Wyndham Wisdom

9 On Nine Streets

Sure, it's a cultural capital, but Amsterdam also happens to have a killer boutique district

Amsterdam offers so much--more than 50 museums, for starters--that visitors might not immediately think of it as a shopping destination. That changes when they stumble upon the tiny De 9 Straatjes (Nine Streets) district. Long a center for the city's crafts and trades, this canal-side neighborhood has emerged in the last decade as an art and design oasis. Its cobblestoned streets are lined with independent designer boutiques, sidewalk cafés, and shops selling jewelry, vintage clothing, home design and bric-a-brac.

Centrally located (between Raadhuisstraat and Leidsegracht), Nine Streets represents Amsterdam at its best: 17th-century Dutch row houses, canals and bridges. Read on for some good picks to get your shopping underway.

CORTINA PAPIER
This is the type of tiny European shop that artfully focuses on a niche--in this case, papier de luxe (luxury paper). You'll find French and Italian notebooks, Dutch tulip-patterned wrapping paper, handsome leather agendas and fine fountain pens. 22 Reestraat; 011-31-20-623-66-76; cortinapapier.nl; notebooks $5 to $50; pens from $65

MK JEWELRY
Gemologist Marlies Katy Smit and goldsmith Peter Hendriks source no-conflict gems and stones from all over the world. Typically, a client chooses the gem and then works with the jewelers to create a dream piece--an antique replica, perhaps. The MK specialty is mix-and-match rings worn nestled together. 9 Reestraat; 011-31-20-427-07-27; mk-jewelry.com; rings from $350 to $69,000

KALPA DE BOER GALERIE
Tribal African art collector Peter de Boer, who has been in the business since the 1970s, opened his gallery here just last year. He sells traditional tribal masks and figures that date back to the 1950s and earlier; most are from Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Gabon and Zaire. De Boer makes several buying trips to Africa every year. 13 Gasthuismolensteeg; 011-31-20-420-78-52; kalpadeboer.com; masks and figures from $285 to $5,725

RIKA
Star-motif leather handbags by Rika are a fashion insider's must-have. This tiny shop--only slightly bigger than a dressing room--sells the signature bags along with girlie rock-and-roll chic clothing, also designed by Swedish-born Ulrika Lundgren, the woman behind Rika. You can find the Rika label in fashion capitals like New York and Dubai, but Rika herself lives in Amsterdam and designs her collections above the shop. 9 Oude Spiegelstraat; 011-31-20-330-11-12; rikaint.com; bags from $360 to $2,100

LAURA DOLS
A standout among the neighborhood's many vintage boutiques, with a reputation that goes back 30 years. Laura Dols carries a glamorous trove of men's and women's clothes from the '20s to the '80s that she finds all over Europe as well as in San Francisco and Los Angeles. The shop also sells vintage children's dress-up clothes and recently launched a line of hand-embroidered linens. 6 & 7 Wolvenstraat; 011-31-20-624-90-66; lauradols.nl; from $7 accessories to $2,900 fur coats

SKIN COSMETICS
Was your favorite moisturizer confiscated at check-in? Good reason to sample the gorgeous products at Skins, where you'll find the best potions, lotions and fragrances from brands such as Ren, Fresh, Diptyque and Annick Goutal. Ask about Roses & Diamonds, the decadent beauty product created by Amsterdam-based botanist/alchemist Ray Simons. An all-natural facial oil, it's meant to stall the skin's aging process--and has actual diamonds in it. 9 Runstraat; 011-31-20-528-69-22; skins.nl; Roses & Diamonds oil $242 for 30ml

DE KAASKAMER
If cheese is your thing, step into this shop to inhale the smell of floor-to-ceiling cheeses from all over Europe. While a huge wheel of Dutch Gouda or Parmigiano-Reggiano may not be coming home in your suitcase, you can always order a tasty sandwich on a crusty baguette with whatever cheese suits your fancy. 7 Runstraat; 011-31-20-623-34-83; sandwiches about $8 each

ART DECO
Djoeke Wessing has operated her home furnishings shop in Nine Streets for the past 25 years. In fact, about 10 years ago she gave the area its name, kicking off its transformation into a haven for small, independent shops like hers. Though Wessing laments the arrival of some big-brand stores, she still loves the area's maverick spirit. Art Deco focuses on metal-base and glass-shade lamps and upholstery fabrics from the 1920s. Wessing also carries porcelain cabinet knobs and other colorful pottery from France. 20 Huidenstraat; 011-31-20- 627-41-10; wessing.nl

KOAN FLOAT
Drifting in a warm saltwater pool is the perfect way to relax after a day spent exploring Nine Streets. The treatment is said to cure jet lag and restore mind and body. Koan Float offers sessions from 45 to 90 minutes; there's also a rotating massage menu, including shiatsu, "healing relaxation" and foot reflexology for tired soles. 321 Herengracht; 011-31-20-555-03-33; koanfloat.nl; from $47

FORTIFY YOURSELF
Before you start shopping, linger canal-side over coffee and croissants at Buffet van Odette, a minimalist, organic café (309 Herengracht; 011-31-20-423-60-34; breakfast for two, $36*). Or choose from a list of delicious savory and sweet Dutch pancakes at Pancakes! Amsterdam (38 Berenstraat; 011-31-20-528-97-97; pancakes for two, $29). For lunch, walk through the narrow open kitchen at Hein Koken & Eten to find wooden tables under a skylight; order specials like quiche, goulash and blinis from the seasonal menu (20 Berenstraat; 011-31-20-623-10-48; lunch for two, $43).