Major bookstores

Athenaeum

Situated on 'het Spui' it is probably among the best known of Amsterdam bookstores. Since setting up in 1966, this bookstore has specialised in Dutch and foreign literature, but also stocks a range of special scientific publications on classical languages, linguistics and literary sciences and all of the social sciences.

www.athenaeum.nl  

Scheltema

This is a sophisticated mega bookstore. On six floors (3300 square metres) you will find about 125.000 books of general and scientific interest, many CD-Roms and special DVDs. Here, you can actually immerse yourself in about as many as ten specialist bookstores all under one roof. A range of classical music CDs and computer supplies is also available.

www.scheltema.nl  

Waterstone's

The first branch of this large chain store from England was set up in London in 1982. Amsterdam now also has an impressive branch of its own, on the corner of 'het Spui' and Kalverstraat. Here too you will find a range of books, from fiction, non-fiction, hobby and leisure, children's books to scientific works.

www.waterstones.co.uk