Amsterdam’s Red Light District — officially called De Wallen — is the city’s oldest neighborhood and its most famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask). The red-lit windows, the narrow medieval alleys, the sex shops and the coffeeshops — it all sits in a compact area between Centraal Station and Nieuwmarkt.
In This Article
If you’re expecting chaos and seediness, the reality is more nuanced. Yes, there are women in windows. But there’s also a 14th-century church (the Oude Kerk), a Chinatown, some of the best Indonesian food in the city, and residential apartments where families have lived for generations. The contrast is very Amsterdam.
For the full guide covering history, etiquette, bars, restaurants, and exactly what to expect, see our complete De Wallen guide.
The Essentials
- Where: Between Centraal Station and Nieuwmarkt. Main streets: Oudezijds Achterburgwal and Oudezijds Voorburgwal
- When: Windows are active from noon but the area comes alive after dark. Peak: 11pm-1am on weekends
- How to get there: 5-minute walk south from Centraal Station via Warmoesstraat or Damstraat
Key Rules
Do not photograph the women in the windows. This is the most important rule and it’s strictly enforced. Don’t try to be subtle with your phone. Security patrols the alleys and the women themselves will confront you.
Don’t buy drugs from street dealers — they sell fake or dangerous products. The coffeeshops are legal and licensed for a reason.
Keep your valuables in front pockets. Pickpockets are active in the narrow alleys, especially on busy weekend nights.
Worth Seeing in the Area
Oude Kerk — Amsterdam’s oldest building (1306), surrounded by red-lit windows. Entry about 15 euros.
Cafe ‘t Mandje — Amsterdam’s oldest gay bar on Zeedijk, open since 1927. Tiny, historic, packed.
Brouwerij de Prael — Brewery taproom with its own beers, a world away from the tourist bars nearby.
In ‘t Aepjen — Bar in a wooden building from 1519 on Zeedijk. One of only two surviving wooden buildings in central Amsterdam.
