In short
The Nine Streets, or De 9 Straatjes, are a small area within Amsterdam’s western canal belt. Three rows of short streets cross between Singel and Prinsengracht, linking shops, cafés and historic canal-house façades. It is a useful neighbourhood for an unhurried shopping walk, but the streets also connect you with small museums and the wider history of the canal ring.
- Location: between Singel and Prinsengracht, with Raadhuisstraat to the north and Leidsegracht to the south.
- Layout: three rows of three short shopping streets, crossed by the main canals.
- Time: a short loop is easy; museums, shops and a meal can fill half a day.
- Distinction: this is part of the canal belt, separate from the Jordaan across Prinsengracht.
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How the Nine Streets fit together between Singel and Prinsengracht
The neighbourhood becomes easier to navigate when you think in three cross-canal rows, rather than hunting for one street called Nine Streets. Each row changes name as it passes between the canals. Canal corners are good orientation points and a chance to step out of the shopping flow.
For a simple loop, enter from the Singel side, cross towards Prinsengracht along one row, then return by another. Add the third row if you want more browsing. You do not need to cover every shop to understand the area, and the canal sections are as much a part of the visit as the nine named streets.
Good to know
- A compact shopping area with canal architecture between the shops.
- Easy to combine with Dam, Spui or a western canal walk.
- Small museums add a different purpose to a shopping-led visit.
Keep in mind
- Small pavements and popular shops can become crowded.
- Individual shops have their own opening days and hours.
- Canal-house interiors may have steps and restricted access.
6 places and street rows to explore in the Nine Streets
The street rows form the core. The museums below are nearby additions to choose from, not a requirement to turn the walk into several paid visits.
Reestraat, Hartenstraat and Gasthuismolensteeg Start here
The northern row links Prinsengracht to Singel through a sequence of short shopping streets. Use the changing street names to orient yourself, with a pause at the canal crossings rather than blocking narrow shopfront pavements.
Berenstraat, Wolvenstraat and Oude Spiegelstraat
The middle row is a useful centre for a first loop. Browse selectively, then turn along a canal before returning by a different row to avoid repeating the same busy street.
Runstraat, Huidenstraat and Wijde Heisteeg
The southern row leads towards the Spui side. It is a practical finishing direction if your next visit is around the old centre or flower-market area.
Museum of the Canals
The museum on Herengracht offers context for the canal belt around you. Treat the interior as a separate ticketed visit and allow time beyond the outdoor shopping loop.
Houseboat Museum
The museum on Prinsengracht adds an interior view of houseboat life near the western edge. Boarding and enclosed spaces are worth checking if steps or confined interiors affect your visit.
Westerkerk and Homomonument nearby
These stand beyond the northern end of the shopping area. Add them as an extension towards Westermarkt rather than describing them as shops within the nine-street grid.
A Nine Streets loop that balances browsing with the canals
Choose one row to cross the area, one canal to follow and a different row for the return. Leave room for actual browsing: a route that takes minutes without stops can become a long afternoon once you enter shops and sit down for food.
If architecture interests you more than shopping, spend more time along Herengracht and Keizersgracht and add one canal-house museum. If shopping is the priority, check the businesses you particularly want to visit before choosing a morning or Sunday arrival.
Best moment
Daytime when your chosen shops are open
Crowd
Narrow streets can be busy on weekends
Kid friendly
Short loops are easy to adjust
Unmissable
The three rows and their canal corners
Visit style
Shopping, architecture and one optional museum
What to expect
Nine street names, not one long street
Activities near the Nine Streets
A canal cruise can complement the street-level walk, while an independent museum visit gives more detail about the canal belt. Check departure points and inclusions: a cruise passing a canal is not a hop-off service for its shops or museums.
Houseboat Museum: Entry Ticket + Audio Guide
Eating Amsterdam: Food Walking Tour with Private Canal Cruise
Amsterdam: Traditional 1-Hour Canal Cruise
Avoid these mistakes
- Do not expect one street or entrance labelled Nine Streets to be the whole area.
- Do not assume all shops follow identical Sunday or morning opening times.
- Do not describe the Nine Streets and Jordaan as the same neighbourhood.
Quick advice
- Follow two different rows to create a loop instead of walking back the same way.
- Use canal corners for orientation and photos while keeping bridges clear.
- Pick one indoor museum if you want a break from shopping or rain.
Getting to Nine Streets
There is no need to find a station inside the nine-street grid. A walk from a convenient central stop is normally the final part of the journey.
Approach the Singel side from Dam or Spui, then cross into the street grid. Choose a northern or southern row according to your starting point rather than routing every visit through the same shop street.
Check the current GVB planner for a stop near Dam, Spui or Westermarkt, followed by a walk. The best stop depends on the row you want first; a district name alone is not a precise destination.
Park in a permitted place on arrival and browse on foot. Narrow pavements, bridges and steps at shop entrances affect access; contact the individual venue when a level entrance or lift is essential.
Wolvenstraat, Amsterdam
Getting around Amsterdam
The canal belt behind the Nine Streets shopping name
The neighbourhood belongs to Amsterdam’s seventeenth-century canal expansion. Its short cross streets connected the major waterways and supported everyday trade and craft alongside the larger canal houses. Their scale remains different from the broad frontages facing the water.
The name Nine Streets is much younger than the buildings. Local entrepreneurs began promoting the area together under that identity in the 1990s. It describes a recognisable shopping neighbourhood within the older canal belt, not a separate seventeenth-century municipality.
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Several street names recall trades connected with hides and skins, while the present-day mix includes fashion, food, books, galleries and hospitality. The interesting contrast is between a contemporary shopping identity and an older urban framework that remains visible at every canal crossing.
Look up from the shop windows to compare building widths, gables and the rhythm of the façades. Then turn along one of the main canals to see how a small commercial street meets a more formal waterfront. This change of scale is one of the best reasons to explore the area on foot.
Street names and boundaries that clarify De 9 Straatjes
- Three times three: the nine names form three cross-canal rows, not nine parallel canals. Understanding that layout removes much of the confusion on a first visit.
- A modern collective name: the shopping identity dates from the 1990s, while the urban fabric is centuries older.
- Across the canal: walking west over Prinsengracht can take you into the Jordaan, a useful extension with a different street scale and history.
Tickets and experiences for this part of Amsterdam
Staying in the Nine Streets: a central canal-house base
The area suits a stay where walking to shops and central canal streets matters more than a large modern building. Check stairs, lifts, room access and the final walk with luggage before booking a canal-house property.
Compare the room’s location within the building as well as its street address. A central canal view and a quiet room are separate preferences, and each property has its own layout. The city-wide Amsterdam map below lets you compare options beyond the small nine-street grid too.
Café and meal stops around the Nine Streets
Proeflokaal A. van Wees
Tasting room and eetcafé on Herengracht, combining Amsterdam genever traditions with snacks and seated meals.
’t Zwaantje
Intimate restaurant on Berenstraat, retaining its brown-café character while serving Dutch food with French influences.
Frequently asked questions about Nine Streets
Where exactly are the Nine Streets?
They are in the western canal belt, between Singel and Prinsengracht and between the northern Raadhuisstraat side and Leidsegracht to the south.
Are the Nine Streets in the Jordaan?
No. They are on the canal-belt side of Prinsengracht. The Jordaan is across the canal and can be combined with the same walk.
How much time should I allow?
Allow a couple of hours for a selective walk and browsing, or half a day with a museum and meal. Your shopping stops matter more than the short physical distances.
Are all shops open on Sunday?
Opening arrangements belong to each business. Check the particular shops you want rather than assuming a universal Sunday schedule.
Can I visit without shopping?
Yes. The canals, street layout and architecture make a worthwhile walk. A small museum can add context without turning the visit into a shopping trip.
Is there a Nine Streets admission ticket?
No. The streets are public. Museums, tours, food and other activities have their own prices and conditions.
