In a city packed with countless shopping opportunities, each seemingly more alluring than the last, the Negen Straatjes represent the very densest concentration of consumer pleasures. These 'nine little streets' are indeed small, each just a block long. The shops are tiny too, and many are highly specialised. Eyeglasses? Cheese? Single-edition art books? Each has its own dedicated boutique.
The streets – from west to east, and north to south: Reestraat, Hartenstraat, Gasthuismolensteeg, Berenstraat, Wolvenstraat, Oude Spiegelstraat, Runstraat, Huidenstraat, Wijde Heisteeg – form a grid bounded by Prinsengracht to the west and Singel to the east.
To help navigate the welter of shops here, pick up a copy of The Nine Streets shopping guide, available at many tourist offices and in many of the shops themselves, as well as online at www.theninestreets.com.