Amsterdam Skyline, Photo Credit: NBTC Holland Marketing
Avoid the tourist tat and take home a stylish reminder of your visit with our tips for the best souvenirs to buy in Amsterdam.
Delftware
Originally produced in Delft, a small city about an hour southwest of Amsterdam, Dutch blue and white porcelain has become synonymous with the Netherlands as a whole. Heinen Delfts Blauw carries a wide selection, from Christmas ornaments and flatware to vases and high-end collectibles.
Liqueur
The family-run A. v. Wees De Ooievaar, the last-remaining traditional distillery in Amsterdam, produces a range of liqueurs and old-fashioned bitters. Made from a bewildering array of herbs and spices, the drinks are beautifully packaged and have evocative names like Bride’s Tears, Rose without Thorns and Little Hans in the Cellar.
Try before you buy at the distillery’s tasting room De Admiraal on Herengracht 319.
Dutch design
Characterized by minimalism, innovation and humor, Dutch design has been on the rise since the 1990s. Browse the showrooms of Droog and The Frozen Fountain for stylish homeware and contemporary furniture by established names (Jongerius, Wanders, Hutten) and upcoming talent.
Flowering bulbs
If you miss the dazzling display of spring blooms at the Keukenhof gardens just outside Amsterdam, prepackaged bulbs are available all year round at the floating flower market on Singel canal.
Dozens of varieties of tulips are available, but lilies, hyacinths, crocuses and narcissus make colorful souvenirs, too.
The Diary of Anne Frank
Although her story had a tragic end, Anne Frank has inspired millions since her diary was published in 1947. A luxury, hardcover edition of the book is available from the Anne Frank House (Prinsengracht 263-267), now a museum, where Frank and her family lived in hiding between 1942 and 1944.
