Albert Cuypmarkt

From Monday to Saturday, some 260 stalls fill the 1905-established Albert Cuypmarkt, Amsterdam's largest and busiest market. Vendors loudly tout their array of gadgets, homewares, flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices. Many sell clothes and other goods – often cheaper than anywhere else. Snack vendors tempt passers-by with raw-herring sandwiches, frites (fries), poffertjes (tiny Dutch pancakes dusted with icing sugar) and caramel-syrup-filled stroopwafels. If you have room after all that, the surrounding area teems with cosy cafés (pubs) and restaurants.