As a former resident and frequent visitor to the Dutch capital, and someone who writes and updates an Amsterdam travel guide , I take pride in trying to explain all the great reasons people should visit, and also point out some things to watch out for. This article will mostly just scratch the surface of what to see and do here, but hopefully it will also help you understand the important and controversial parts of the puzzle. It may be wise to visit without children, but aside from that you may be shocked that the area is popular with young and old, male and female, and tourist groups of all kinds from around the world.
Negotiate everything first. Live sex shows β The Red Light District is also home to 3 or 4 live sex theaters where patrons can pay a hefty fee to watch a number of choreographed and bawdy sex acts, usually culminating in an actual couple having intercourse on stage. Each place is different and some are better for stag parties while others are better for couples and the generally curious. Do your research to pick the one for you.
Brothels β These places are also outside the tourist center, and often in residential neighborhoods. Recently the city has cracked down and insisted that all these businesses be properly licensed, and this has helped insure that everyone is honest and legal. In other words, there is zero risk to those who patronize the or so coffee shops in Amsterdam , even if a police officer were to walk in while you were smoking. Interestingly, there are a few laws the city and the shops themselves do enforce strictly.
You must be at least 18 years old and you can only buy 5 grams per day at any one shop. These coffeeshops all one word, in Dutch are sprinkled throughout the city, though they are concentrated most in the Red Light District and near other tourist areas in the city center.
Most sell marijuana and hash by the gram, with a one-gram minimum. All the cannabis in Amsterdam is of high quality, so unless you are an experienced smoker you are probably best off starting with the cheaper stuff anyway. You can also buy what they call a space cake , which many people know better as a pot brownie, though they are often in muffin, cookie, or spice cake form. This city is jammed with museums, but of course some are far better than others.
