I thought this information might be useful for other who are visiting or moving here so I decided to list my five favorite spots to visit for a browse.
1. Donner Boekhandel (Rotterdam)
This is an amazing bookstore based in the heart of Rotterdam's shopping district. It offers a wide selection of both English and Dutch titles and has a coffee shop and a selection of quality art supplies as well.
Donner also has an interesting history. It is the largest independent bookstore in the Netherlands and was crowdfunded when a bookstore chain called Polare folded and the staff wanted to try and retain as many jobs as possible and save the historical store. The store has been around since 1912 and in the current location since 1988.
This is a much-loved and popular destination for readers and I was especially impressed at the selection of English YA titles. There is also a whole section dedicated to all things Harry Potter.
If you ever are in Rotterdam, a city worth visiting regardless, definitely pop into Donner for a browse.
2. American Book Center (Amsterdam)
The most prominent bookstore in the Netherlands for English titles, ABC is family-owned and has branches in Amsterdam and The Hague. Established in 1972, they offer a massive selection of English titles across all genres. I was particularly impressed with their Fantasy and Sci-Fi section as they seem to make an effort to keep whole series of books in stock.
The Amsterdam store has a small coffee shop where you can enjoy a drink and a pastry while choosing what books you want to take home with you.
3. Broese Booksellers (Utrecht)
This bookstore has been around since 1753 and is a short walk from Utrecht Centraal train station.
While primarily offering Dutch titles, you can find a selection of English books. This bookstore also has a dedicated Harry Potter section as well as a decent English Fantasy selection.
It has a warm feel with very helpful staff who are present on the floor.
4. Waterstones (Amsterdam)
The popular UK chain has a store in Amsterdam along the main shopping street. They have been in Amsterdam since 1998 and the store even feels very English in the design and layout.
Spanning 3 floors, Waterstones offers a great selection of titles and you may even find some Waterstones exclusive editions of popular titles in stock.
There is no coffee shop, but you will find comfy seats where you can sit and browse.
The Fantasy selection is perhaps a bit lacking compared to the other stores mentioned, but I love their selection of YA and Graphic Novels.
5. Athenaeum (Various Locations)
While their offering of English titles is quite small, I do still like these bookstores as you will find some of the more popular English titles.
This is a chain with various stores across the Netherlands. There is even one in my town, Haarlem.
Of course, I have also visited the library and am very pleased at the variety of English titles available. This is also a great option for those looking to live here and I highly recommend looking at the library in your area. Of course, the offering of English titles will differ from library to library.
There are other bookstores I really want to look at and may do a follow-up post at a later time. Until then, I hope I provided some insight into what you can expect should you be looking to do some book shopping in the Netherlands.
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