Whether you are window-shopping Amsterdam style, or actually wanting to buy something, there is likely to be a place, window, or even two, that cater to your every whim.

Furthermore, you have a few cultural activities such as the Museum of Prostitution, the Museum of Erotism or the Museum of Cannabis. You can find a great variety of sex shops, peep shows, strip clubs, sex theaters and typical Dutch brown cafes. The Amsterdam Red Light District is not only about prostitution and coffee shops. Attractions in the Amsterdam Red Light Districtīecause RLD is in the historical centre of Amsterdam city, it is close to many interesting attractions and architectural wonders. The atmosphere pretty much thrives until around 2 or 3am when the crowds die down and businesses shut up shop. Although there are women forever tapping on the windows even during the light hours, most of the action takes place around 11pm, when the district is swarming with crowds and the red neon lights illuminate the inky canals. During the day, the district is less lively and even less attractive as the more sordid aspects reveal themselves in natural daylight. Well, if curiosity does get the better of you, come down at night when the district really comes to life. When to go to Red Light District Amsterdam? Also, contrary to popular belief, the RLD is actually the safest area in Amsterdam as clusters of policemen, and private bodyguards employed by the girls themselves are always on duty. Help is also at hand in the district itself thanks to the Prostitution Information Center. However, now as a legal profession, the government ensures that all prostitutes are able to access medical care and work in better conditions by regulating and monitoring working practices and standards.

Unfortunately, discrimination is still a part of this trade as many prostitutes report that some banks refuse to grant mortgages for example.

Today, prostitutes in the Netherlands are also taxpayers. Since October 2000, window prostitutes have been allowed to legally offer their services. The name of 'Red Light District' comes from the red neon lights that highlight the 300 windows where women are working.Īmsterdam has three different Red Light Districts but the most famous and the most attractive is the one located inside the city center. That's why prostitutes in Amsterdam stand up behind a window and have their own room. Nowadays, prostitution is legal in the Netherlands but not on the streets. So instead of criminalizing everything, they enjoy the honesty of it all. Amsterdam prides itself, and rightly so, on its wholly liberal and tolerant attitude, embracing the fact that people may be into prostitution, soft drugs and pornography.

Red light center layouts