Shopping in Groningen

The most interesting shopping street in Groningen, connecting the Grote Markt to the Vismarkt through a narrow historic lane lined with independent specialist shops that represent the diversity of the city as no other single street does. Chocolatiers, spice and Middle Eastern food importers, vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, artisanal food specialists, wine merchants, and specialist gift shops all occupy buildings that have hosted traders for centuries. The street has a genuine multicultural character that reflects Groningen’s international population, and the Friday and Saturday atmosphere when students and residents browse the stalls is one of the most enjoyable shopping experiences in the north. Also covered in the attractions guide as one of the essential walking routes in the city.

The main high street of Groningen, running south from the centre in a largely pedestrianised corridor with the full range of major Dutch and international fashion chains: Zara, H&M, Pull and Bear, The Sting, Douglas, and C&A alongside smaller fashion boutiques and shoe shops. The standard high-street format but in a compact, walkable city that makes it more enjoyable to navigate than equivalent shopping streets in larger Dutch cities. Late Thursday opening until 9pm. The Van der Velde bookshop on the Akerkhof at the northern end of the area is the finest bookshop in the north of the Netherlands with a good English-language selection.

The large-format retail destination in Groningen, housing MediaMarkt for electronics, Primark for affordable clothing, Van Haren for shoes, and a range of other chain stores that require more space than the Herestraat or Folkingestraat can provide. Practical for household essentials, electronics, and large-format purchases. Less interesting than the independent retail on the Folkingestraat but a necessary stop for anyone setting up a new home or looking for practical household goods. The Westerhaven car park is the most convenient central parking option for those arriving by car. Late Thursday opening until 9pm.

The café street of Groningen, covered extensively in the cafes guide, also has a distinct character as a shopping destination: small independent clothes shops, specialist food stores, and the Simon Levelt coffee and tea shop, a 200-year-old family business offering quality coffee and tea with a loyal following. The combination of the cafe culture and the small independent retail makes the Jatstraat a natural all-morning destination, moving between coffee stops and browsing. The Universiteitsmuseum at number 7a is at the northern end of the street, covered in the museums guide.

The main market of Groningen, on the Vismarkt square adjacent to the Folkingestraat, running on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with fresh fish, meat, bread, vegetables, fruit, flowers, and local specialties from the Groningen region. The Saturday market is the largest and busiest, filling the square and attracting both residents doing their weekly shopping and visitors who want to experience the city at its most social. Local farm produce from the Groningen countryside, fresh North Sea fish from the Wadden coast, and seasonal specialties make it genuinely worth visiting rather than just passing through. Also hosts an antique and collectibles section on some Saturdays. Also covered in the attractions guide.

The finest bookshop in the north of the Netherlands, on the Akerkhof at the edge of the main shopping district. Van der Velde is a large independent bookshop with an extensive Dutch-language collection alongside a well-curated English-language section that caters to Groningen’s large international university community. Open on late Thursdays until 9pm. The stock is reliably comprehensive for a city of Groningen’s size and the staff are knowledgeable. For those accustomed to cities with larger English-language selections, the English section here is modest but solid. Worth building a relationship with for special orders.

The Koffiestation micro-roastery, covered in the cafes guide for its permanent locations on the Jatstraat and Turfsingel, runs a market stall on the Vismarkt every Friday and Saturday with the full range of beans from its in-house roastery. The market stall is the best place to browse and buy the current Koffiestation single-origin and seasonal offerings in a setting where the baristas can talk through the options. For those who want to take home the best local roasted coffee from Groningen, the Vismarkt stall on a Saturday morning is the natural destination after doing the market itself.

The Zwanestraat and the small streets connecting it to the Folkingestraat form the most concentrated area of independent fashion boutiques and lifestyle shops in Groningen, with a different character from both the high-street Herestraat and the specialist independent character of the Folkingestraat. Independent Dutch and Scandinavian fashion brands, homeware shops, and specialist gift stores sit alongside some of Groningen’s most-recommended clothing boutiques. Worth exploring on a weekday morning when the streets are quieter and the shop owners are more available to talk through what they stock. Late Thursday opening for many of the boutiques on the Zwanestraat until 9pm.