More about: Amsterdam Red Light District Tours
You may have heard of Amsterdam's Red Light District, one of the oldest areas of the city famous for its liberal lifestyle where people are attracted by the pleasure of the forbidden. Despite its controversial origins, today it is a tourist attraction and one of the most eccentric places in Europe. Would you like to take a guided tour of the Red Light District?
Amsterdam Red Light District Tour
Delve into the history of Amsterdam's Red Light District
Discover one of Amsterdam's most eclectic neighborhoods with this small-group walking tour, accompanied by an expert local guide.
On this guided tour of Amsterdam's Red Light District you will explore the narrow cobblestone streets of one of the most iconic and controversial neighborhoods of the Dutch capital. Accompanied by a local guide, you will learn about the history of the neighborhood, the evolution of sexual freedom in the city and discover such curious places as the Condomerie, the oldest condom store in the world.
In addition to walking through Warmoesstraat, one of the oldest and liveliest streets in Amsterdam, you will visit landmarks such as Dam Square and the National Monument, not to mention the historic canals that run through this vibrant neighborhood. The activity is conducted in small groups for an up-close and personal experience.
Why I like this option: Because it offers an authentic and unbiased view of the Red Light District, exploring both its history and its current role in Amsterdam's culture.
Recommended if... You want to discover in a guided and small group all the secrets and curiosities of this emblematic neighborhood.
How are the tours of Amsterdam's Red Light District?
Although historically the Red Light District of Amsterdam has been a center of prostitution, also dedicated to gambling and alcohol consumption, you do not have to worry because today it is a safe place to visit for free.
However, my advice is to book a guided tour of the Red Light District to know in detail and from the hand of a guide the origin, the main points of interest and curiosities of the oldest and most liberal neighborhood of the capital of the Netherlands.
During the 1 hour and a half that this tour lasts you will have at your disposal a local guide who will show you the most interesting streets of this peculiar district full of art galleries, cafes and other less conventional businesses such as coffee shops, smart shops and sex shops that have given so much liberal fame to this place.
In addition, since this is the old part of the city in the visit you will have the opportunity to see the architecture of the area, its curious leaning buildings, the winding cobbled streets of the fourteenth century and its canals, as well as some iconic monuments such as Oude Kerk (the oldest church in Amsterdam) or several sculptures that usually go unnoticed by tourists.
Private tour option
If you prefer a more exclusive and personalized experience, this private tour of Amsterdam's Red Light District is the ideal option. Accompanied by a local guide just for you and your group, you will discover all the secrets of this iconic area at your own pace, without rushing or large groups. For about 2.5 hours, you will walk through historic streets such as Warmoesstraat, admire the famous shop windows with the iconic red windows and learn interesting facts about daily life, the legality of the sex industry and the origins of the neighborhood.
Why it's better to take a guided tour of the Red Light District
While it is true that as a tourist you can see the Red Light District on your own, any guided tour is always much more interesting, enjoyable and complete than doing it alone.
A highlight of this guided tour of the Red Light District is that it is done in a small group of about 15 people maximum, so you will visit the Red Light District, with total tranquility and moving at your own pace through the streets without losing detail.
In addition, in a small group it is always easier to approach the guide to listen to his explanations than in a large one. You will also receive a closer attention because if you have any questions during the tour you will be able to solve them immediately.
What will you see on a Red Light District tour?
During the tour you will walk through the streets of Amsterdam's Red Light District with a guide to learn about its origins and how prostitution works in Amsterdam, that is, its history, its present and the legislation that regulates it, since it has been legal in the Netherlands since 1911.
You will also discover how the sex shops, the museums of various themes of the neighborhood, the piercing and tattoo stores and the coffee shops (places where the sale and consumption of marijuana is legalized) came about. The guide will explain the country's attitude towards marijuana, hallucinogenic mushrooms and other drugs and how they are regulated in the city.
Key points of the tour
- The Red Light District
- Sex Shops
- Coffee Shops
- Smart Shops
- Traditional Dutch pub for beer tasting
Tips for visiting Amsterdam's Red Light District
Can I take pictures during the tour?
During the tour you can take pictures of the tour but not of the prostitutes in the shop windows as this is strictly forbidden. You could get into trouble with the City Council if they know that you are taking pictures as a tourist attraction.
To check that the Red Light District regulations are respected, police and social workers circulate around the neighborhood to make sure that this is the case.
Is the Red Light District safe?
Despite being an area known for prostitution, drugs and vice, it is generally safe to visit alone or in a group. However, as in all tourist sites in a large European city, it is advisable to be careful with pickpockets and not to go into lonely and dark streets at night.
For the past few years, the City Council has been considering transforming the Red Light District: restoring its architecture, opening new hotels, restaurants and shops to restore some areas and avoid tourist overcrowding in others, while ensuring respect for the working women of the Red Light District.
In this way, what was once a seedy area of the capital is becoming one of the trendiest places in the heart of Amsterdam.
Be cautious during the tour
This is a very liberal place but anyone behaving inappropriately with prostitutes or residents of the Red Light District may be ejected from the tour. Be cautious of certain attitudes!
What to wear when visiting Amsterdam?
In winter temperatures are usually very low (the average at this time is 2 ° C), cold winds and rain is very common so I recommend wearing warm clothes and raincoat. In summer temperatures are higher so the most wearable clothes are light and cool fabrics but still should pack a raincoat in the suitcase because there are usually rainy and gray days.
For a walking tour of Amsterdam I advise you to wear comfortable shoes because you will walk for hours many streets up and down.
A little bit of history about the Red Light District of Amsterdam
Prostitution is known as "the oldest profession in the world". Already in the Middle Ages, the city's brothels were run by the chief of police and his trusted people.
When Amsterdam became the world's first port and an important economic center in the 16th century, a multitude of sailors and merchants arrived here, who went to the "Speelhuis" (gambling and dancing houses) to seek female company after months of solitude on the high seas.
Over time the business became more lucrative until in the 17th century the first prostitutes' shop windows appeared, which generated a great deal of expectation and attracted the attention of potential clients, since there was a lot of competition in the city center.
Later a new regulation was created that required the prostitutes to register with the police for medical checks that the government was in charge of supervising to eradicate sexually transmitted diseases.
With the arrival of the railroad, due to its central location and being close to the central station, visitors traveling by train to Amsterdam used to frequent the Red Light District and gradually built the reputation it has today.
That tolerance and open-mindedness to prostitution made it possible to install in the neighborhood the famous coffee shops, when in the 60s and 70s Holland made a review of drug policy and became a pioneer in the legalization of cannabis consumption in such establishments.
Other tours to get to know Amsterdam
Once the visit to the Red Light District of Amsterdam is over, it's time to visit other interesting places in the city.
If you liked the experience of a guided tour, I recommend you take a look at the post The best tours of Amsterdam where you will find more ideas to squeeze your trip to the capital of Holland to the fullest.
On the other hand, if you have not already done so, it is always a good time to relax and take a cruise on the canals of the "Venice of the North" enjoying the beautiful views. Find out more about this experience at Amsterdam Canal Cruises.
And if you prefer to complete your visit to Amsterdam with an excursion around the country, I advise you to read this article about The best excursions from Amsterdam, where you will see a selection of the coolest ones.