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Red Light District tour in Amsterdam

4.8179 reviewsDam Square

  • 1h 30m
  • Free cancellation up to 24h before
  • Guided in English
  • Instant confirmation

Highlights

This offers an unique and authentic look into the heart of Amsterdam’s most fascinating neighborhood. The guide will give you a deeper understanding of this fascinating and often misunderstood area. Discover the day-to-day realities of sex workers, the history of this centuries-old profession, and the Netherlands’ famously tolerant approach on prostitution and drug policies. Along the way, enjoy captivating stories and surprising anecdotes about the district’s past, its present, and even its recent controversies. While guided tours inside the Red Light District are no longer allowed (as of 2020), this tour takes you around its outskirts. You’ll leave with a handy map to explore the final stretch on your own, plus a small gift that’s sure to make you smile!

Inclusions

What's included

  • 1,5 hour walking tour around the Red Light District in Amsterdam
  • Map with information for the last stretch of the tour
  • Small gift guaranteed to bring a smile to your face

What's not

  • Tours in the Red Light District have been prohibited since 2020, so this tour goes to outskirts

Itinerary

  1. Discover the rich history of the Red Light District and prostitution and learn why sex workers chose to settle in this sacred place. Learn how and why Amsterdam developed its reputation for a liberal attitude towards sex.

    10 min

  2. Discover the place where the concept of the coffee shop originated and what was once the center of Amsterdam's tolerance and freedom.

    10 min

  3. Discover one of Amsterdam's oldest streets, which now serves as an entertainment center. Also catch a glimpse of the Old Church.

    10 min

  4. Discover Chinatown, once the most dangerous place in Amsterdam during the 1970s. Learn about its decline and how the street has now transformed into one of the favorite spots for many Amsterdammers.

    10 min

  5. Learn about the legalization of prostitution and the challenges faced by sex workers today.

    10 min

  6. Gain insight into the renowned coffeeshops and their cultural significance, learn everything about their legal status.

    5 min

  7. Receive the map with information about the Red Light District and discover the famous area yourself!

    5 min

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

4.8

  • 5159
  • 48
  • 33
  • 22
  • 13

Ratings come from 175 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Know before you go

Meeting point
The meeting point is Beursplein, on the square. Please wait at the bottom of the stairs of Bistro Berlage, we will meet in front of the bistro. The guide will be waiting by the large black lantern, holding a sign that says 'Guidance'.
Pickup
Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
Ticket type
Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group size
Up to 15 travellers
Operated by
Guidance Travel
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • This walking tour takes 1,5 hours. In between passing the highlights, the group explores the city on foot while the guide discusses various topics along the way.
  • Niet aanbevolen voor reizigers die slecht ter been zijn.

How it compares in Amsterdam

  • Its from-price is 80% below the median of the 2120 experiences we list in Amsterdam.
  • It is shorter than most of them.
  • By number of reviews it ranks 185 of 2120.
  • The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Amsterdam

Amsterdam rings its golden-age centre with tree-lined canals, gabled houses and bridges, packing great art and easy cycling into a compact city.

The canal ring, dug in the seventeenth century, curves around the old centre in concentric arcs: Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, lined with tall merchants' houses. The Jordaan, just west, is a maze of small canals, courtyards, brown cafés and independent shops, and the Anne Frank House stands on the Prinsengracht at its edge.

Top-ranked sights in Amsterdam: Amstel River, Skinny Bridge (Magere Brug), Anne Frank House.

See all 2120 experiences in Amsterdam

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Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.

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