Amsterdam travel tips

Hi darling LGBT travellers! Whilst I’m not quite an Amsterdammer I’ve lived in this wonderfully progressive, chaotic, and bike-clogged city for nearly a decade now. Whether you’re here for the first time or returning to soak up some more Dutch charm, I’ve curated a two-day itinerary that celebrates Amsterdam’s queer spirit, rich culture, and unbeatable vibes. Pack your comfiest shoes and let’s go!

🌈 Getting into Town: Schiphol to City Centre

Flying into Schiphol Airport? Getting to the heart of Amsterdam is a breeze.

Train (NS): Trains to Amsterdam Centraal depart every 10 minutes. Journey time is around 15–20 minutes.
🧭 Buy tickets at: www.ns.nl or use an OV-chipkaart.
🚉 Departure point: Schiphol Plaza (follow signs after baggage claim).
Alternative: The Connexxion Bus 397 gets you to places like Museumplein and Leidseplein if your stay is more central/southwest.
🚌 Info: www.bus397.nl

🛏️ Where to Stay (LGBTQ+ Friendly)

Hotel Mercier

Situated in the Jordaan neighbourhood with vintage charm and queer-friendly vibes.
📍 Address: Rozenstraat 12, 1016 PX
🌐 www.hotelmercier.nl

Or if you’re on a budget:

The Generator Amsterdam (trendy hostel in a former zoological university building!)

📍 Address: Mauritskade 57, 1092 AD Amsterdam
🌐 generatorhostels.com

🥐 Day 1: Queer Culture & Iconic Canals

10:00 – Brunch at Dignita Hoftuin

Fuel up with a top-notch brunch in a serene garden setting. LGBTQ+ friendly and sustainably focused.
📍 Address: Nieuwe Herengracht 18a, 1018 DP Amsterdam
🌐 eatwelldoelgood.nl

Transport Tip: From Centraal, take Metro 51, 53, or 54 to Waterlooplein, then it’s a short walk.

12:00 – Visit the Homomonument and Anne Frank House

Pay tribute to LGBTQ+ lives lost in WWII at the world’s first gay monument. Walk along the canal to the Anne Frank House — deeply moving and essential.

📍 Homomonument: Westermarkt, 1016 DK
📍 Anne Frank House: Prinsengracht 263–267
🌐 annefrank.org (Book well in advance)

15:00 – Coffee & People-Watching at Soho or ‘t Mandje

Amsterdam’s LGBTQ+ café scene is thriving. Try:

Soho – Classic gay bar in Reguliersdwarsstraat
📍 Reguliersdwarsstraat 36
🌐 sohoamsterdam.com
Café ‘t Mandje – One of the oldest queer bars in the world!
📍 Zeedijk 63, 1012 AS
🌐 cafetmandje.amsterdam

20:00 – Dinner at De Kas (Fine dining in a greenhouse)

For a splurge-worthy experience, head to De Kas for farm-to-table magic.
📍 Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE Amsterdam
🌐 restaurantdekas.com

Getting there: Tram 19 to Hogeweg, walk 5 minutes.

22:00 – Night Out in Club Church or Club NYX

Two of the most beloved queer venues in the city.

Club Church – Sexy, themed, unapologetically wild. Older crowd.
📍 Kerkstraat 52, 1017 GM
🌐 clubchurch.nl
Club NYX – Three floors of dance, pop, drag, and neon joy. Younger crowd.
📍 Reguliersdwarsstraat 42
🌐 clubnyx.nl

🚲 Day 2: Arts, Parks & Queer Stories

10:30 – Vondelpark Picnic & Stroll

Pick up coffee and snacks from Coffee Concepts (📍Jacob Obrechtstraat 5) and head into Vondelpark. On a sunny day, you’ll spot locals lounging, couples smooching, and queer families walking their dogs.

12:30 – Drag Brunch at The Queen’s Head

Catch some of the best local queens over mimosas and Dutch bitterballen.
📍 Zeedijk 20, 1012 AZ
🌐 queenshead.nl

14:30 – Rijksmuseum or Moco Museum

If you love classics: Rijksmuseum for Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Dutch Golden Age drama.
📍 Museumstraat 1
🌐 rijksmuseum.nl

For modern & queer-friendly pop culture art: Moco Museum
📍 Honthorststraat 20
🌐 mocomuseum.com

Tip: Both museums are reachable by Tram 2 or 12 to Museumplein.

17:00 – LGBTQ+ Book Browsing at Boekhandel Vrolijk (Queer Bookstore in the Heart of Amsterdam)

For a cozy, inspiring literary stop, head to Boekhandel Vrolijk, Amsterdam’s most beloved LGBTQ+ bookstore. They stock queer fiction, non-fiction, poetry, zines, and art books — mostly in Dutch and English — and the staff are warm, knowledgeable, and always up for a recommendation.

📍 Address: Paleisstraat 135, 1012 ZL Amsterdam
🌐 www.vrolijk.nu
Closest Tram Stop: Dam (Trams 2, 12, 13, 17)

Located just behind Dam Square, this spot also gives you a chance to stroll through the city center or grab a coffee at nearby de Koffieschenkerij in the Oude Kerk courtyard.

20:00 – Sunset Drinks at Bar Buka (Lesbian-owned, all welcome)

Wrap it all up with cocktails at this easygoing queer gem.
📍 Eerste Constantijn Huygensstraat 60
🌐 barbuka.nl

🏁 Before You Go…

Amsterdam is one of the most LGBTQ+-friendly cities on earth, but like anywhere, staying alert and aware at night (especially outside the center) is smart. Dutch people are direct but kind, and most speak English fluently.

Need to get back to Schiphol? Reverse your train or bus route — give yourself 1 hour of wiggle room for check-in.

Final Tips:

✅ Download the 9292 app for real-time public transport planning
✅ Get an OV-chipkaart or buy digital tickets via www.gvb.nl
✅ Want to bike? Rent from MacBike: macbike.nl

More Accomodation Options

Happy travels! 🌈💛

– Love from Amsterdam, your local LGBTQ+ insiders

🏳️‍🌈 About Cramberts

From our home base in Amsterdam, we frequently explore some of Europe’s most vibrant cities, and we’ve compiled detailed guides to share our insider knowledge. Whether you’re seeking the canals and culture of Amsterdam itself, the sunny beaches of Gran Canaria, the historic charm of Lisbon and Porto, the bustling energy of Barcelona and Madrid, the refined elegance of Paris and Munich, the unique character of Sitges, or the diverse landscapes of the Randstad region, you’ll find comprehensive information and recommendations in the links below.

_{Note: Some of these links are affiliates which means using them won’t cost you any extra but we do receive a small commission for each referral. You’re not obligated to use them but we appreciate it if you do. Thanks in advance for supporting our site if you choose to use our links.}

Most of the gay bars (homohoreca) in Amsterdam (in no particular order) grouped by location – also available on google maps and check out the events page on iamsterdam (Milkshake and Pride are two of the main events). Club nights like Bear Bash, Bear Necessity or Furball etc are not listed so check out Tom’s guide or Patroc. Our friends also run a club night in Amsterdam (and now London too) at The Eagle called Bear Bash.

Most Friday evenings we will be found on Reguliersdwarsstraat usually outside of Taboo or Blend for informal drinks or as the locals like to call vrijmibo which is a Dutch short for “Vrijdagmiddagborrel,” which loosely translates to “Friday afternoon drinks.”
In the summer we also tend to meet at Marineterrein AKA the gay beach. Bring snacks, drinks and a blanket to sit on and watch Amsterdammers unwind and swim and get drunk in the marine base near Kattenburg. Further afield is Nieuwe Meer which is an official cruising spot in Park de Oeverlanden.

When WorldPride is held in Europe, it is traditionally also designated as that year’s EuroPride. This was the case in London in 2012, Madrid in 2017, Copenhagen in 2021, and will be again in Amsterdam in 2026. So 2026 is going to be a big year for Gay Amsterdam from 25 July to 8 August 2026. More information at World Pride. See also events.

Reguliersdwarstraat

This is the current “gay street” of Amsterdam. reguliers.net

Taboo + Taboo Kantine –

Reguliersdwarsstraat 4
taboobar.nl
Busy bar especially for the after work crowd on a Friday but with a few recent price hikes make sure you don’t go crazy.

Blend + Blend XL –

Reguliersdwarsstraat 41
barblend.nl
Next door to Taboo and same kind of crowd. XL is opposite next to SoHo

Bar Exit –

Reguliersdwarsstraat 42a
exitamsterdam.nl

SoHo –

Reguliersdwarsstraat 36
soho-amsterdam.com

Amstel and Rembrandtplein

This used to be much more gay but now only a few stalwarts remain. Although Café Montmartre has reopened recently and Brug is under new ownership so there is hope.

Nate’s – (formerly Brug34)

Utrechtsestraat 19
nate.amsterdam – (formerly ~~brug34.nl~~)
Great bar with a large terrace that gets the evening sunshine so great for after-work beers and the staff are super friendly. (December 2024 under new ownership still LGBT but rebranding as Nate).

Free Willie – (PAID entry ) – – XXX

Amstel 178
freewillie.nl
The newest gay bar. Mostly a naked bar. From the Club Church team.

Lellebel –

Utrechtsestraat 4H
lellebel.nl
Queer bar which is small but fun. They recently moved focus of Lellebel towards building a safe environment for the Queer/Trans community so support it.

Café Montmartre –

Reguliersdwarsstraat 129 – NEW ADDRESS
cafemontmartre.nl
Please note new address – was closed for a few months but reopened in new location.
Very traditional gay bar with Dutch music and eurotrash.
And in the new bar the ceiling is dotted with 18 glittering chandeliers…

Centrum West

Prik –

Spuistraat 109
prikamsterdam.nl
Great terrace although it is along a (sometimes) busy street.

Bears Amsterdam (previously The Web) – – XXX

Sint Jacobsstraat 6
bearsamsterdam.com
Sometimes PAID entry but usually no cover just buy a drink before exploring.

The Cuckoo’s Nest – – XXX

Nieuwzijds Kolk 6
cuckoosnest.nl
No cover just buy a drink before exploring.

Sauna Nieuwezijds – (PAID entry ) – – XXX

Nieuwezijds Armsteeg 95
saunanz.nl
Paid entry.

Centrum/De Wallen

The Queen’s Head

Zeedijk 20 (Oudezijds Kolk)
queenshead.nl
Friendly little bar where you can have a nice drink and a chat. Get there early for the booth with the canal views.

Café ‘t Mandje

Zeedijk 63, Amsterdam
cafetmandje.amsterdam
Best described as ‘quirky’

Eagle Amsterdam – – XXX

Warmoesstraat 90
eagleamsterdam.com
(sometimes PAID entry )
Ring the bell for entry. Not for the faint-hearted 😉 Usually, no cover unless there is an event.

Dirty Dicks – – XXX

Warmoesstraat 86
dirtydicksamsterdam.com
(sometimes PAID entry )
Usually, no cover unless there is an event.

Kerkstraat and Leidseplein

Spijker Bar – – XXX

Kerkstraat 4HS
spijkerbar.nl
Pool, Bingo, Disney + Porn in addition to naked Tuesdays what more could you ask for? Oh super friendly staff that’s what. . A small dark room upstairs provides a discreet area to enjoy new friends, and its location just two minutes down the road from Club Church make it a great warm up spot. Not as large a “play” area as some of the other bars with “play” areas but hey that can sometimes be fun right…

Club Church – (PAID entry ) – – XXX

Kerkstraat 52 (Leidsestraat)
clubchurch.nl
Also not for the faint-hearted (paid entry and allegedly very cruisy). Expect club nights like Furball to sell out and even with tickets arrive in good time or you will be joining a 1 out 1 in line outside

a red neo sign that reads "taboo kantine" on a brick wall in the bar. — Taboo Kantine Amsterdam – Iain Croll

Jordaan

Saarein

Elandsstraat 119
saarein2.nl
Neighbourhood LGBT+ friendly bar.

Oost

Lola (The Green Aardvark) –

Mauritskade 100 A-h
lolathegreenaardvark.nl
Another large terrace great in the summer and they do good food too

West

Pamela –

Jacob van Lennepstraat 86H
pamela.amsterdam
Local neighbourhood queer cafe bar

Gay Events in Amsterdam

Pride Amsterdam Amsterdam Pride is a multifaceted celebration that transforms the city into a vibrant hub of LGBTQIA+ culture. At its heart lies the world-famous Canal Parade, a truly extraordinary event that draws over 300,000 enthusiastic spectators. Unlike traditional street parades, this spectacle unfolds on Amsterdam’s iconic canals, with elaborately decorated boats gliding along the waterways. These floating stages showcase a diverse array of performers and themes, from dazzling dancers and flamboyant drag queens to leather-clad bears and representatives of various LGBTQIA+ organizations.

Beyond the Canal Parade, Amsterdam Pride encompasses a week-long program of events, including street parties that spill into the city’s charming neighborhoods, electrifying club nights that keep the energy high until dawn, and the uniquely entertaining Drag Queen Olympics. This city-wide celebration embodies Amsterdam’s reputation as one of the most open and progressive cities on the planet, where diversity is embraced and celebrated.

It’s important to note the distinction between Amsterdam Pride, the overall LGBTQIA+ festival, and the Canal Parade, which is its most iconic event. While the Canal Parade is the visual centerpiece, Amsterdam Pride encompasses a broad range of cultural and activist events that contribute to the festival’s significance. Dates for 2025: 26 July – 3 August 2025

King’s Day – Takes place in April every year on the same date in honour of the Dutch King’s birthday. The main activities during the day are drinking and markets (it’s a whole thing) and are followed by a orange-inspired night with many parties across the city with everyone dressed in orange! Dates: 26 April, 2026.

Milkshake Festival A huge LGBQIA+ focused, outdoor music and dance festival held in July in Westerpark. This Milkshake definitely brings all the boys to the yard! Dates for 2025: 26 – 27 July, 2025.

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A group of men bathed in pink light in a bar in the centre of Amsterdam — Brug 34 – Iain Croll

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Permenantly closed

All of these bars have permanently closed a couple have rebranded as new LGBT bars but most are no longer LGBT.

Amstel 54 – ~~– PERMANENTLY CLOSED~~
Amstel 54
€10 to spin the wheel and you might win shots or drinks or lose it all! Not as much fun or as gay as it used to be (I sadly predicted it would be the next on this list of closed venues).

Queers – ~~– ~~PERMANENTLY CLOSED~~~~
Amstel 60
A cozy bar along the Amstel strip from Amstel 54 and Fame. Drag Bingo and Sunday afternoon snacks.

Fame – ~~PERMANENTLY CLOSED~~
Amstel 50
Fun bar in the aread near Queers, Monmartre and Amstel 54.

Club YOLO ~~– ~~PERMANENTLY CLOSED~~~~
Amstel 178
Late bar. Now opened as Free Willie.

De Engel – ~~PERMANENTLY CLOSED~~
Zeedijk 21
with a friendly and open attitude, a mixed crowd of all ages and styles, with a nice established terrace. CLoseby to the Queen’s Head.

Getto – ~~PERMANENTLY CLOSED~~
Warmoesstraat 51
Bar/Restaurant with drag insired menu. The team have now opened Lola (The Green Aardvark).

Amsterdam is renowned for its vibrant LGBTQ+ scene, with a wide array of gay bars that cater to diverse tastes and offer something for everyone. Iconic spots like Prik are popular for their welcoming atmosphere and delicious cocktails, making it a favorite among both locals and tourists. For those who enjoy a more lively scene, Soho on Reguliersdwarsstraat is known for its stylish decor and energetic vibe. If you’re looking for a classic Dutch experience, Café ’t Mandje is one of the oldest gay bars in the city, steeped in history and character. While these bars are fantastic places to experience Amsterdam’s LGBTQ+ nightlife, it’s worth noting that their popularity means they can get quite busy, especially on weekends, so plan accordingly to fully enjoy what they have to offer.

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