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Amsterdam Gay Travel Guide
The mere mention of Amsterdam is enough to send chills down the spine of any gay man. Whether you go weak in the knees for Impressionist painters, enjoy legally consuming mass quantities of mind-altering substances, or just love partaking in activities which might make your mother blush, Amsterdam is the capital of decadence! For centuries, European homosexuals have escaped oppression in their own countries by fleeing to Amsterdam, so the city has long enjoyed an atmosphere of tolerance. Though gay couples have been allowed to legally partner there for decades, in 2001 the Netherlands became the first country on earth to obliterate “man and woman” from the definition of marriage, and gay couples can adopt children and enjoy no distinction between their marriage and that of Bob and Sue with their 2.4 children next door. But before diving into Gay Amsterdam, you must make some obligatory visits, first to the Van Gogh Museum with 200 paintings and thousands of sketches and letters from the master artist. Tack on the Van Rijksmuseum (one of Europe’s finest collections of art!) and the Anne Frank House (poor little thing, she must’ve been more frightened than Dorothy!) and you’ve got yourself an incredible day of museum-ing. Known as the Venice of the North, you can take a gondola ride on one of Amsterdam’s many canals. But only do it during the day, for the canals double as late-night restrooms for drunken boys stumbling home from clubs. Rent a bicycle and blend in with the locals as you peddle through quiet neighborhoods and parks. You may want to stop into a “coffeeshop” for the Amsterdam tradition of inhaling a strong dose of smoke from the cannabis plant. Beware! The herb sold here will likely be much stronger than you may be accustomed to in your home country. Don’t fret, if that’s not your style, most “coffeeshops” sell coffee, too. Another Don’t Miss is the Oude Kerk, a stunning Gothic-Renaissance church. Europe’s full of churches, though, why should you visit this one? Because it’s smack-dab in the middle of the Red Light District! The activities here, too, are perfectly legal and regulated (and taxed!) by the government. Leave it to the Dutch to cash in on mankind’s debauchery. Your first stop for Gay Amsterdam should be The Homomonument, unique in all the world, which was erected (their terminology, not ours!) in 1987. There you’ll find the Pink Point kiosk which will give you all the information and publications you need to fully experience Gay Amsterdam, including an edition of The Bent Guide, which is just about the best gay guide to a city ever published. It’s updated every quarter by a dedicated team of locals. Gay life in Amsterdam is focused in four districts, all near the center of town: Kerkstraat, the Amstel, Warmoesstraat (the Red Light District), and Reguliersdwarsstraat. Can’t even begin to pronounce them? Neither can we. (Keep in mind that “straat” means Street, so you just have to focus on the first part of the word.)
Gay Amsterdam Bars, Restaurants and Clubs
Amsterdam has well over a hundred gay bars scattered across the four central districts, and more out beyond. Your best bet is to grab a copy of The Bent Guide, which has an easy-to-follow map of the city. A few reliable places are April, which attracts a mix of all gay genres with its revolving bar, Soho, a large two-storey place which has become insanely popular in the five years since its opening, Entre Nous, popular with the younger crowd and open much later than most Amsterdam Bars, and Habibi Ana, claiming to be the world’s only bar for gay Arabic boys and those who admire them. Montmartre is usually voted the best gay bar in town, and is correspondingly crowded. Amsterdam’s leather scene is monstrous, and leather lovers usually head to The Cuckoo’s Nest which claims to have Europe’s largest “darkroom” downstairs, or The Web, the largest and most popular SM joint in town. Amsterdam’s Eagle may be a bit more rowdy than you’re accustomed to. A sling hangs over their pool table. The drag scene is centered at Lellebel, where a campy show can always be expected. Girls can head to Saarein, the most popular lesbian bar in the city, or Vive la Vie, a busy Art Deco alternative.
Dance clubs are not as common as bars, but they stay open later. Club Exit is one of the most popular, with four floors, four kinds of music, and four bars. Club IT, an Amsterdam institution, promises the best sound in Europe after its renovation is complete. And who could visit Amsterdam without dancing at Club Cockring? With its cavernous dance floor and clothing-challenged go-go boys (some of whom you may recognize from those films your mother has never seen), it is an Amsterdam tradition. Girls can take advantage of a unique lesbian dance club, You II.
Amsterdam is one of the most diverse multi-cultural cities on the planet, and gastronomy ranges from corner falafel shacks to four-hour French dinners that will require a second mortgage just to pay the tip. It is hard to walk a block in Amsterdam without passing a restaurant. The gay community flocks to Exit Café, located adjacent to the famous disco of the same name. Getto is a popular café and bar. Camp Café serves meals from early to late, and Mankind is a great place to chow down after visiting the museums. Le Monde is one of the most popular gay-owned cafes in town, open very late. A copy of The Bent Guide will list every popular gay restaurant by cuisine.
If you’re wanting to inhale Amsterdam’s favorite plant in a gay-friendly environment, you can try Betty Boop or The Other Side. And don’t forget Vrolijk, one of the largest gay bookstores in Europe. If you need the web, try the gay internet café at the Amistad Hotel in the middle of gay Amsterdam.
Gay Friendly and Gay Amsterdam Hotels
Gay accommodations in Amsterdam run the gamut from grungy hostels to break-your-budget luxury hotels. Hotel Orfeo is Amsterdam’s largest exclusively-gay hotel, and is a short walk from the gay scene. Their rates are quite reasonable, but in many rooms you’ll be sharing the bathtub with strangers. (Hey, it might not be all that bad!) Hotel Amistad, formerly known as the West End Hotel and extremely popular with gay men for decades, is a campy, smart hotel centrally located (and right across the street from the most popular sauna in Amsterdam). Some rooms have private bath. They also offer short- and long-term apartment rentals throughout the gay district. Flatmates Amsterdam also offers apartments in the gay district. ITC Hotel claims to be the finest gay hotel in the city, and The Golden Bear claims to be the oldest, continuously operating since 1948. The Rainbow Palace became popular after the 1998 Gay Games.
Gay guesthouses and B&Bs are plentiful in Amsterdam. Check out Drake’s Guesthouse, Barangay B&B, The Eel House, the upscale Triple Five Guesthouse, The Helmer House, Truelove Guesthouse, or Flynt B&B. It is not surprising, due to Amsterdam’s large leather scene, that leather and SM accommodations exist. Try The Sling Room, Anco Hotel, RoB Apartments or the more upscale Black Tulip. The Stablemaster is known for the kind of parties your mum likely doesn’t attend. Ladies can snuggle up at Johanna’s B&B or at the more upscale Liliane’s Home.
There are also many mainstream hotels, known to be gay-friendly. Some of the most popular gay friendly Amsterdam hotels include NH Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Hotel de L'europe, Victoria Hotel Amsterdam, Lloyd Hotel, Sheraton Hotel Pulitzer, Estherea Hotel, NH Doelen, NH Schiller, NH City Centre, Albus Grand Hotel, Grand Sofitel Demeure Hotel, The Dylan, and the Ambassade Hotel. Browse and compare all Gay Friendly and Gay Amsterdam Hotels.
Call an edirp.com gay travel specialist at 1-888-EDIRP-EZ (1-888-334-7739) or (214) 520-0345 (U.S.) to book any of the hotels mentioned above. Any hotels with links may be booked via our secure online booking system.
Amsterdam Gay Pride and other Gay Events
Amsterdam claims to have the largest Pride event in Europe. Amsterdam Pride is usually held the first weekend in August, and features a water parade: gaudy and fancifully decorated boats which float down the city’s canals. Leather Pride takes place the last weekend of October. Queen’s Day, the last weekend of April, has morphed from a celebration of the Monarchy to a decadent gay circuit party. And the massive Megatrash, held four times per year, is always an eye-opener.
Travel guide by Benjamin Starr, a travel writer who claims the entire world as his home. When he's not at home, he can sometimes be found at a residence in Dallas, Texas. To contact Ben, email him at benjaminstarr@sbcglobal.net. |
