History, rules and respect
The best Red Light District tours in Amsterdam
Guided history walks, a walk with a former dominatrix, a canal cruise with the Red Light Secrets museum, and the rules every visitor must know. Here is how the area works, with honest advice on safety, the rules that carry fines, and whether a tour is worth it.
See our 5 picks
The Red Light District of Amsterdam is the part of the old city center where window sex work is legal with a city permit. You can walk it on your own. City rules say tour groups may have up to 15 people, may only run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and must not walk past the windows. Never photograph or film the sex workers. Don’t drink alcohol or smoke cannabis in the street: fines start at €100. The Oude Kerk, in the middle of the area, is an 8-minute walk from Centraal Station.
- 5
- tours compared
- from €19
- lowest price per person
- ★ 4.6
- best rating with 50+ reviews (4,629)
- 5 of 5
- free cancellation
Book an Amsterdam Red Light District tour
Our top pick first, then the rest by number of reviews, then a new listing. Four of the five have only a few reviews or none yet. Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide.
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from €25 per person Our top pick 2 hours 4.6 (4,629) reviews on GetYourGuide
Red Light District and coffeeshop culture walk
A 2-hour walk about the city’s attitude to sex, drugs and sex work, through some of the narrowest streets in Amsterdam. Groups are up to 15, or up to 10 on the small-group option. The listing includes a coffeeshop visit for those 18 and over. City rules ban alcohol and drug use during guided tours.
Best for First-timers who want the history explained
Check availability: Red Light District and coffeeshop culture walk on GetYourGuide -
from €30 per person 1 h 30 min 4.7 (8) reviews on GetYourGuide
Red Light area walk with a former dominatrix
A 1.5-hour walk through medieval alleys, told by a guide who worked in the trade. It covers the area’s history from medieval times to today. No entry to shows or clubs, and tips are never expected.
Best for Visitors who want the story told first-hand
Check availability: Red Light area walk with a former dominatrix on GetYourGuide -
from €55 per person 2 hours 5.0 (3) reviews on GetYourGuide
Red Lights, Religion and Trade walk
A 2-hour walk with never more than 12 guests, rain or shine. It visits the Oude Kerk, the old sailors’ street Zeedijk and Chinatown. The listing itself says the city limits these tours to the edge of the area, and that photos of workers are not allowed.
Best for History lovers who want churches and trade, too
Check availability: Red Lights, Religion and Trade walk on GetYourGuide -
from €19 per person 2 hours 5.0 (2) reviews on GetYourGuide
Red Light District walking tour
A 2-hour walk about the rules, the history of sex work, and crime and policing in the area. You also look at old buildings, façade stones and hidden symbols. The listing says photos of sex workers are strictly forbidden.
Best for Visitors on a budget who want the rules explained
Check availability: Red Light District walking tour on GetYourGuide -
from €28 per person 2 hours New, no reviews yet
Canal cruise plus the Red Light Secrets museum
A one-hour cruise on small canals with a live guide, then an open ticket to the Red Light Secrets museum. The museum is in an old brothel and has an audio guide in 5 languages. No under-16s in the museum.
Best for Visitors who would rather not walk the streets in a group
Check availability: Canal cruise plus the Red Light Secrets museum on GetYourGuide
Red Light District tours compared
| Tour | From | Duration | Format | Who it suits | Why we picked it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Light District and coffeeshop culture walk | €25 per person | 2 hours | Walk: history and coffeeshop culture | First-timers who want the history explained | By far the most reviews, 4.6 from 4,629, and a group size within the city’s limit. |
| Red Light area walk with a former dominatrix | €30 per person | 1 h 30 min | Walk: first-hand stories | Visitors who want the story told first-hand | The only walk led by a former sex worker. Rated 4.7, but from only 8 reviews. |
| Red Lights, Religion and Trade walk | €55 per person | 2 hours | Walk: churches, Zeedijk, Chinatown | History lovers who want churches and trade, too | The widest history walk, with a money-back promise. Rated 5.0, but from only 3 reviews. |
| Red Light District walking tour | €19 per person | 2 hours | Walk: rules, history, policing | Visitors on a budget who want the rules explained | The cheapest walk, from €19. Rated 5.0, but from only 2 reviews. |
| Canal cruise plus the Red Light Secrets museum | €28 per person | 2 hours | Canal cruise + museum | Visitors who would rather not walk the streets in a group | The only option on the water. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet. |
Red Light District and coffeeshop culture walk
€25 per person2 hours 4.6 (4,629)
Details
- Format
- Walk: history and coffeeshop culture
- Who it suits
- First-timers who want the history explained
- Why we picked it
- By far the most reviews, 4.6 from 4,629, and a group size within the city’s limit.
Red Light area walk with a former dominatrix
€30 per person1 h 30 min 4.7 (8)
Details
- Format
- Walk: first-hand stories
- Who it suits
- Visitors who want the story told first-hand
- Why we picked it
- The only walk led by a former sex worker. Rated 4.7, but from only 8 reviews.
Red Lights, Religion and Trade walk
€55 per person2 hours 5.0 (3)
Details
- Format
- Walk: churches, Zeedijk, Chinatown
- Who it suits
- History lovers who want churches and trade, too
- Why we picked it
- The widest history walk, with a money-back promise. Rated 5.0, but from only 3 reviews.
Red Light District walking tour
€19 per person2 hours 5.0 (2)
Details
- Format
- Walk: rules, history, policing
- Who it suits
- Visitors on a budget who want the rules explained
- Why we picked it
- The cheapest walk, from €19. Rated 5.0, but from only 2 reviews.
Canal cruise plus the Red Light Secrets museum
€28 per person2 hoursNew, no reviews yet
Details
- Format
- Canal cruise + museum
- Who it suits
- Visitors who would rather not walk the streets in a group
- Why we picked it
- The only option on the water. New on GetYourGuide, no reviews yet.
- The top pick takes up to 15 (up to 10 on its small-group option); the churches walk never more than 12. The others give no number.
- None of the five picks you up. Two walks meet at Beursplein; the cruise at Prins Hendrikkade 33b; the others by option.
- All 5 offer free cancellation.
- Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide. Prices are "from" prices in euros and can change; the booking page shows the live price.
Which Red Light District tour suits you
Match the tour to what you want from it.
- First visit, want the big picture: the coffeeshop culture walk, from €25.
- Want to hear it first-hand: the walk with a former dominatrix, from €30. No under-15s.
- Love history and churches: the Red Lights, Religion and Trade walk, from €55.
- On a budget: the walking tour about the rules and policing, from €19.
- Prefer a boat and a museum: the canal cruise with Red Light Secrets, from €28. No under-16s in the museum.
Where the Red Light District is and how to get there
It is in the old city center, close to Nieuwmarkt and Dam Square.
The Oude Kerk, the church in the middle of the area, says it is an 8-minute walk from Centraal Station.
The tour listings name the Oude Kerk, the Zeedijk and Chinatown in the area. Two of the walks meet at Beursplein.
What De Wallen is and how it works
Window sex work, sex clubs and escort agencies are legal here only with a city permit. One tour listing uses the area’s Dutch name, De Wallen.
The Dutch government says sex work is legal between consenting adults. The national minimum age is 18. Amsterdam’s own permit rule sets 21.
How the windows work
Each window is a licensed workplace, run under a city permit. The city says these workplaces close at 3 a.m.
The people in the windows are at work. Be respectful, and never film or photograph them.
Is the Red Light District safe?
The police are strict here, and the city fines bad behavior on the spot.
The city says fines for nuisance run from €100 to €650. Violence or extreme misbehavior can lead to arrest and a criminal record.
Hard drugs are illegal. In an emergency, call 112. You cannot be prosecuted for drug offenses after a visit to the emergency room.
For non-urgent police help, call +31 900-8844.
Rules and etiquette: photos, alcohol, respect
These are the rules that carry fines or get you thrown out. Learn them before you go.
- No photos or video of sex workers. The city asks this out of respect.
- No alcohol in most public places, especially in the center. Bars and terraces are fine.
- No cannabis in the street in the old center since 2023: a €100 fine.
- On-the-spot fines: €150 for noise, €150 for littering, €150 for public urination, €100 for public drunkenness.
- Bars close at 2 a.m. on weekends in the district, and let people in until 1 a.m.
- Tour groups: up to 15 people, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., never past the windows, no speakers, and no alcohol or drugs on the tour.
- Pub crawls are prohibited, says the city’s visitor page.
The city’s tour rules let small groups walk the old center with an exemption, but never past the windows. Its tourism site goes further: it says official tours of the Red Light District are not allowed. So a tour here tells the story from the streets around the windows.
What to do besides the windows
The area also has old churches, sailors’ streets and the coffeeshops many visitors look for.
One tour listing calls the Oude Kerk Amsterdam’s oldest church. The Zeedijk was the sailors’ quarter, and Chinatown sits next to it.
The Red Light Secrets museum is in an old brothel. It has an audio guide in 5 languages, and no under-16s go in.
Coffeeshops let in people 18 and over, with an ID check. Up to 5 grams is tolerated. Most bars and clubs do not allow smoking, and you can’t smoke cannabis in the street here.
The Red Light District for women and solo visitors
A small-group tour is an easy first visit for solo travelers. The rules apply the same to everyone.
The churches walk never takes more than 12 guests. The top pick has a small-group option for up to 10.
Guided tours must end by 10 p.m. In an emergency, call 112.
Best time to go: day or night
In our view, go by day for the history and the churches. Go in the early evening to see it lit up, before the bars fill.
Tours may only run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. On weekends, bars close at 2 a.m. The windows close at 3 a.m.
Tours or on your own, and what is next (nightlife and coffeeshops)
You can walk the area alone for free. A tour adds the history and keeps you clear of the rules.
The area is changing. The city has said it plans to tackle stag parties and pub crawls, and to close bars earlier.
A Red Light walking tour or on your own?
Take a tour if you want to know what you are looking at. Go alone if you just want to see the streets: keep to the rules above.
For bars, clubs and late-night food nearby, read our guide to Amsterdam at night.
Before you walk into one, read the coffeeshop guide Amsterdam first-timers need: the rules, the ID check and where you can’t smoke.
Tips for a Red Light District tour
Find your meeting point
Two walks meet at Beursplein. The cruise leaves from Prins Hendrikkade 33b; be there 15 minutes early. The others depend on the option you book.
Check the age limits
No under-15s on the dominatrix walk, no under-16s in the museum, and 18+ for the coffeeshop part of the top pick.
Bring ID
Coffeeshops check ID at the door. The churches walk also asks you to bring it.
Wear comfortable shoes
The walks take 1.5 to 2 hours, and the churches walk runs rain or shine.
Leave the camera down
No photos or video of sex workers, on a tour or on your own.
Cancel for free
All five cancel free up to 24 hours before.
The Red Light District: questions and answers
Where is the Red Light District in Amsterdam?
What is the Amsterdam Red Light District?
Is the Amsterdam Red Light District safe?
How does the Amsterdam Red Light District work?
What is there to do in the Red Light District?
More Red Light District tours, live
More options with live prices and availability, straight from GetYourGuide.
See every tour with today's prices and open dates on GetYourGuide.
Browse all on GetYourGuideSources (8)
- City of Amsterdam: rules and permits for tours
- City of Amsterdam: How to Amsterdam
- City of Amsterdam: tourism policy
- I amsterdam: sex and drugs in Amsterdam
- Government of the Netherlands: prostitution
- Government of the Netherlands: working as a prostitute
- Government of the Netherlands: coffee shops
- Oude Kerk: getting here