Amsterdam is home to bazaars and markets such as AlbertCuyp Markt, Dappermarkt, Noordermarkt and Westerstraatmarket. Each has its unique selling point, be it exotic herbs and spices, biological fresh food or cheap clothing. Once you have a taste of these markets, or simply want an experience which effectively combines all these markets, it is time to head towards Beverwijk. Located approximately twenty kilometres north-west of Amsterdam, Beverwijk is famous for its Bazaar; Europe’s largest covered market.

Comparable to London’s Camden Market, which is a miniature version of the Bazaar, Beverwijk Bazaar offers a hustling and bustling atmosphere, multicultural visitors – local and tourists – over fifty restaurants in and around the bazaar, multiple languages, fresh fruit and flowers, computers and IT-related applications, nail salons and beauty parlours, clothing ranging from lingerie to leather jackets, shoes and the list goes on and on. The diversity and scale of this market are astonishing.

The Bazaar is ideal for a family outing as it opens its doors to the public at weekends. There are more than enough facilities for a pit-stop, so you can have a snack, recharge your batteries and continue to explore the Bazaar for hours on end. Covering the entire Bazaar in one day is nigh on impossible, so plan a whole weekend for exploring, or return another weekend.

A Bazaar of such scale did not materialise and become popular overnight. After nearly thirty colourful years of trading, Beverwijk Bazaar has become a mega tourist attraction. What started off as a mere flower and vegetable auction hall went on to attract 60,000 visitors every weekend. The first “Zwarte Markt” or Black Market immediately drew 500 stallholders and 14,000 visitors. Word-of-mouth pulled in the others. Once only a Saturday event, due to growing popularity the expanding Bazaar became a weekend event as of 1991. Today, the Bazaar is home to over 2500 stalls.

Oosterse Markt
Exotic spices and fresh vegetables are at the heart of the Oriental Market. Halal or kosher meat can be bought here as well as freshly baked items. One can find professional goldsmiths as well as oriental carpets. This market is also home to the Kappersgalerij or Hairdressers’ Gallery. You can just walk in without an appointment.

Grand Bazaar
The Grand Bazaar is in effect a combination of the Black Market and the Oriental Market. Keen shoppers will find the latest fashions and cosmetics in this Hall along with household items. Next to the Grand Bazaar is lively pub cum café Klein Mokum, which plays live music every weekend.

Computer Markt
Whether you are in search of a new or used computer, the Computer Market will provide you with a range of hardware and software. Game fans will enjoy this market.

Vlooienmarkt
The Flea Market is located in halls two and three. It is common knowledge that everything sold here is second hand. You can also trade for a day yourself by renting a stall; a fantastic means of clearing out your attic or garage!

Food
Being a foodie, the Bazaar has become my haven. Every time I visit, I make sure to try something new. There are not limits; you’ll find cuisine from countries as diverse as Iraq, India, Morocco, Japan, China, Afghanistan, Indonesia and Turkey. Warm waffles, ice-cream and other treats are sold all over the Bazaar.
 
Merchandise
The best thing about Beverwijk Bazaar is that there is nothing you cannot find. Products and services include leather jackets, party wear, cosmetics; piercing, tattoo and nail studios; hair extensions, shoes, bags, socks, baby clothes, toys, DVDs, beauty parlours, furniture, crystal, gold jeweller, desserts. The list is endless. Due to capacity issues not all shops have their own changing room, but several do. I just discovered a Bollywood shop too where six DVDs are sold for the price of EUR 10 – not a bad! Also, if you want to pamper yourself, nail studious are located in Hall 30. Prices range from EUR 30. In regular nail studios you would potentially wind up paying double that. You may have to get accustomed to the Chinese employees calling out to you as you walk past to try and persuade you to enter. This “pull” tactic seems to work for them.

The art of negotiation
Someone once said that “in business, you don't get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.”  Negotiate your way into great prices at the Bazaar. You will find that not all sales people are open for negotiation, but with skilful and careful persistence, they will be more receptive to knocking off a few euro. At times during my wanderings through the Bazaar, I’ve experienced the cold shoulder from disinterested salesmen. Others have been kinder, especially those with a similar origin as mine (Pakistan). I’ve discovered that if you push it you can bargain things down. If they say, “It is much more expensive in the shops,” then give them a good reason as to why they should still go lower. I recommend being friendly in any case, as they respect loyal customers and will likely offer you discounts on your next visit.

Opening hours
Saturday and Sunday 8:30 - 18:00.
Oriental Market opening hours Friday till Sunday 10:00 – 22:00.

 Beverwijk Bazaar is also open on the following days:

• Christmas day, Sunday, 25 december 2011
• Boxing day, mMonday, 26 december 2011
• Easter Sunday, zondag 8 april 2012
• Easter Monday, maandag 9 april 2012
• Ascension day, donderdag 17 mei 2012
• Whitsun, zondag 27 mei 2012
• Whitsun, maandag 28 mei 2012

On Sunday, 1 januari 2012 the market is closed.

• Pets are not allowed. Needless to say I once spotted a tiny dog’s head popping out of a lady’s handbag.
• Bike storage is located at the entrance of the Zwarte Markt and the Oosterse Markt
• Wheelchairs are available but must be reserved in advance for a deposit of EUR 50
• Toilets are well maintained at 20 cents per visit
• The Bazaar does have its own security. Heated arguments over prices are rare, but it is comforting to know that security is a phone call away
• A lost and found is available at the market office, reachable on 025-1262626
• There is a First Aid Post next to cash desk in Hall 28.

By train:
From Amsterdam/Haarlem: train direction Uitgeest
From Den Haag/Haarlem: train direction Hoorn
From Uitgeest: train direction Amsterdam
From Hoorn/Alkmaar: train direction Den Haag

Directions by public transport from Beverwijk station
Bus 76 takes you to the Bazaar every 30 minutes. The bus stops outside the entrance to the Zwarte Markt and the Oosterse Markt. Alternatively, if the weather permits, you could take a ten-minute walk to the Bazaar. (IPlan your route in advance via 9292ov.nl and ns.nl.)

By car:
If you are travelling by car, check map24.nl and anwb.nl.

Expat writer Naveen Haroon was born in Saudi Arabia, lived in Pakistan until the age of 12 and has been in Holland ever since. She spent one year in the UK doing her Journalism MA.