Top 14 Best Book Stores in Amsterdam: Must-Visit Shops, English Finds & Rare Gems

Posted on: May 1, 2026

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Top 14 Book Stores in Amsterdam

Book stores in Amsterdam overwhelm fast: dozens of shops, and most guides just hand you a list of names. This one does more — 14 verified bookshops with what each is actually best for, a walkable route around the Spui book district, and the second-hand book markets most lists skip.

Amsterdam makes browsing easy. The Spui square alone has three of the best shops side by side, and the rest sit in tight neighbourhood clusters. Dutch bookshops have actually thinned out lately — from about 513 in 2020 to 484 in 2023 (KVB Boekwerk figures) — which makes a city where big chains, tiny poetry shops and 1940s antiquarians still trade side by side all the more worth a day of browsing.

The 14 best book stores in Amsterdam, at a glance:

#	Bookstore	Best for	Area
1	Scheltema	Biggest one-stop browse (5 floors)	Rokin, Centrum
2	Athenaeum Boekhandel	Literature + magazines	Spui, Centrum
3	The American Book Center	English books + genre depth	Spui, Centrum
4	Waterstones	UK/English titles	Kalverstraat, Centrum
5	Perdu	Poetry + literary nights	Kloveniersburgwal, Centrum
6	Antiquariaat A. Kok	Rare books, prints & maps	Oude Hoogstraat, Centrum
7	Boekhandel De Dolfijn	Curated staff picks	Haarlemmerdijk
8	Linnaeus Boekhandel	Relaxed local shop	Watergraafsmeer, Oost
9	Boekhandel Van Rossum	Families + broad range	Beethovenbuurt, Zuid
10	Boekhandel Minerva	Personal service + art books	Oud-Zuid
11	Het Martyrium	Bargain books (ramsj)	Van Baerlestraat, Zuid
12	Coöperatieve Nieuwe Boekhandel	Community bookshop	Bos en Lommer, West
13	Boekhandel van Pampus	Modern harbour-district browse	Eastern Docklands, Oost
14	Huis Marseille bookshop	Photography books	Canal Belt

The 14 best bookstores in Amsterdam, one by one

1. Scheltema (Rokin) — the big one-stop browse

Scheltema is Amsterdam’s largest bookshop and, trading since 1853, one of its oldest. Five floors hold more than 125,000 titles in Dutch and English — literature, travel, art, cooking and a big magazine and second-hand section — with an in-store café for a break mid-browse. It was taken over by Athenaeum in 2024, but still trades under its own name at Rokin 9, two minutes from the Spui (see our full Scheltema bookstore guide).

2. Athenaeum Boekhandel (Spui) — literary heart of the city

Founded in 1966, Athenaeum is one of the largest independent booksellers in the Netherlands and the literary anchor of the Spui. It runs deep on literature, history, philosophy and the classics. The attached Nieuwscentrum newsstand is famous for its wall of international newspapers and magazines.

3. The American Book Center (Spui) — best for English readers

Right next door to Athenaeum, the ABC is Amsterdam’s biggest English-only bookshop, open since 1972. Three floors go deep on fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels and sci-fi, and it hosts regular author events. It also runs a print-on-demand service, so staff can order or print hard-to-find English titles.

4. Waterstones Amsterdam (Kalverstraat) — a familiar English stop

The Dutch branch of the UK chain has been on the Kalverstraat since 1998, inside a listed building designed by architect Hendrik Berlage. Four floors carry English fiction, non-fiction, newspapers and magazines. If you want UK titles in a layout you already know, this is the easy choice.

5. Perdu (Kloveniersburgwal) — poetry and literary nights

Perdu is a poetry bookshop, small publisher and literary venue near Nieuwmarkt, running since 1984. It’s the place for poetry and experimental writing you won’t find in the big stores. Its Friday-night literary programme, the “Avonden”, draws a loyal crowd.

6. Antiquariaat A. Kok & Zn. (Oude Hoogstraat) — rare books, prints and maps

This family-run antiquarian shop has traded since 1946 and is one of the largest of its kind in the city, on the edge of the University Quarter. Two public floors hold rare and second-hand books plus antique prints and maps. Strengths include classical archaeology, pre-1800 art, architecture and cartography.

7. Boekhandel De Dolfijn (Haarlemmerdijk) — curated staff picks

A carefully curated neighbourhood bookshop on the Haarlemmerdijk, at the western edge of the Jordaan. Staff add handwritten notes to favourite titles on the shelves, explaining why each one is worth reading. It’s a good place to be nudged toward something new, away from the centre’s crowds.

8. Linnaeus Boekhandel (Oost) — a relaxed local shop

A spacious general bookshop on the Middenweg in leafy Watergraafsmeer, and a favourite of Amsterdam-Oost locals. Expect a broad mix of cookbooks, coffee-table books, non-fiction and novels. The OBA Linnaeus public library sits nearby if you want to read for free too.

9. Boekhandel Van Rossum (Zuid) — broad range for families

A large independent in the Beethovenbuurt, part of the Athenaeum group. It covers literature, history, art and cookbooks, with a notable Judaica department. A strong Dutch-and-English children’s selection makes it popular with the south’s international families.

10. Boekhandel Minerva (Oud-Zuid) — personal service and art books

A much-loved Oud-Zuid shop trading since 1950, on the Koninginneweg. Alongside literature and children’s books you’ll find Taschen art books, travel guides and atlases. It also ships books and magazines internationally, handy if you buy more than your luggage allows.

11. Het Martyrium (Zuid) — the bargain-book specialist

Near Museumplein on the Van Baerlestraat, Het Martyrium is the city’s best-known ramsj (remainder) bookshop and part of the Athenaeum Scheltema group. Shelves of heavily discounted new and overstock books sit beside a wide fiction range in Dutch, English, French and German. It’s the first stop if you want good books cheap.

12. Coöperatieve Nieuwe Boekhandel (West) — a community bookshop

A cooperatively run neighbourhood bookshop in Bos en Lommer, kept going with help from local residents who stepped in as co-owners. It’s a warm, community-minded general shop with plenty of Amsterdam-themed titles. A good reason to see a less touristy side of the west.

13. Boekhandel van Pampus (Eastern Docklands) — a browse by the water

An independent bookshop in the Eastern Docklands near the KNSM island, opened in 2009 and in its current home on the Van Eesterenlaan since 2022. It carries a broad general range, from Dutch and English literature to children’s books and graphic novels. Pair it with a walk around Amsterdam’s modern eastern harbour architecture.

14. Huis Marseille bookshop (Canal Belt) — for photography lovers

Inside Huis Marseille — Amsterdam’s first museum of photography, open since 1999 in two 17th-century canal houses on the Keizersgracht — is a specialist photography-book shop. It stocks national and international photo books you won’t easily find elsewhere. It pairs naturally with the art at the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum a short walk away, or with the city’s more unusual museums.

A self-guided bookshop walking route

Most of the must-sees sit within a short walk of the Spui, so a half-day on foot covers a lot. Here is an easy route you can actually walk:

1. Start on the Spui. The American Book Center (Spui 12) and Athenaeum (Spui 14-16) are next door to each other. On a Friday, browse the Spui book market here first.
2. Walk to Scheltema (Rokin 9, two minutes away) for the big general browse, then loop to Antiquariaat Kok (Oude Hoogstraat) and Perdu (Kloveniersburgwal) for rare books and poetry.
3. Cut through the Oudemanhuispoort second-hand book passage, then finish the centre at Waterstones (Kalverstraat).
4. With more time, add one neighbourhood: the Canal Belt for Huis Marseille, the Jordaan edge for De Dolfijn, or Zuid for Van Rossum, Minerva and Het Martyrium.

Save your shortlist in a map app before you set off, keep a tote bag handy, and build in a café stop — a bookshop day is better slow. Short on time? Make it part of a bigger plan with our one day in Amsterdam itinerary, or wind down afterward with our Amsterdam nightlife guide.

Amsterdam’s second-hand book markets

Some of the best browsing in Amsterdam isn’t in a shop at all. Two open-air markets are worth building into your route:

• Oudemanhuispoort book market. A covered 17th-century passage — a former almshouse, now part of the University of Amsterdam — lined with second-hand book and print stalls. It’s one of the city’s most atmospheric spots to hunt for used books, open on weekday daytimes.
• Boekenmarkt op het Spui. A book market held on the Spui on most Fridays, with stalls of second-hand, rare and special books, maps and posters. Its exact spot has been under discussion during nearby Kalverstraat works, so check before making a special trip.

More Amsterdam bookshops worth a detour

Beyond the top 14, a few specialists reward a detour — especially if you read in English or have a niche interest:

• San Serriffe (Sint Annenstraat 30). An independent art bookshop and exhibition space right in the Red Light District, with a weekly events programme — the most on-theme stop if you’re already exploring De Wallen.
• The Book Exchange (Kloveniersburgwal 58). A second-hand English-language bookshop open since 1978, minutes from the Red Light District, that bills itself as one of Europe’s largest used English bookstores.
• The English Bookshop (Lauriergracht 71). A long-running independent in the Jordaan, selling English books to locals and expats since 1978.
• Evenaar (Singel 348). A specialist in travel literature: guidebooks, maps, anthropology and antique travel books — perfect before or after a trip.
• Architectura & Natura (Leliegracht 22). An internationally known specialist for architecture, urban design, gardens and nature, in the same canal house for more than 85 years.

Reading in English in Amsterdam

English books are easy to find here, but a few things help. English titles often cost a little more than at home because they’re imported, so compare before you buy a stack.

For free reading, the central OBA public library (a short walk from Centraal Station) has a large English-language collection, a café and a rooftop terrace with a city view. For a literary night out, the John Adams Institute runs English-language talks with international authors.

Staff almost everywhere speak English, so you can always just ask for a recommendation. For a book tied to the city itself, few beat Anne Frank’s diary — worth reading before or after a visit to the Anne Frank House.

What type of bookshop suits you?

“Best bookstore” depends on what you want. A quick guide to the types above:

• Big general store (Scheltema, Athenaeum): many genres under one roof.
• English-language store (ABC, Waterstones, The Book Exchange): best for visitors and expats.
• Curated neighbourhood shop (De Dolfijn, Linnaeus, van Pampus): staff tips and a local feel.
• Antiquarian (Kok): rare editions, prints and maps for collectors.
• Specialist (Perdu for poetry, Huis Marseille for photography, Evenaar for travel): deep focus on one subject.

What to buy and what it costs

Prices vary a lot between shops, even nearby ones. New releases have standard, fixed pricing in the Netherlands; used books are cheaper but the condition varies, so inspect before you buy. You’ll also see ramsj — Dutch for remaindered books sold cheaply to clear stock, often new but overstock or older editions.

What you buy	What it means	Where it fits best
New release	Latest edition, fixed price	Large general stores
Used paperback	Pre-owned, often cheaper	Second-hand shops, markets
Bargain stack (ramsj)	Discounted overstock	Het Martyrium
Rare/antique book	Collectible, older editions	Antiquariaat Kok
Art/photo book	Visual, high quality	Huis Marseille, Minerva

If a title inspires you to make something of your own — a travel journal, a photo book, or a small local guide — professional book printing can turn your notes into a real, high-quality book to keep or gift. It’s a nice way to hold on to your Amsterdam story in a format that lasts.

Frequently asked questions about Amsterdam book stores

Written and kept up to date by the Amsterdam Red Light District Tour editorial team. Shops, opening hours and markets change — we check details against each bookshop and the city’s own listings, but always confirm current hours before a special trip. Last updated October 2026.