walk past the first twenty stalls before you start serious shopping.
Do not bring a bike into the market. Park it at Sarphatipark or on Ferdinand Bolstraat. Cycling through the crowd is a fine on Saturdays.
For the official market history, the city of Amsterdam runs a useful resource at iamsterdam.com with vendor information and seasonal events.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time does Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam open?
Albert Cuyp Market opens at 9am Monday through Saturday and closes at 5pm. It is closed on Sundays and on major Dutch public holidays.
Is Albert Cuyp Market free to enter?
Yes. The market is on a public street and there is no entrance fee. You only pay for what you buy. Cash and card are both widely accepted, though smaller vendors prefer cash.
What is the best stall at Albert Cuyp Market?
The fresh stroopwafel stand near the eastern entrance is the most popular with visitors. The poffertjes stand at the Ferdinand Bolstraat end is the most photographed. The cheese stalls in the middle of the market are the best value for taking food home.
Can I take a tour of Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam?
Several walking tours include the market as a stop, but it is small enough and well-signed enough that a self-guided visit works perfectly. Pair it with the stroopwafel workshop two minutes off Albert Cuypstraat for a hands-on food experience nearby.
Is Albert Cuyp Market open in winter?
Yes. Albert Cuyp Market runs year-round, including in winter. Cold and rainy days mean fewer crowds and faster service. Most stalls are covered with canvas awnings, so light rain is not a problem. The warm food stalls are especially good on cold mornings.
Plan Your Market Morning
The best way to experience Albert Cuyp Market Amsterdam is to come hungry, bring cash, and give yourself at least ninety minutes. Walk the full length from Van Woustraat to Ferdinand Bolstraat, taste at every stop that looks good, and finish with a hands-on activity to put a memory around the morning.
Ready to add the most fun food experience two minutes off the market to your day? Book the stroopwafel workshop on Albert Cuypstraat and turn a morning of market grazing into an afternoon of pressing your own warm waffle.