And because all this takes place right in the middle of the glorious surroundings of the historic old town, you can even get some sightseeing in between hopping in and out of shops. Here are some of our top shopping tips in Haarlem – but of course, there is so much more you’ll discover as you amble through the beautiful city streets.
Shop ’til you drop in Haarlem
1) Saturday market
The Saturday’s farmers’ market on the historic Grote Markt square has been voted the best market in the Netherlands, and quite rightly so. In addition to fresh fruit and vegetables (including a large organic selection), there is an abundance of homemade food ranging from fresh pasta and different sorts of pesto to homemade steak pies. Sweet teeth are bound to be satisfied, too, as the delicious smell of freshly made Dutch stroopwafels wafts over the square, magnetically attracting locals and visitors alike.
To explore even more of Haarlem’s market life, then the Saturday market on nearby Botermarkt is also a favourite with the locals and offers a more intimate market experience than its more well-known neighbour.
Grote Markt, Saturdays 09:00-17:00
image credit: Cris Toala Olivares
2) Weidesign & More
Design lovers can shop to their heart’s content at this concept store in the heart of Haarlem’s old town, which stocks an exciting range of funky, well-designed homeware, lamps and furniture from their own brand and from designers such as HAY and Secto. The shop also sells an excellent range of women’s fashion and accessories, mainly from Dutch designers.
Weidesign, Koningstraat 27, 023 532 3738, Mon 12:30-17:30, Tue-Fri 10:30-17:30, Sat 10:30-17:00.
3) ID
The so-called ‘gouden straatjes’ (golden streets) around Haarlem’s Grote Markt are chock-a-block with lovely boutiques for both men and women, and this carefully curated boutique is one of them, stocking high-quality women’s fashion as well as a selection of highly covetable books, magazines, lipsticks, sunglasses and tea. ID is also included on the Hip Shops shopping route, which provides plenty of inspiration for shoppers in search of fashion, design, luxury chocolates and even some über cool wallpaper.
ID, Schagchelstraat 7, Tue-Fri 11:00-18.00, Sat 10:00-17:00, first Sun of the month 13:00-17:00.
4) Bourgondisch Lifestyle
This beautiful cheese and wine shop is famous beyond Haarlem’s borders and much-loved even by restaurateurs for its excellent selection of amazing cheeses and other delicacies. It’s also a great place to go when looking for a gift – expect detailed advice (and great gift-wrapping skills) from one of the passionate proprietors.
Bourgondisch Lifestyle, Koningstraat 5, 023 202 4747, Wed 09:30-18:00, Thur & Fri 09:30-19:00, Sat 09:00-18:00, Sun 13:00-17:00.
5) Antique Market De Dreef
From April to the end of September, this antique market is great for a Saturday afternoon spent digging around other people’s histories. Offering everything from furniture to old postcards, the market is not only a promising place to be if you’re after bargains and treasures, but also fantastic for feeling like you’re taking a trip back in time as you browse through a multitude of antique and vintage items.
Antique Market De Dreef, various dates, 09:00-16:30.
6) Home Stock
Be warned; you will want to buy everything in this quirky interior design store. Thankfully (for your credit card at least), most of the items will be too large to take home in your hand luggage, however there are still plenty of smaller items available, as well as a wealth of beautiful design ideas to inspire you. A lovely place to browse and dream, Home Stock is a must-visit on any shopping tour of Haarlem for fans of design, interiors and beautiful things.
Home Stock, Drossestraat 7, 023 583 5560, Mon 12:00-18:00, Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun 12:00-17:00.
7) Kloffie
Located on the Kruisstraat between the station and the Grotemarkt, this ubercool fashion and lifestyle store sells clothes and footwear for both men and women from brands including Tiger Jay, YAS, Numph, Alfredo Gonzales and RVLT. There’s also a tempting selection of homeware and carefully selected lifestyle items thoughtfully displayed around the store.
Kloffie, Kruisstraat 6, 023-551 5385, Mon 12:00-18:00, Tue-Sat 10:00-18:00, Thur and Fri until 19:00, Sun 12:00-17:00.
8) Sjakie’s
Shop and design studio Sjakie’s offers plenty of lovely things to give your home a makeover, from kelims and cushions made in their studio in Istanbul to great wallpaper, jewellery, ceramics, furniture and lamps, all in a nice mix of styles encompassing vintage, ethno, retro and contemporary. The deceivingly large shop also has a smaller sister on Koningsstraat 34, which caters for all your stationery and home accessories needs.
Sjakie's, Breestraat 34, 023 531 3733, Thur-Sat 11:00-17:00
9) BrandMission
BrandMission accomplishes something that is still all to rare: combining a classy, contemporary and cool feel with strong ethic principles. All fashion is eco and fairtrade: brands include TOMs Shoes, People Tree, Nudie Jeans and Komodo. And for good measure, the shop also offers plenty of accessories and even organic cosmetics.
BrandMission, Zijlstraat 85, 023 531 16 76, Mon 13:00-18.00, Tues-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-17:30, Sun 13:00-17:00
10) Concept Stores galore
Haarlem is a haven for cool and quirky concept stores, selling everything from funky homeware to clothes and even skateboards. Turning browsing into a pure unadulterated joy, stores like Mashed (Kleine Houtstraat 19), Sissy-Boy (Barteljorisstraat 25), Portrait (Raamvast 29a) and Brandsunexpctd (Gedempte Oude Gracht 144) are top places to pick up some beautiful new purchases, hang out with a coffee and a magazine, and soak up some inspiration.
