Are you looking for the best Amsterdam souvenirs? Well as someone who has spent many years living in Amsterdam I think I have a pretty good handle on what the best souvenirs from Amsterdam are. In this guide I will tell you the things you should consider buying and the best places to buy souvenirs in Amsterdam.
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Best Amsterdam Souvenirs
Tulips
When you think about Amsterdam you can’t help but think about tulips. From the fields of tulips, Keukenhof gardens to the Max Bygraves song, tulips are synonymous with Amsterdam.
If you want to see tulips in Amsterdam, then you really want to be visiting Amsterdam in April. Tulips usually bloom from late March to early May, but it really depends on the year and the weather as to the best time to see the blooms. However April is usually your safest bet. For more information on the best time to visit Keukenhof Gardens check out this post.
However even if you aren’t visiting Amsterdam in April you can still purchase tulips whatever time of year you are visiting.
One of the things I didn’t realise until I moved to Amsterdam was just how many varieties of tulips there are. At Keukenhof Gardens there are usually over 800 varieties of tulips on display and you can actually buy bulbs for many of them.
Note: However it is really important to stress that although tulip bulbs are one of my favorite souvenirs from Amsterdam not everyone will be able to bring these back.
As these are plants, some countries forbid the import of them. Therefore be sure to check the customs regulations of your destination country to avoid breaking the law or having your treasured souvenir from Amsterdam confiscated.
Where to buy Tulips in Amsterdam
If you want to buy tulips or tulip bulbs in Amsterdam I would say the best place to buy them is at Bloemenmarkt.
The Bloemenmarkt is located very centrally in the centre of Amsterdam and actually should be on your list of things to do in Amsterdam, even if you aren’t planning on buying any tulips.
Tulips are so important to the history of the Netherlands that you should visit the Bloemenmarkt whatever. And as an added point of interest this is actually the only floating flower market in the world and is one of the most photogenic places in Amsterdam.
Note: you can also buy tulips at Keukenhof Gardens but this is only open during the tulip bloom season (March-May) so you can really only purchase tulips from here during these months.
For more Amsterdam travel tips check out this post.
Tulip Vase
If however you can’t bring tulips with you as a souvenir from Amsterdam because of your destination country import regulations do not fear, there are other ways of bringing tulip related souvenirs from Amsterdam home with you. And this is by purchasing a tulip vase.
Again, until I moved to Amsterdam I didn’t realise that there were special vases designed for tulips. A tulip vase or tulipiere as they are otherwise known are specially designed vases to hold tulips. Rather than having one large opening, a tulip vase or tulipiere has several which are also designed to help keep tulips, which are known to droop stay more upright.
You will see these all over the city in florists, antique shops but also some of the city museums such as the Rijksmuseum shop will usually have some available for purchase.
Many of these vases will be made of traditional Dutch delftware -which brings up to
Delftware
I have ummed and aahed about the inclusion of Delftware on this list. That is because I would say Delftware is a great souvenir from the Netherlands but really isn’t an Amsterdam specific souvenir.
Delft is actually a city about 50 minutes drive south of Amsterdam and is famed for its ceramics in Delft blue. However even though I would say it is a souvenir from the Netherlands, you will see Delftware all around the city on things such as Tulip vases to tiles.
It is worth noting that Delftware is quite expensive and there are fakes and copies on the market so you will have to be a little careful when shopping around. If you want a cheap version it will certainly be a knock off rather than actual Delftware but it depends what you want and what your Amsterdam budget allows.
If you want real Delftware you will have to set aside a bit of money for the purchase and head to one of Amsterdams many antique shops.
If you would like to buy a piece of Delftware on your vacation to Amsterdam then you might want to head to the Antiekcentrum Amsterdam which is a huge indoor antique market.
Clogs
Clogs, or Klompen in Dutch, are a traditional Dutch shoe made of wood and often painted yellow. And I would say they make up a key part of the Dutch National dress.
I am often asked if having lived in the Netherlands people actually wear clogs and I would say the answer is yes and no.
I lived in central Amsterdam and would never see anyone wearing clogs, however when you are out in the countryside you may see some people gardening in clogs.
I personally find clogs very uncomfortable (and yes I have tried them on several occasions) but if you want something uniquely and traditionally dutch as a souvenir clogs may be the perfect gift.
So if you want to buy clogs in Amsterdam where do you go? Well you will often find clogs in sale in very touristy souvenir shops but you will also find them on sale at garden centres. As the Netherlands is such a big horticultural powerhouse you will find there are many garden centres in very easy reach of the city centre.
The bloemenmarkt will also usually have clogs for sale.
Museum gifts
Amsterdam is a city full of great museums from Nemo Science Centre, Anne Frank House to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. If you love museums then Amsterdam has some great museums on offer.
They also all have some great gifts based on their collections. My personal favourites include getting something related to your favorite painting by Van Gogh or perhaps something related to the Netherland’s most famous painting The Night watch by Rembrandt.
Nijntje
Most people around the world have heard of Miffy – the famous white bunny who stars in many children’s books. But have you heard of Nijntje.
Well Miffy is originally a Dutch character written and illustrated by Dutchman Dick Bruna. The name Nijntje comes from the Dutch konijntje – which means little rabbit. So if you want a kid friendly Amsterdam souvenir a copy of a Nijntje book might be just the thing.
And don’t forget to visit the Nijntje museum in creator Bruna’s hometown in Utrecht – this is a great thing to do in the Netherlands with toddlers.
Jip and Jannicke
If you don’t want a copy of Nijntje in the original Dutch but are looking for a family friendly Dutch souvenir look no further than Jip and Jannicke. Jip and Jannicke are famous in the Netherlands and star in their own series of books which tell you traditional tales of Dutch life.
You will be able to pick up a copy of JIp and Jannicke at any book shop in the city but our favorite is Van Rossum on Beethovenstraat.
Windmill
If you don’t mind having something a little more touristy then a windmill might be the perfect souvenir. You can find windmills on most things from bottle openers to Christmas ornaments.
So if you want a cheap Amsterdam souvenir then a windmill might be perfect.
Bike Accessories
One of my favorite things about living in the Netherlands was my bike. Therefore a great souvenir for people who plan to rent a bike in Amsterdam and commemorate it is with a bicycle related souvenir.
My personal favorite is a seat cover with the Amsterdam logo on.
If you are looking for the best place to buy cheap souvenirs in Amsterdam, especially bike related one we recommend heading to HEMA. A Dutch chain store that is great for picking up all your cycle paraphernalia.
Beer Stein
Beer is a huge part of Dutch culture. If you don’t want to take actual beer home with you then you should consider picking up a traditional Dutch beer stein.
Christmas Ornament
If you are visiting Amsterdam in December then you will find the Christmas markets in full swing. If you are visiting during this month you should grab a Christmas ornament as the perfect Amsterdam souvenir.
If you are on a budget then you could head to HEMA. We have picked up some great Amsterdam Christmas ornaments here including a clog, Dutch House and windmill Christmas ornamnet.
Orange Clothes
If you are visiting in April, then you will be in Amsterdam for Kings Day. Kings Dat is a public holiday and everyone in the city will be out in Orange, the color of the Dutch Royal Family.
Be sure to grab some organs clothes for Hema to fit in with the locals.
Coffee Mug
I found the coffee in Amsterdam to be amazing. If you want a coffee related souvenir you will find many great coffee mugs around the city.
Food and Drink Souvenirs From Amsterdam
One of the things that surprised me when we moved to Amsterdam was the food. It was a lot more plain than I had expected and more repetitive generally speaking.
However there are definitely some food and drink souvenirs from Amsterdam that are a must for the foodie in your life.
Cheese
If it impossible to talk about Dutch food and drink without talking about cheese. The Dutch love their cheese and you will find most office workers in the Netherlands will lunch on a staple diet of bread and cheese.
And one of the reasons for this is because they produce so much of it.
Obviously the most famous type of cheese is Gouda (again I did debate putting this on the list as it is from the town of Gouda rather than Amsterdam itself). However the proliferation of cheese shops around the city make this impossible to leave off the best Amsterdam souvenir list.
There are actually lots of Dutch cheeses on offer but Gouda is definitely the best souvenir and it is easy to purchase at any of the big supermarket (i.e. Albert Heijn or Markt) branches, or in a dedicated cheese shop
The Old Cheese store is the biggest brand of cheese shop around the city but you don’t have to go to just a cheese shop.
Note: cheese in Dutch is Kaas and is a very useful word to know.
However if you want something more local than Gouda then I would suggest heading out to Amsterdamse Bos. A large man made forest in the city out towards schipol. It is very easy to cycle to from the city.
There are many things to do in the Bos and it is one of my favorite parks in Amsterdam to visit. But the best thing there in my opinion is the Goat Farm. Entrance is free but you can pay to bottle feed one of the babies. It is a great thing to do in Amsterdam with toddlers and kids. But also a great place to pick up locally made goats cheese.
Note: please check whether you will be able to import dairy into your destination country as some places to restrict the import of dairy products and you don’t want to break the law or have your souvenir confiscated.
Stroopwafel
Stroopwafels are an Amsterdam delicacies., A sweet treat which is basically two waffles glued together with caramel (although you can also get versions with honey).
Kids in the Netherlands go crazy fro Stroopwafel and I must admit one of my favourite things about visiting Amsterdam on Kings Day is grabbing one of these fresh and hot at one of the city’s Vrije Market.
Tony’s Chocolonely
Although slowly becoming more internationally available Tony’s Chocolonely is a Dutch chocolate brand. Tony’s was founded by three journalists in 2005 and is committed to providing slave-fre chocolate and being a completely ethical chocolate brand.
As the Netherlands is its HQ it is a great place to buy the chocolate but if you want the full experience head out to the HQ at Westergas Fabriek (take the 5 tram to the Westergas terminus).
Here you will be able to find some unusual and seasonal flavours as well as sample some of their chocolate live in store. My daughter absolutely loved it here.
Sprinkles
Would you ever consider having sprinkles on bread or sprinkles, bread and cheese for lunch? No? Then you obviously aren’t Dutch.
The Dutch love their sprinkles and will eat this regularly, called Hagelslag when served this way. The most famous Dutch brand of sprinkles is De Ruitger.
You just need to head to any of the Dutch supermarkets (our preferred was always Albert Heijn) and there will likely be a whole aisle dedicated to sprinkles.
Muisjes
Are you doing a European babymoon? Or do you know someone who is pregnant? Well Muisjes may be the perfect souvenir from Amsterdam.
Muisjes are eaten when guests first come round to visit you after you have had a baby.
They are traditionally anise (aniseed) flavour with a coloured coating. Pink for a girl or blue for a boy but you could easily pick something more gender neutral. And are eaten on top of a rusk biscuit.
Again these are made by De Ruijter and are available in any dutch supermarket.
Genever
Genever is a traditional Dutch spirit that is similar to gin and is very popular with locals.
Genever served in tulip glasses filled to the brim at room temperature. One of the most popular places to try this is at Wynand Fockink in De Wallen. However I personally try to avoid the de Wallen area.
For a more tourist friendly experience you may want to consider heading to the House of Bols Cocktail & Genever Experience.
Beer
Another Dutch staple is of course beer. And for many visitors no visit to Amsterdam is complete without a visit to the Heineken experience.
However for something a little more local why not try the local brewery Brouwerij ‘t IJ which is housed next to one of the best windmills in Amsterdam.
What not to Buy as a souvenir from Amsterdam
Anything Brown
Now I don’t usually have a what not to buy in our souvenir guides but I think it is important to reiterate in Amsterdam. Amsterdam is known for its brown cafes where people can partake in substances that are illegal elsewhere.
Do not buy anything from these cafes or related shops as it is illegal in many places and could land you in lots of trouble.
FAQS About souvenirs from Amsterdam
What is famous in Amsterdam to buy?
If you want to buy something famously from Amsterdam then my top three picks have to be:
- Tulips
- Cheese and
- Clogs
So there you have it – our best Amsterdam souvenirs and where to buy them as we have experienced as locals. Have you been to Amsterdam? What did you buy? Let us know in the comments