30 Amsterdam Bookstores That Will Make You Forget Time

Welcome to Amsterdam, reader! Searching for the best Amsterdam bookstores?

I knew it! If you’re anything like me, you can’t deny yourself the pleasure of seeking out bookstores, comparing the books on the featured shelves and stocking your suitcase with magazines and books by the end of any trip. I knew I liked you for a reason! 😉

So today, I’m dishing out the best Amsterdam bookstores that you just have to put on your Amsterdam itinerary. This round-up includes 30 Amsterdam bookstores that stock English books, from big to small. I personally checked most of the bookstores on this list to make sure you will find English books to read.

Grading system:
Recommended to visit
Best of Amsterdam

Best Amsterdam Bookstores:

1. 1. 1. American Book Center
         Spui 12, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Mon 12:00 – 20:00, Tue-Sat 10:00 – 20:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:30
         One of the most famous shops, the ABC is located in the heart of the city center and offers 3 floors full of English books only, from magazines and art books to fantasy, YA, thrillers, non-fiction, and travel. Do not pass up the opportunity to explore this bookstore as it is as good as it gets.
      2. AKO.nl
         AKo is a Dutch kiosk network selling books and magazines. You will definitely notice AKO just by exploring Amsterdam. Check their website if you need a particular address, for example, one of them is located inside the Amsterdam Centraal Station.
      3. Architectura & Natura
         Leliegracht 22, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Sun-Mon 12:00 – 17:00, Tue-Fri 10:30h – 18:30, Sat 10:30 – 17:00
         This Amsterdam bookstore focuses on architecture and landscape books with a large selection of English books. Architectura & Natura has been open for 75 years now and is one of the best-known bookshops in Europe specializing in this field.
      4. Athenaeum Boekhandel 
         Spui 14-16, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Mon 11:00 – 19:00, Tue-Sat 9:30 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:30
         Located on one of the most bookish places in Amsterdam, the Spui Square, Athenaeum has a huge stock of magazines from all over the world and a good selection of English non-fiction books.
      5. Boekenmarkt op Het Spui
         Opening Hours: Fri 10:00 – 18:00
         This is an open-air book market hosted on Het Spui Square on Fridays. Be prepared to do some digging to find: Sci-Fi, classics of the English Literature and also rare 200-year old tomes in French, English and even Hebrew. The price can run quite high for these treasures!
         On the photo above: American Book Center
      6. Boekhandel De Dolfijn
         Haarlemmerdijk 92, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Mon 11:00 – 18:00, Tue-Fri 9:30 – 18:00, Sat 9:30 – 17:30, Sun 12:00 – 17:00
         This cozy little shop has a couple of shelves filled with hand-picked English books. It’s a really cute kid-friendly shop with a playing zone and lots of Dutch children’s books.
      7. Boekhandel Het Martyrium
         Van Baerlestraat 170, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 17:30, Sun 12:00 – 17:00
         This bookstore has a wide range of novels in English, French, German and of course, Dutch. You will find poetry, history and philosophy books here as well. Make a stop here to explore the featured books and look for bound editions of popular novels.
      8. Boekhandel Hoogstins
         Kinkerstraat 117, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00 – 19:00, Sat 9:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 18:00
         Located right next to Foodhallen, Hoogstins is a big and extremely cool shop filled with books and bookish goods. You will find cool stationery, book-themed accessories and even bags and so much more. The English section is also pretty big and you’re unlikely to leave this store without at least one purchase.
      9. Boekhandel Jimmink
         Rooseveltlaan 62, Amsterdam
         Opening Hours: Mon 10:00 – 20:00, Tue-Fri 09:00 – 20:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00, Sun 13:00 – 18:00
         This small Amsterdam bookstore is located close to the Amstel river. Head to their website to see their selection of English books.
      10. Boekhandel Minerva
          Koninginneweg 229, Amsterdam
          Opening Hours: Mon 12:00 – 18:00, Tue-Fri 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 18:00
          While the shop’s English section is rather small, the store carries a wide array of international magazines. You are likely to find gems you have not heard of before here.
          On the photo above: Boekhandel Het Martyrium
      11. Boekhandel Mulder
          Cornelis Schuytstraat 14, Amsterdam
          Opening Hours: Mon 10:00 – 18:00 Tue-Fri 09:00 – 18:00 Sat 09:00 – 17:00 Sun 12:00 – 17:00
          This cute Dutch bookshop with a long history (established in 1931) has a couple of English shelves worth exploring.
      12. Boekenmarkt Oudemanhuispoort
          CN, Oudemanhuispoort, 1012 Amsterdam
          Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 09:00 – 17:00
          This is a second-hand book market located in the passage between the streets of Kloveniersburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal. Here you will find everything you can think of: old books, modern classics, books in foreign languages, as well as vintage posters. Happy hunting!
      13. Boekhandel Over Het Water
          Vander Pekstraat 59, Amsterdam
          Opening Hours: Tue 10:00 – 17:00, Wed-Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00
          Over The Water is a small independent bookstore with its own English book club which meets monthly. Participation is 3,50 unless you buy the monthly book as well.
      14. Boekhandel van Pampus
          KNSM-Laan 303, 1019 LE Amsterdam
          Opening Hours: Tue – Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat-Sun 10:00 – 18:00
          A perfect bookstore is one that aside from books also sells coffee and tea. Because, let’s be honest, that’s the best combination ever.
      15. Boekhandel van Rossum
          Beethovenstraat 32, Amsterdam
          Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 09:00 – 18:00, Sat 09:00 – 17:00
          Van Rossum was founded in 1929 and is located in the Oud-Zuid neighbourhood. This shop has a really cool interior layout with an arc made out of books.
          On the photo above: Fenix Books
          1. Boekhandel Schimmelpennink
             Weteringschans 177, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Tue-Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00
             This lovely little shop can boast a good variety of books, a knowing staff and much more.
          2. Boekhandel Xantippe Unlimited
             Prinsengracht 290, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Tue-Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00
             Xantippe Unlimited is a 20-year old independent bookstore. Their assortment caters to all yet remains interesting and even quirky with orientation for women literature as well.
          3. De Nieuwe Boekhandel
             Bos en Lommerweg 227, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Mon: 12:00 – 18:00, Tue-Wed 10:00 – 18:00, Thu-Fri 10:00 – 19:00, Sun: 13:00 17:00
             This bookstore is located out of city center nearby Erasmuspark. With a variety of English books it’s also quite worth a visit.
          4. Fenix Books
             Frans Halsstraat 88
             Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 12:00 – 18:00
             A personal favorite, this second-hand Amsterdam bookstore is a true treasure trove. Be prepared to spend a lot of time digging through gems. You will find fiction, fantasy, books on languages and so much more for a price that is a true treat.
          5. Frontier Bookshop
             Marnixstraat 82, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Tue – Sat 12:00 – 17:00 Sun – Workshop Day
             Frontier Bookshop specializes on literature related to alternative medicine, health, New Age, energy and much more. Every Sunday the shop hosts workshops like laying on an infrared mat, or studying Numerology.
             On the photo above: Java Bookshop
          6. Island Bookstore
             Westerstraat 15, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 09:00 – 18:30, Sat 09:00 – 18:00, Sun 11:00 – 15:00
             This store only has one shelf with English books but its cozy vibe makes it a very interesting place to explore.
          7. Java Bookshop
             Javastraat 145, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Tue-Fri 10;00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00
             The Java Bookshop is an independent bookshop with a large collection of Dutch and English literature including non-fiction, thrillers, children’s books and cookbooks. Feel free to pop in for a cup of coffee and a nice long book search.
          8. Linnaeus Boekhandel
             Middenweg 29, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Mon 11:00 – 18:00, Tue-Fri 09:00-18:00, Sat 09:00 – 17:00, Sun 13:00 – 17:00
             Open since 1991, Linnaeus is a small independent bookstore that also stocks English language books. As a nice bonus, the store has a modern antiquities department.
          9. Meck & Holt
             Tussen Meer 48, Amsterdam
             Opening Hours: Mon 12:00 – 18:00, Tue-Fri 10:00 – 18:00, Sat 9:00 – 17:00
             Meck & Holt are located in an off-center neighborhood however they can boast a large variety of English books, as featured on their website.
          10. New English Bookstore
              Kalverstraat 223, Amsterdam
              Opening Hours: Mon 10:30 – 18:00, Tue-Wed 10:00 – 18:00, Thu 10:00 – 21:00, Fri-Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 12:00 – 19:00
              Located at the edge of Amsterdam’s biggest shopping street, this bookstore stocks lots of popular books for half the normal price. Head here to find cookbooks, historical fiction, fantasy, books on celebrities and so much more.
              
          11. Pantheon Boekhandel
              Sint Antoniesbreestraat 132-134, Amsterdam
              Opening Hours: Mon 12:00 – 18:00, Tue-Fri 9:00 – 18:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:00
              Pantheon was opened in 1984 in the Nieuwmarkt neighborhood. You will find here a wide variety of cookbooks, thrillers, books about Amsterdam, history, psychology and a big collection of photography books.
          12. Schelterma
              Rokin 9, Amsterdam
              Opening Hours: Mon 11:00 – 20:00, Tue-Wed 10:00 – 20:00, Thu-Fri 10:00 – 21:00, Sat 10:00 – 20:00, Sun 11:00 – 20:00
              The biggest Dutch bookstore chain will surprise you with its big and diverse English section. The store is huge and definitely worth a visit. You can also stop for a coffee as there is a cafe right in the middle of the store. Feel free to grab a book to read!
          13. The Book Exchange
              Kloveniersburgwal 58, Amsterdam
              Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10:00 – 18:00, Sun 11:30 – 16:00
              A spacious second-hand bookshop that has it all: a huge basement section dedicated to Fantasy and Science Fiction, a separate floor for travel literature and a LOT of fiction. Don’t deprive yourself of the joy of scanning through the shelves to find an unused book and make a bargain.
          14. Waterstones
              Kalverstraat 152, Amsterdam
              Opening Hours: Mon 10:00 – 18:30, Tue-Wed 09:30 – 18:30, Thu 09:30 – 21:00, Fri 09:30 – 19:00, Sat 10:00 – 19:00, Sun 11:00 – 18:30
              The English bookstore giant in Amsterdam is three-stories high and filled to the brim with the latest and brightest works on the literary horizon. You will find big historical fiction sections, Young Adult and much more in this beautiful store. Prepare to stay a while.
          15. Zwart op Wit
              Utrechtsesstraat 149, Amsterdam
              Opening Times: Mon 12:00 – 18:30, Tue-Fri 08:30 – 18:30, Sat 09:30 – 18:00, Sun 12:00 – 17:30
              Very cozy local bookshop with a big English section right in the city center. Pop in to see the featured fiction novels and discover some new books to add to your to-be-read list.
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