Credit: josef stuefer
TripOut Gay Travel:
Amsterdam
Gay Friendly Rating:
Very welcoming; this place is gay-tastic!
The gay capital of Europe? Pretty much! Get set to experience canals, Van Gogh and liberalism galore!
Very welcoming; this place is gay-tastic!
Amsterdam Fast Facts:
- Gayborhood Amsterdam has no distinct gay neighborhood; bars are scattered all over the city.
- For a good start on gathering info on Amsterdam, visit the city's official English-language website: http://www.iamsterdam.com.
- Don't rent a car when you visit Amsterdam. It is expensive and parking is a nightmare. Instead consider renting a bicycle.
- Don't take taxis if you move from A to Z. The city is small and most of your sightseeing can be done on foot.
- The Dutch speak English well. Impress them by trying to speak a little Dutch. They will love you for it.
- The Dutch are not as accustomed to credit cards as most of us are in the United States. Major hotels and restaurants will accept Visa or Mastercard. Make sure to carry around a limited amount of cash. Dutch banks ATMs accept U.S. debit cards.
- Restaurant service can be slow here. It's not that Dutch servers are lazy or indifferent, it's just a different culture. If you need your waiter, you may have to wave at him/her. And you'll never get the check until you ask. Which, if you want to sit and languish after you've eaten, can be quite nice.
- Queen's Day is the madcap, wonderfully tipsy national party on April 30th which celebrates the birthday of Queen Beatrix. Don't plan on doing anything on this day but roaming all over the city, drinking in streets and enjoying a raucous good time. The canals are full of party boats and the city gets trashed. And yes, the gay bars will be thumping. Imagine Mardi Gras, and you're close. Whatever you do, don't fly in or out of Amsterdam on this day. No cabs will be able to navigate the mobs. You'll be carting your suitcase to the train station.
- Gay Pride falls the first weekend in August, and is capped off by Saturday's boat parade. Perhaps small in scale when compared to NYC or L.A. in the U.S., but it's a great citywide party in which everyone-straight and gay, young and old-joins in the fun. A great, great time.
- Amsterdam is so gay-friendly it has its own little Gay Tourism Bureau, which is actually a cute kiosk by the Westerkirk (right by the Homomonument). It's called the Pink Point and offers gay-specific tourism info for LGBT travelers. Stop by and get clued in! Open daily from 12pm-6pm.
Amsterdam is called the gay capital of the world for good reasons. Ever since the city started to flourish in the 17th century, it has been a safe haven for everybody who’s been considered “different.” Whatever your religion, political...
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Recommended In Amsterdam :
Hotels & Inns
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Amstel Intercontinental Professor Tulpplein 1
- Enjoy Bed & Breakfast
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Hotel Ambassade Herengracht 341
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Lloyd Hotel & Cultural Embassy Oostelijke Handelskade 34
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NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Dam 9
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NH Hotel Amsterdam Center Stadhouderskade, 7
- Soho Reguliersdwarsstraat 36
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The Amistad Kerkstraat 42
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The Dylan Hotel Keizersgracht 384
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The Golden Bear Kerkstraat 37
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The Lloyd Hotel Oostelijke Handelskade 34
- Vacation Rentals by Owner
Restaurants
- Café Bern Nieuwmarkt 9
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Cafe De Jaren Nieuwe Doelenstraat 20-22
- De Bijenkorf
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Febo Leidsestraat 94
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Garlic Queen Regulierdwarsstraat 27
- Het Molenpad Prinsengracht 653
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Kantijl & De Tijger Spuistraat 291-293
- L' Entrecote et les Dames Van Baerlestraat 47
- Moaz Falafel Muntplein 1
- Openbare Bibliotheek Oosterdoksade 143
- Restaurant Freud Spaarndammerstraat 424
- ROC Elements Roelof Hartstraat 6
- Spanjer & Van Twist Leliegracht 60
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Supper Club Jonge Roelensteeg 21
- Vlaams Friethaus Voetboogstraat 33
Bars & Clubs
- Amstel Taveerne Amstel 54
- April Reguliersdwarsstraat 37
- ARC Reguliersdwarsstraat 44
- Argos Warmoesstraat 95
- Barderij Zeedijk 14
- Café t'Leeuwtje Reguliersdwarsstraat 105
- Cockring Warmoesstraat 96
- Coffeshop Downtown Reguliersdwarstraat 31
- De Engel Zeedijk 21
- de Trut Bilderdijkstraat 157
- Dirty Dicks Warmoesstraat 86
- Eagle Warmoesstraat 90
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Exit Reguliersdwarsstraat 42
- Montmartre Halvemaansteeg 17
- Prik Spuistraat 109
- Queen's Head Zeedijk 20
- Saarein II Elandsstraat 112
- Sappho Vijzelstraat 103
- Soho Reguliersdwarsstraat 36
- Stereo Bar Jonge Roelensteeg 4
- The Queen's Head Zeedijk 20
- Vive La Vie Amstelstraat 7
Sights & Activities
- Anne Frank Huis Prinsengracht 267
- Centraal Museum Utrecht Agnietenstraat 3
- CoBrA Museum Sandbergplein 1-3
- FOAM Amsterdam Keizersgracht 609
- Frédéric Rent a Bike Brouwersgracht 78
- Hermitage Museum Amsterdam Nieuwe Herengracht 14
- Huis Marseille Keizersgracht 401
- Kröller-Müller Museum Houtkampweg 6
- Kunsthal Rotterdam Westzeedijk 341
- Melkweg Lijnbaansgracht 234a
- Museum Boijmans van Beuningen Museumpark 18-20
- Museum Catharijneconvent Lange Nieuwstraat 38
- Paradiso Weteringschans 6-8
- PC Hooftstraat
- Pink Point Westermarkt
- Rijksmuseum Jan Luijkenstraat 1
- Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis Korte Vijverberg 8
- Stedelijk Museum Oosterdokskade 5
- The Begijnnof Begijnhof 30
- The Homomonument Westermarkt
- The Vondelpark
- Van Gogh Museum Paulus Potterstraat 7
- Vondelpark
More Amsterdam : Related Websites
- http://www.iamsterdam.com Amsterdam's official English-language website.
- http://www.timeout.com/amsterdam Time Out Amsterdam.
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Amsterdam, the gay capital of Europe