Overview
Local Transportation
Accommodations
Food
Coffeeshops And Smartshops
Sights
Museums
Entertainment
Shopping
Nightlife
Daytrips
Gay and Lesbian Amsterdam
The first experience of walking into a store, reading a menu, and ordering a few grams of weed as casually as you would a sandwich may feel surprising to those used to buying their magic
However, just because you can do things here that you'd get arrested for elsewhere doesn't mean that anything goes. Certified coffeeshops will have a green-and-white BCD sticker that denotes their credibility. Shops aren't allowed to advertise the fact that they sell marijuana or hash, and in theory, you're supposed to have to ask for the menu, though in most places they'll have it on the bar as long as it's towards the back of the store. You are only allowed to buy 5g of drugs from an establishment per day. It's recently become illegal to smoke tobacco indoors in most places, though some coffeeshops have special smoking areas where you can indulge in a mixed joint. Don't walk down the street smoking a blunt—just because the Dutch are OK with THC doesn't mean that they smoke all that much of it, and doing so will mark you as an obvious tourist. (And a stoned one, at that—hi, pickpockets!) If you do want a smoke in the open air, find a store with an outdoor patio or hit up one of the city's parks.
The variety at many shops can be overwhelming for those who aren't used to choosing what strain they're smoking. Ask coffeeshop staff for advice if you have any questions, as they are usually used to explaining their wares. In general, the more expensive a brand is, the stronger or better you can expect it to be. If you want to smoke some really good stuff, look for prestigious Cannabis Cup winners. When it comes to hash, most places stock blonde (Moroccan), which is lighter than black (Indian). Neither of them is anywhere near as potent as the special varieties of Dutch ice-o-lator. It can cost €20-50 per gram, but that's because it's basically purified THC and will, to put it “blunt”-ly, fuck you up. Europeans generally stick to smoking joints, but quite a few stores provide bongs or even vaporizers for tourists. If you want to roll a doobie yourself, most stores will let you take a few papers for free. You can also buy pre-rolled joints with a limited selection of strains. If there's something you really want to try that doesn't come pre-rolled, many shops offer paper cones that allow the truly lazy (or uncoordinated) to simply pop the weed in and be set to light up. Coffeeshops also sell space cakes, muffins, and brownies. As cute as they sound, these should be eaten with caution, as it's impossible to verify how strong they are and the effects often don't kick in for 1hr. or more—and then can last for up to a day.
Smartshops do not sell weed and hash, though they usually stock marijuana seeds and smoking accessories. What they do offer in terms of instant psychedelic gratification are truffles (the only type since the banning of hallucinogenic psilocybin mushrooms that are still legal), salvia, and all sorts of herbs and extracts that can promise everything from ecstasy-like effects to heightened sexual arousal.
If you have any questions regarding the effects or legality of drugs options in Amsterdam, hit up Cannabis College or the Jellinek Clinic, both of which keep extensive, up-to-date information.
It is imperative to keep in mind that hard drugs (ecstasy, cocaine, heroin, etc.) are not legal in the Netherlands, despite what dealers approaching you on the street at 3am might try to tell you. Seriously, there are stores with DRUG MENUS here. Isn't that enough?
Finally, though we may list a wide array of coffeeshops and smartshops in this guidebook, Let's Go does not recommend drug use in any form.
Amsterdam’s coffee shops aren’t really there to sell coffee. Places calling themselves coffee shops sell hashish, marijuana, and “space” goodies. As a general rule, the farther you travel from ...more
Smart shops are scattered throughout Amsterdam and peddle a variety of “herbal enhancers” and hallucinogens. Do not take more than one dose at a time—many first-time users take too much because ...more
A number of bustling coffeeshops can be found around Nieuwmarkt, but if you want better atmosphere and value, head away from the square. Rusland, Rusland 17 (☎ 062 794 68), According to some, this is ...more
Hill Street Blues, Warmoesstraat 52 (www.hill-street-blues.nl), So named because of its location next to a police station, Hill Street Blues benefits from a great view over the water at the back of its ...more
Lots of tourists (especially backpackers) means a lot of coffeeshops. Don't just settle for the first one you see: it's worth seeking the Nieuwe Zijd's star establishments. Prices are slightly higher here ...more
Barney's, Haarlemmerstraat 102 (☎ 062 597 61; www.barneys.biz), An Amsterdam institution with a coffeeshop, souvenir and seed stores, and a bar across the street. The recently renovated interior is quite ...more
Amnesia, Herengracht 133 (☎ 063 83 03), One of Amsterdam's best decorated coffeeshops, in all senses of the word. The spacious interior has long couches and tables done up in black and purple; picturesque ...more
Stix, Utrechtsestraat 21 (www.stix.nl), Stix is a simple shop—no big smoking rooms with couches and Ganesh statues here, just picnic-table seating and a bright, airy atmosphere. Staff cheerfully welcomes ...more
The coffeeshops around the Leidseplein are surprisingly unpopulated given how packed the area is. Prices do tend to be slightly higher, reflecting the neighborhood's more central location. Easy Times ...more
The Bush Doctor, Thorbeckeplein 28 (☎ 033 074 75), A small, colorfully psychedelic store with two floors and outdoor seating spilling into Thorbeckeplein. This is one of the best places to try specialty ...more
Coffeeshops in the Jordaan provide the perfect settings for a relaxed and peaceful smoke. However, few have the kind of award-winning selections available at establishments in central Amsterdam. Paradox ...more
Coffeeshops in these primarily residential neighborhoods tend to be few and far between; the following, however, is one of Amsterdam's standouts. De Supermarkt, Frederik Hendrikstraat 69 (☎ 068 322 ...more
Simply put, this is the rare part of Amsterdam where you won't find a coffeeshop on every corner, so plan ahead if you hope to smoke in Vondelpark or before seeing the sunflowers at the Van Gogh museum ...more
Yo Yo, 2e Jan van der Heijdenstraat 79 (☎ 066 471 73), The kind of store where they take their weed seriously, but you'd never tell from the supremely laid-back attitude. Only sells outdoor, organic ...more
Bluebird, Sint Antoniesbreestraat 71 (☎ 062 252 32), What's the point of visiting a city where weed is decriminalized if you're just going to smoke it in a place that looks like a basement from 1977? ...more
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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
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