Stephanie Broek’s Secret Adresses

Amsterdam has always had a quiet kind of beauty. It is not a city that needs to announce itself; it reveals its charm in the curve of a bridge, the glow of a canal at dusk, the elegance of its narrow houses and the everyday choreography of bicycles moving through the streets. For fashion editor and stylist Stephanie Broek, that beauty was love at first sight: “I grew up in a small town about an hour away and had dreamed of moving to Amsterdam ever since I first visited the city. It was the architecture that made me fall in love.” She moved at 20 and still remembers the early romance of discovering the city from the back of a bike, but today, her Amsterdam is a mix of rituals, favourite addresses and small pleasures: a city to cross by bike, to leave occasionally, and to return to with renewed affection. Have we piqued your curiosity yet? Keep scrolling to discover the five favourite spots of this true local.

Waterlooplein Market

“From Monday to Saturday, there's a flea market at Waterlooplein. Thrifting feels like schatzoeken (treasure hunting) to me—digging through piles of clothes in search of something special. Walking here always reminds me of that iconic photo of Kate Moss wearing a grey scarf at a flea market in Paris; it feels remarkably similar to Waterlooplein. I've been coming here for more than 20 years. There are a few antique stalls, but my favorite is the one that sells nothing but leather jackets. When it comes to thrift shopping, the best thing you can do is try on as much as possible. Chances are you'll find the perfect fitted '90s leather jacket. Tip: Noordermarkt on Monday mornings is another wonderful spot for vintage shopping.”

That sounds like an amazing plan when the weather gets warm, because in case you were wandering, Amsterdam in summer is a different city. Stephanie tells us that after months of rain, the first warm days feel almost celebratory. The parks fill, the terraces open, and the city moves outside. For her, that seasonal shift is part of what makes Amsterdam so special: “People swim in the IJ, picnic in the park until midnight, and make the most of every sunny day.” It is during these long, light-filled days that the city feels most alive, relaxed and joyful.

Rijksmuseum

“The Rijksmuseum is the most beautiful museum in Amsterdam (if not one of the most beautiful in the world). It houses iconic masterpieces such as The Night Watch by Rembrandt and Vermeer's The Milkmaid. The library is breathtaking as well, with its beautiful spiral staircase and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. And don't forget to cycle through the museum. So magical, it never gets old. On sunny days, I love reading in the Rijksmuseum Gardens. They're open to the public and filled with Jardin des Tuileries-style chairs that you can move to the perfect shady spot, or next to a sculpture you love.”

And what about Amsterdam’s style? According to a true fashionista like Stephanie, Amsterdam is a city where elegance is never overdone. The best looks are the ones that can take you from Pilates to lunch, and from a market to a late dinner, without ever feeling too considered, and, of course, it always starts with movement; that means clothes need to be as practical as they are polished: “Everything we wear has to be bike-proof. We do almost everything by bike, so practicality is always part of the equation.” For Stephanie, that means trousers, flat shoes and an effortless sense of ease — though never without room for a little exception. “I tend to prefer flat shoes, although we'll happily make an exception for a small heel.” And talking about style...

Laura Dols

“Laura Dols is one of my favorite vintage stores in the city. It specializes in feminine dresses from the 1920s, '40s, '50s, '60s, and '80s, and also has an extensive bridal collection. My best friend even found their wedding dresses here. I recently got lucky and found two vintage nightgowns that I'm currently living in.”

If you ask her what her ideal day in the city would be like and which places she would visit, she knows exactly what she’d say. It would begin with a bike ride to De Roos, a yoga and Pilates studio set inside a 19th-century villa on the edge of Vondelpark. From there, she heads to the farmers’ market around Noorderkerk (yes, the one she already mentioned!), which “transforms into an organic market. It's incredibly charming and the perfect place to pick up your weekly fruit and vegetables.” For lunch, Stephanie keeps it simple: Oficina or Carmen, two of her favourite spots in the city.

Stedelijk Museum

“The Stedelijk Museum is Amsterdam's museum of modern and contemporary art, housed in a striking building that combines a historic structure with its iconic "bathtub" extension. Last year, a sculpture park opened inside the museum's lobby, along with Fonda, a café by the founders of Oficina, whose work I love. It has quickly become one of my favorite places for a coffee or a matcha, surrounded by art.”

For catching up with friends, she heads to Toki, a café in the Jordaan with the kind of understated cool that defines the neighbourhood and that vibes that according to her, everyone likes. Stephanie loves Amsterdam’s independent cinemas, so as evening fell she would pop into The Movies, mainly because of its beautiful Art Deco interiors. Dinner, meanwhile, is worth planning ahead... Her choice is Toscanini, a classic Italian restaurant with a reputation that speaks for itself: “Reservations are usually booked up at least a month in advance, and I completely understand why. It's one of those classic Italian restaurants that never disappoints.”

Athenaeum Boekhandel

“Athenaeum Boekhandel is a large bookstore that somehow still feels wonderfully intimate. It has an incredible independent magazine section where you'll find every obscure, beautifully made publication imaginable. It's my favorite place to pick up the magazines I love and collect, but also to discover new ones. Walking out empty-handed is nearly impossible. The covers displayed outside always tempt me into buying at least a few.”

Amsterdam’s smallness is part of its charm, but also part of its tension. Stephanie loves how easy it is to cross the city by bike yet admits that its intimacy can sometimes feel too close: “The only downside, for me, is that Amsterdam is quite small. It's incredibly easy to get from one neighbourhood to another, but sometimes it also makes me want to escape for a little while.” Still, distance has only deepened her appreciation: “The more I talk to friends who have moved here from abroad, and the more I travel to other cities, the more I realize how special Amsterdam really is.” Perhaps the truest image of Stephanie’s Amsterdam is not a single restaurant, café or market, but a moment in motion: cycling under the Rijksmuseum, passing the canals, looking up at the houses that first made her fall in love.