15 Best Amsterdam Red Light District Things to Do
Top 15 Amsterdam Red Light District Things To Do
Are you looking for fun activities in Amsterdam? Then this useful list with Amsterdam Red Light District things to do is for you! This top 15 list contains a lot of places and activities that you normally would miss when visiting the Red Light District.
Take yourself to the beating heart of old Amsterdam and be caught up in a whirlwind of sights, sounds and experiences you won’t soon forget. As one of Europe’s most iconic nightlife destinations, Amsterdam Red Light District offers an astonishingly vibrant cultural setting that is steeped in history. From coffee shops to theaters, bars and brothels, tourists, expats, and business travelers alike can expect to find multiple attractions within close distance of each other. Whether you’re looking for a romantic dinner spot or simply want to explore something unique – there’s plenty to entertain everyone! Here are 15 fun things you must do while visiting the notorious area:
1 | Amsterdam Red Light District Tour
Amsterdam’s Red Light District has such a rich and diverse history that you simply can not grasp it by just walking around. Get to know this area with an amazing audio tour.
Learn everything about legal sex work. Hear about window prostitution, negotiations-processes, safety measures, laws, local prices and whatnot. Discover our Amsterdam Audio Stories app. It offers an amazing GPS guided audio tour hosted by a virtual guide AND 22 experts. One of the experts is even a sex worker.
Nowadays, this is only way to get Red Light District tour. The municipality of Amsterdam has recently banned Red Light District tours with a group and tour guide. Fortunately, this app is here! Download it today and discover De Wallen with the best experts in your pocket.
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The Oudezijds Achterburgwal at night.
This Amsterdam Audio Tours App allows you to experience a GPS-guided tour in the Red Light District independently, affordable and at any time. All you need is a smartphone!
Amsterdam Audio Tours included stories of almost 2 hours from 22 experts, plus a virtual tour guide, GPS and dozens of photos. Listen to interesting information from real prostitutes, police officers, historians, locals, sexologists, entrepreneurs and many others.
Press play and turn your sound on! The Fokkens twins – who worked as prostitutes for 50 years – are two of the 22 experts in this red light district tour app. This clip gives an idea what our app is all about.
Amsterdam Audio Tours cost 5 euro and can be listened in the Red Light District or at home as a podcast.
GET THE APP >2 | Sex Show at Moulin Rouge
One of the best things to do in Amsterdam Red Light District is to visit Moulin Rouge. Experience what this neighborhood is really known for: The great sex shows. At Moulin Rouge you can see 5 impressive sex shows in 1 hour. Experience female and male entertainers as you move close to the stage. If you want you can order a drink and there is even the possibility to volunteer to participate in a sex show. A visit to Moulin Rouge should not be missed if you go to the Red Light District in Amsterdam. Online Moulin Rouge tickets are exclusively for sale with us.
3 | Climb Amsterdam Old Church Tower
A view from the Old Church Tower.
This is one of the best kept secrets of the Amsterdam Red Light District! Even most locals don’t know that this is possible. The Old Church – in the middle of the Red Light District – has two entrances. A main entrance that gives access to the large and special ‘Oude Kerk’. And an entrance for the tower part. Most people only visit the Oude Kerk, but do not know that they can also climb the Old Church Tower.
Experience a beautiful panoramic view over the oldest part of Amsterdam. During this half hour tour an expert explains everything about Amsterdam’s oldest building: The Old Church.
Be advised that you’ll have to climb a lot of stairs to get to the top, but we believe the climb is definitely worth it! The tour costs € 8,50 per person. They are open April till October. Monday through Saturday, from 1 pm till 7 pm. A reservation isn’t possible for this tour.
Learn more today: Old Church Tour. Of all the Amsterdam Red Dight district things to do, this one is high on our list – mainly because of the beautiful view at the top of the building.
4 | Experience The Amsterdam 5D Cinema
The Amsterdam 5D Cinema on the Oudekerksplein.
With the invention of internet porn many in Amsterdam’s Red Light District believed that porn cinema’s were a thing of the past. This 5D porn cinema proved them wrong! It’s a world first for the City of Amsterdam. Besides the 3D porn movie this cinema also has many special effects and also moving chairs. How all these elements combine with a fun and slightly erotic movie, which takes place in the Red Light District, we’ll leave up your fantasy! This is one fun experience you cannot miss out on during your visit of this area.
Fun fact: The 5D Porn Cinema is located next to the Old Church, a day-care and many window brothels.
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5 | Visit The Last Amsterdam Hidden Church
Ons Lieve Heer op Solder – a hidden church in the Red Light District.
The Our Lord in the Attic Museum is a uniquely preserved seventeenth-century house dating back to the Dutch Golden Age. After exploring the original interior of a 17th-century house you’ll end up in the attic of the building, where you’ll find an entire hidden Catholic church. Back in 1663 it was prohibited to celebrate mass, however the Dutch authorities turned a blind eye. This building is the perfect symbol of Dutch tolerance throughout the last five centuries.
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6 | Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum
Founded by one of Holland’s most important cannabis pioneers.
The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum in Amsterdam is the most important and oldest museum in the world dedicated to just Cannabis Sativa L, the plant that is probably most known as hemp or marijuana. Inside you’ll find exhibits and a unique collection about all the aspects of cannabis. The museum also functions as a knowledge center and facilitates scientific research. This museum plays a serious and informative part in the world of cannabis.
The Hash Marihuana & Hemp Museum was founded by one the most important cannabis pioneers in the Netherlands: Ben Dronkers. He is also the CEO of Sensi Seeds – a successful company that sells seeds of cannabis.
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7 | Visit The Amsterdam Exchange Experience
World’s first stock exchange on the Beursplein in Amsterdam.
Did you know that the first stock exchange in the world was built right here in Amsterdam? The back of the building can even been seen from the Warmoesstraat – in the Red Light District. What better way is there to learn more about stock exchanges than getting a guided tour about it in the city that started it all? At the Amsterdam Stock Exchange they offer tours every first Wednesday of the month. However, some months they offer the tour more frequently, check the schedule on the Amsterdam Exchange Experience website for availability and reservation.
8 | Play Games At The Ton Ton Club
Right in the middle of all the action in the Red Light District you’ll find one of the great arcade game experiences of Amsterdam. Play some classic boardgames, have a few (local) drinks, try air hockey, play pac-man and other classic arcade games. A great place to start a night out or to simply play around for a while. More details: Ton Ton Club Amsterdam.
9 | Try Dutch Herring
Wanna try real Dutch food? Get some herring with pickles and unions in Amsterdam. Preferably in the Red Light District – on the Zeedijk street – in the typical Dutch shop called “Amsterdamsche Visch Handel”. This shop is super small. It doesn’t even have a counter. The fish is only presented in the display window of the shop. Their kibbeling is also delicious!
10 | Experience Magic Truffles in Amsterdam
Kokopelli – one of smart shops in Amsterdam.
Okey, this tip is not for everyone. But it is something that is legal in Amsterdam. So for those who want to know more about this: Kokopelli is Amsterdam’s first smart shop. A smart shop is a place that sells Magic Truffels among others. This is a legal psychedelic drug that keeps you high for about 4 hours. Kokopelli is the place in the Red Light District if you’re interested in doing a little mind-exploration. Here at Kokopelli, they look to offer safe experiences to their customers and to provide good and reliable information about their products. In the back they have a space to relax. The lounge has a beautiful view over the water and the Damrak. The lounge is supurbly decorated and painted.
15 grams of Magic Truffels (a.k.a. Magic Mushrooms) go for around € 18,50 and is enough for 2/3 persons. Be sure to check out this unique place, even if you don’t want to use anything.
The owner of Kokopelli – Veronique Verschueren – can also be heard in our Red Light District tour. In it, she explains everything about magic truffels, the Dutch drug policy and the history of smart shops in Amsterdam. Super interesting!
11 | Go on a Sex Date
Engaging in a sex date can offer a thrilling and liberating experience for many. It provides an opportunity to explore mutual desires, fantasies, and attractions in a non-committal setting. The spontaneity and novelty of a sex date can infuse excitement and adventure into one’s life, breaking the routine and letting individuals discover new dimensions of their sexuality. Moreover, the act of meeting someone with a clear, shared intention can lead to heightened anticipation, which many find exhilarating. When approached with mutual respect and consent, a sex date can be a fun way to connect, communicate, and explore shared intimacy.
12 | Buy A Souvenir The Condomerie
World’s first condom store displays dozens of condoms in the shop window.
The idea for the world’s first condom shop arrived at the start of the new HIV AIDS epidemic. The now owners of the shop realised that good sexual huigene and use of condoms would now become essential. Condoms were already available everywhere but there was a general lack of information and choice. The time had arrived for a specialised condom shop with quality service, information and of course a large collection of unique condoms. Great place to take a selfie, learn about safe sex and to get a souvenir.
13 | Sing Karaoke At Casablanca
Casa Blanca is an old and established Jazz Cafe in Amsterdam – located on the Zeedijk street. Since 1946 people have been dancing here to jazzy grooves. A new edition to the program are karaoke nights every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
In our opinion this one of the best karaoke bars in Amsterdam. The crowd is well mixed and the vibes are good! Check the massive list of song options and leave a note for the DJ. When it’s your turn step on stage and dazzle the crowd! (or not). Singing karaoke is really fun to do during a date in Amsterdam.
14 | Have A Drink in Amsterdam’s First Gay Friendly Pub
One of the first gay-bars in town.
Cafe ‘t Mandje is located on the Zeedijk at number 63. The pub openend its doors in 1927 and it became the first gay friendly pub in Amsterdam. Other gay bars existed before that time in Amsterdam but they only catered to homosexuals or lesbians. t’ Mandy was new in letting all the people of Amsterdam mingle together and have a good time without prejudice. Experience the Dutch tolerance yourself and have a drink at this super cute, historic pub.
15 | Go see Nieuwmarkt
Nestled in the heart of Amsterdam, Nieuwmarkt is a bustling square that marries the city’s rich history with its vibrant present. Flanked by quaint buildings and bustling cafes, the square is dominated by the striking De Waag, a medieval building that once served as a city gate and now houses a charming restaurant. A stroll around Nieuwmarkt offers a sensory delight, with the scent of fresh herring from street vendors, the sight of antique shops, and the sounds of laughter from locals enjoying the open-air terraces. Regularly hosting markets, including a popular organic food market on Saturdays, Nieuwmarkt is a must-visit spot for tourists looking to soak in authentic Amsterdam atmosphere.
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