If you leave Dam Square near the National Monument you'll end up in the Red Light District (Rosse Burt). It's located directly in the center of Amsterdam between the streets Warmoesstraat, Zeedijk, Nieuwmarkt, Kloveniersburgwal and Damstraat.
It gets its name from the color of the lights that illuminate the shop windows temporarily housing the prostitutes (prostitution in Holland is completely legalized within designated zones).
This area is commonly known as "De Wallen" in reference to the walls of the canals that you cross to get there. Although at times it's difficult to tell between both the neon red glow of the shop windows and the lights of the innumerable sex shops and sex shows, it's really a gem of a neighborhood for its houses, bridges, and canals.
If you go north on Oudezijds Voorbugwal, you'll be met with a surprising sight: Oude Kerk, a large church stuck in the very same Red Light District. From the street that surrounds it, leaving on Sint Annedwars Straat, you can go to one of the alleys with the most shop windows in the neighborhood, on Trompettersteeg. The prostitutes know that they are a tourist attraction, and as such it's perfectly okay to look at them, regardless what gender you are. That being said, it's better to abstain from taking any pictures, leave it at merely looking, or if your feeling especially silly, joking around with them through the windows
The canal parallel to Oudezijds Voorburgwal, called Oudezijs Achterburgwal, is also very lively if you want to extend the walk a little longer.
It gets its name from the color of the lights that illuminate the shop windows temporarily housing the prostitutes (prostitution in Holland is completely legalized within designated zones).
This area is commonly known as "De Wallen" in reference to the walls of the canals that you cross to get there. Although at times it's difficult to tell between both the neon red glow of the shop windows and the lights of the innumerable sex shops and sex shows, it's really a gem of a neighborhood for its houses, bridges, and canals.
If you go north on Oudezijds Voorbugwal, you'll be met with a surprising sight: Oude Kerk, a large church stuck in the very same Red Light District. From the street that surrounds it, leaving on Sint Annedwars Straat, you can go to one of the alleys with the most shop windows in the neighborhood, on Trompettersteeg. The prostitutes know that they are a tourist attraction, and as such it's perfectly okay to look at them, regardless what gender you are. That being said, it's better to abstain from taking any pictures, leave it at merely looking, or if your feeling especially silly, joking around with them through the windows
The canal parallel to Oudezijds Voorburgwal, called Oudezijs Achterburgwal, is also very lively if you want to extend the walk a little longer.
