Amsterdam Nightlife

It goes without saying that experiencing the nightlife in Amsterdam is an integral part of any trip to the city. Certainly, you can go to the Rijksmuseum and see a dozen Rembrandts, but there's nothing like stumbling out of a bar at 5am and seeing the great man staring down at you from a pedestal in the middle of Rembrandtplein. That's one of the main after-dusk hotspots, where you can find glitzy clubs lined up next to raucous tourist bars and dance spots where the music invites choruses of drunken revelers to sing along. Leidseplein offers a similar mix of quality dance venues with live DJs, cool cocktail spots, and rowdy pubs. The crowds here tend to be a bit younger and more local. A few additional clubs are scattered throughout the city, but mostly what you'll find in the way of nightlife are some hipper lounge bars and a whole lot of bruin cafes, cafe-pub combinations populated by old Dutch men and hipster students, depending on what neighborhood you're in (though sometimes both demographics share the same table space). The closer you get to the Red Light District, the more the local presence fades away and is taken over by groups of large British men on bachelor party trips wearing matching T-shirts. No matter where you are, the Amsterdam post-dinner scene is free of the pretension sometimes found in other European cities. Lines may occasionally be long at some of the more popular clubs, but as long as you seem sober and aren't with a huge group of men (unless you're going to a gay club) you should have little problem eventually entering.

E GLBT nightlife is very visible and prominent. Around Rembrandtplein, especially on Reguliersdwarsstraat, you'll find both gay clubs and bars that cater primarily to men, though some women often turn up, too. The northern part of Zeedijk also has a couple of gay bars, and on the end of Warmoesstraat, near Dam, you'll find smaller, darker clubs that are strictly men-only and feature a fair bit of rubber and leather. Fewer spots cater to lesbian audiences, though such establishments do exist. And it's worth bearing in mind that in this city famous for tolerance, virtually every bar and club is GLBT-friendly.

There are a number of ways to keep informed about upcoming evening events in the city. NL20 is a free weekly publication that keeps extensive listings of what's on in Amsterdam. Though it's only in Dutch, it's pretty easy to decipher the names of clubs and DJs. You can find NL20 outside most stores, supermarkets, and tobacco shops. Time Out Amsterdam, an English-language publication, can be purchased at newsstands and bookstores and lists monthly calendars of nightlife, live music, and other events. The city is also plastered with posters advertising concerts, festivals, and club events. Read these. They are helpful.

By Neighborhood

Both Zeedijk and Nieuwmarkt are lined with bars, so you certainly won't be at a loss for options when you head out to grab a drink in the evening. The watering holes on Zeedijk tend to be more popular ...more