Tom Coggins

Amsterdam might be trying to abandon its party girl image, but that doesn’t mean all the fun stuff has stopped. Far from it. Amsterdam’s best bars are open late, its best clubs are poppin’ as ever, and its notorious coffeeshops? Thriving. But lets get one thing out the way first: when we talk about coffeeshops, we mean licenced cannabis cafés (not normal cafés), where you can choose from extensive marijuana menus. And they’re more than that, too – these joints are social hubs, creative spaces, and they’re intrinsic to Amsterdam’s identity.  Can tourists still use coffeeshops in Amsterdam? In short, yes – tourists can still visit and purchase cannabis in Amsterdam’s coffeeshops. A locals-only system was implemented in Maastricht, with a few other cities following suit, but while there have been discussions about restricting coffeeshop access to residents only, current government policy is to allow individual cities to decide for themselves. As these measures have not been implemented in Amsterdam – nor is it likely any time soon – tourists are still welcome in the city’s coffeeshops. How have the laws around smoking changed? The Netherlands applies a tolerance policy (‘gedoogbeleid’) towards soft drugs like cannabis, allowing the sale and possession of up to five grams per person for personal use. To enter a coffeeshop, you must be at least 18 years old and present valid identification. However, it’s important to note that as of May 25, 2023, using soft drugs in public areas o

We know what you’re thinking when you hear ‘red light district’, but trust us, ogling outside windows with gaggles of loud inebriated tourists is far, far from the best thing there is to do in De Wallen, Amsterdam’s most famous red light district (yes, there are a few).  So the good news is you don’t have to avoid an entire district of Amsterdam if you’re not interested in the sex shops and strip clubs. You can come here and see great museums and galleries, have chilled-out drinks at a few nice bars, go to the theatre and even see the oldest church in Amsterdam. You heard us! Here are the best things to do in the red light district.  RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Amsterdam🪩 The best clubs in Amsterdam🌿 The best coffeeshops in Amsterdam🛏 The best hotels in Amsterdam🔑 The best Airbnbs in Amsterdam This guide was updated by Callum Booth, a writer based in Amsterdam. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.