Amsterdam Red Light District
ATTRACTION Keywords:
Cultural Experience,
Popular with Locals,
Neighborhood
Amsterdam’s Red Light District (aka De Wallen) has been a familiar haunt for pleasure seekers since the 14th century. Though certainly not an area for everyone, the Red Light District has more to offer than just sex and liquor. For underneath its promiscuous façade, the area contains some of Amsterdam's prettiest canals, excellent bars and restaurants, and shops of all kinds. It also consists of windows with sexy girls, dressed in eye-popping underwear.
The best places for window-watching are along Oudezijds Achterburgwal and in the alleys around the Oude Kerk (Old Church), particularly to the south. The atmosphere throughout is much more laid-back than in other red-light districts. Families, lawyers, young couples, senior citizens - all types of locals live and socialize here, in stride with the surrounding commerce. You’ll probably find yourself on Warmoesstraat and Zeedijk at some point, both commercial thoroughfares chock-a-block with shops and restaurants.
While you’re wandering around, look up at the gorgeous gables and you’ll realize this district is also stunningly attractive. Its lovely architecture simply gets lost in the shuffle.
Latest Reviews
Review by Gosia11, May 2013
Doing what: Amsterdam Red Light District Walking Tour
Very funny and great tour guide. Competent at his job. He gave us lots of amusing details as on the Red Light District as on the town history. The 2 houres tour was like the best cabaret.
Review by Sheu Hoon A, May 2013
Doing what: Amsterdam Red Light District Walking Tour
Our tour guide, Chantal, provided us with a lot of information about the red light district, and made the tour very interesting.
Review by colin l, March 2013
Doing what: Amsterdam Walking Tour
we met our tour guide at the appointed time and we set off on our walk around the street of Amsterdam we first stopped at the shop that sells everything for safe sex which apparently is a charity that helps stop HIV and other sexual deseases spreading then on to the red light district to see the windows that the girls operate from i was suprised as was my wife to see them operate right beside a church that had houses built on to the side of it apprently so that the church goers that lived there could be nearer to god. seen the oldest house, the flower market, smallest house, cheese shop was excellant, had coffee, and learnt a lot from sean our guide he was superb and new a great deal about Amsterdam the formation of the dykes and how the Amsterdamers constructed them to the building of the houses and if you had a set of steps that went ether way from your front door the old saying money coming in and money going out. Sean showed us a pie and mash shop in one of the streets and it looked really appetising so after Sean had done his duty and left us back at our hotel my wife and i went back to the said shop and enjoyed a feast of Pie and mash it was fantastic and thanks again for a wounderful adventure
Practical Info
The Red Light District is located just south of Centraal Station, around Oudezijds Achterburgwal and Oudezijds Voorburgwal - also known as De Wallen (the Walls) or De Walletjes (the Little Walls). To get there, take the tram to the Dam, then pass behind the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky.
Keep in mind to exercise caution when visiting the area. Stick to the busy streets and beware of pickpockets at all times. Also, do not take photographs of the women in the windows, for there are large, observant men on the lookout, who won’t hesitate to take your camera and throw it in the canal.
