Waterlooplein

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If looking to combine culture with a little shopping while staying in Amsterdam holiday apartments, the Dutch capital has plenty to offer. The Waterlooplein in Amsterdam is perhaps the best option, a square as famous for its daily flea market, as for the various historic buildings which surround it.

The large outdoor bazaar is a bargain hunter’s paradise full of bric-a-brac, second hand clothing and intriguing odds and ends. For history buffs and lovers of architecture, the Stopera building complex and the Mozes en Aäronkerk Church offer a distinctly different cultural experience.

The Waterlooplein was built in 1882 when two neighbouring canals were filled in. Jewish merchant stalls were relocated to the newly created square, and the Waterlooplein soon became a popular daily market. Tragically, the Jewish merchants were rounded up by the Nazis during World War II and, by 1941, the market had disappeared. Only after the war did the Waterlooplein show signs of recovery, slowly coming back to life as a flea market.

Today, the Waterlooplein is a great day out for visitors staying in Amsterdam apartments and vacation rentals. Amsterdam is known for its vibrant culture and atmosphere and the Waterlooplein is no exception. Around 300 stalls can be found on the square selling a huge range of goods, such as new and second hand clothing, DVDs and CDs, books, old military uniforms and a variety of other curiosities. Once worn out from all that shopping, stroll over to the Stopera complex, a building which houses both the Amsterdam city hall and the main opera theatre (the Muziektheater).

The Waterlooplein is located near the Amstel River in the centre of Amsterdam, and is easily reached from Amsterdam apartments and vacation rentals. Amsterdam trams 9 and 14 both stop on the square (and trams 1, 2, 5 and 13 from Magna Plaza), and the metro also has a stop on the Waterlooplein. The square can be reached by car via the IJtunnel or the Wibautstraat. There is a large underground car park beneath the town hall (het Stadhuis).

The Waterlooplein market is open from 9.00am until 5.30pm on weekdays and from 8.30am until 5.30pm on Saturdays (it is closed on Sundays). A quick word of warning for those wishing to visit the Waterlooplein market from our vacation rentals: Amsterdam markets, like many large markets throughout the world, can attract pickpockets, so take only the essentials when visiting the square. For more information visit the market’s official website at www.waterloopleinmarkt.nl.