Standing near the Homomonument checking out the LGBTQ+ souvenirs at a Pink Point gift and info booth, I watched a rainbow-clad tram breeze past with the words: “Everyone is welcome here. Together.” Ah, beautiful Amsterdam.
Steps away from Amsterdam’s Central Station, I came across De Oude Kerk (the Old Church) the city’s oldest building. For such a massive structure with a soaring belltower, it took a moment to catch my eye because since the 13th century the Oude Kerk has occupied a block in the middle of De Wallen, the Red Light District.
Here, travelers are more likely to notice other eye-catching sights, like The Breast Plate, an unknown artist’s small bronze sculpture of a hand grasping a woman’s breast, installed in the cobblestones outside the basilica entrance; or nearby, they may be distracted by Belle, the world’s only sex-worker commemorative statue, standing proud on her polished pedestal; or perhaps their attention is drawn to the red-glowing brothel windows and busy bars that ring around the church, as they have for centuries.
Distractions fell away as I headed inside Oude Kerk (Oudekerksplein 23. oudekerk.nl/en), a self-declared place to “discover contemporary art in Amsterdam’s oldest building.” The basilica’s high-vaulted hall is programmed with large-scale exhibits and events that inspire new life in this divine space that’s outfitted with Renaissance-era stained-glass windows, a carved wooden sanctuary, and famous Baroque organ— all unchanged since the days when Rembrandt worshipped here.
De Oude Kerk and Amsterdam Canal at Night (Photo by Mistervlad)
Along with such spectacular details, the entire floor is covered with gravestones of early Amsterdammers, notably including that of Jacob Beeldsnyder, a black man freed from slavery and buried here in 1817.
As part of the modern exhibit, I took in installations by artist Navid Nuur, all celebrating the space and the city with studies of light, textures, and time, from stylized wrought-iron bike locks to clay vases made with materials collected across the city.
The Oude Kerk experience is a snapshot of Amsterdam. Layered with history and heritage, the old basilica is a glorious hall founded on holy spirit, preserved as a modern cultural gallery, physically surrounded by human desires. My visit there renewed my sense of Amsterdam as a thoroughly modern metropolis, where old spaces are a welcome chance to creatively reinvent. My last trip here was two decades ago. Like the city, I have evolved. And my appreciation has grown for Amsterdam as both a world heritage capital (marking its 750th anniversary in 2025) and a playful, artistic center that keeps redefining itself to get jump-started on the future.
QUEER IS EVERYWHERE
I stood near Homomonument (homomonument.nl/en) in Jordaan, checking out the LGBTQ+ souvenirs at the Pink Point gift and info booth (Westermarkt 9. Tel. 31-20-428-1070. pinkpoint.nl), and watched a rainbow-clad tram breeze past with the words: “Everyone is welcome here. Together.” Ah, beautiful Amsterdam.
Henk de Vries was waiting for me there, ready to guide me on his Special Amsterdam Tours (specialamsterdamtours.nl) signature LGBTQ+ history tour. Henk is a local’s local, a Dutch native who’s lived through the changing queer landscape of Amsterdam and the world. He’s also a historian able to share stories of the Netherlands’s homosexual heroes from its earliest years, through the WWII resistance, through the AIDS crisis, and into the loud proud 21st century.
Henk opened our in-depth gay history walk at Homomonument, unveiled in 1987 as the world’s first memorial to those persecuted because of sexual orientation. Its three pink-granite triangles (for past, present, and future) cover about half of West ermarkt plaza, outside the 17th-century Westerkerk church (where Rembrandt is buried), and near both the Anne Frank House (Westermarkt 20. Tel. 31- 20-556-7105. annefrank.org/en) and her monument.
It’s a prominent location that reflects Amsterdam’s commitment to progress, but as Henk noted, “We have same-sex marriage, we have more civil rights, but queer emancipation is still not complete.” Keeping it real is a Dutch trade mark, too.
We strolled through the Grachtengordel (Canal District) West and into Dam Square, the civic center that’s flanked by the Royal Palace and the National Monument. Henk shares dramatic, sometimes heartbreaking stories of LGBTQ+ freedom fighters, artists, and activists along the way.
On the other side of Dam, Henk brings me to “the old downtown” and Warmoesstraat, the strip famous for its gay fetish and leather spots. It’s a cleaner scene these days, but you can still browse the specialty shops, and duck into Condomerie (Warmoesstraat 141. Tel. 31-20-627-4174. condomerie.com/en), whose radical debut in 1987 was integral to the era’s safe-sex movement.
Amsterdam Pride 2024 (Photos by van Blerk)
Here in De Wallen, we pass red-lit windows and the women posing within. Signs are everywhere to discourage photography, and Henk directs me to the Prostitution Information Amsterdam Pride 2024 Center (Enge Kerksteeg 3. Tel. 31-20-420-7328. pic-amsterdam.com) as the friendly place to get a coffee, chat with locals, and learn about the changing sex-work industry.
Heading into today’s vibrant Chinatown (once the grittiest area in town) we pass the Buddhist temple, salons, apothecaries, and the Asian corner market Toko Dun Yong (Stormsteeg 9. Tel. 31-20-261-7688. dunyong.com), with its out standing Taka Ramen (takaramen.nl) restaurant on its fourth floor, but it’s the historic Café ‘t Mandje (Zeedijk 63. Tel. 31-20-358-6614. cafetmandje.amsterdam) we came to see. The city’s oldest gay bar, which translates to “the basket,” was opened by out lesbian Bet van Beeren in 1927. Café ’t Mandje has a commemorative plaque outside stating, “People came from all over the world to visit this little bar.” Nearby you can always enjoy a drink at Café the Queen’s Head (Zeedijk 20. Tel. 31-20-420-2475. queenshead.nl), a long-running lounge overlooking the canal, with karaoke, drag shows, and more.
In a queer-strong city like Amsterdam, strips like Zeedijk, Warmoestraat, Spuistraat, and Kerkstraat are go-to hotspots, but since the 1960s, Reguliersdwarsstraat has been considered the “gay street.” Lined with a bevy of bars for all the LGBTQ+ rainbow, here you’ll find lesbian centric Café B’Femme (Reguliersdwarsstraat 48. barblend.nl/B-Femme); dance club NYX (Reguliersdwarsstraat 42. clubnyx.nl); restaurants Garlic Queen (Reguliersdwarsstraat 27. garlicqueen.nl) and Taboo Kantine (Reguliersd warsstraat 45); as well as mixed gay bars like BLEND XL (Reguliersdwarsstraat 44. barblend.nl/Blend-XL) and Soho (Reguliersd warsstraat 36. soho-amsterdam.com).
You’ll also find a few gay-friendly coffeeshops here too, like The Otherside (Reguliersdwarsstraat 6. theotherside.nl) and Easy Times (Reguliersd warsstraat 29. easytimes.amsterdam). Afterwards you drift back to Jordaan to imbibe at woman owned Coffeeshop La Tertulia (Prinsengracht 312. Tel. 31-64-443-7840. coffeeshoptertulia.com). Side note: “Coffeeshop” as one word means it’s a cannabis café; a two-word “coffee shop” means it’s a literal coffee or tea house.
AMSTERDAM FOREVER
Amsterdam is taking steps to balance its welcoming spirit with over tourism issues, like limiting cruise-ship stops, short-term home rentals, and increasing tourist taxes. With more than nine million visitors flowing through this dynamic world capital every year, making everyone feel at home is a challenge that needs to be addressed.
Henk de Vries (Photo by Kelsy Chauvin)
Smart travelers know to buy an I Amsterdam City Card (iamsterdam.com) to use as an app or physical card (sold at the fun I Amsterdam Store inside Central Station). I bought my City Card for four days, but it’s available for fewer days too (24 hours costs 65 euros). Brilliantly, it is both a full tram/metro/ferry transit pass, and a discount ticket into 70+ attractions, including the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, modern-art Stedelijk Museum, Foam Photography Muse um, and enlightening Museum of the Canals. The card also comes with a free canal cruise, bike rental, and access to Cultuur Ferry (cultuurferry.nl/en), a hop-on/hop-off loop cruise docking at more than 30 cultural hotspots.
Cruising Amsterdam’s canals is a must, and while the City Card offers two large-vessel tour options, more luxurious journeys come with cocktails at sunset with Flagship (flagshipamsterdam.com), snacks and sights tours with Amsterdam Boat Experience (amsterdamboatexperience.com), and small boutique cruises with Pure Boats (pureboats.com).
Amsterdam is also gloriously walkable, with lovely scenery everywhere thanks to its iconic Gothic and Dutch-Renaissance architecture. It’s so nice to stroll through Vondelpark and visit the institutions around Museumsplein, then head west toward Jordaan and Leidseplein, where I lodged at the modern-classic Clayton Hotel Amsterdam American (Leidsekade 97. Tel. 31-20-556-3000. claytonhotels.com/amsterdam), with elegant, large rooms and the decadent Café Americain restaurant and lounge.
It’s just as easy to stroll northward into De Wallen, and even across the harbor to the revitalized Amsterdam Noord to visit the Eye Film Museum (IJpromenade 1. eyefilm.nl) or the Street Art Museum (Slauerhoffstraat 9. straatmuseum.com). While I was in Noord, I made time to visit modern BUNK hotel-hostel (wearebunk.com/amsterdam) that was built inside a converted church. Here I truly enjoyed its restaurant’s creative, veggie-forward dinner menu.
Meanwhile over in Oud-West, LGBTQ+ travelers will be glad to discover great neighborhood bars, like colorful Pamela (Jacob van Lennepstraat 86H. Tel. 31-20-778-0207. pamela.amsterdam), artistic Bar Bario (Bilderdijkstraat 186. barbario.nl), and charming Bar Saarein (Elandsstraat 119-HS. Tel. 31-20-623-4901. cafesaarein.nl), each with mixed crowds and quality cocktails.
Fabulous restaurants seem to be everywhere you turn, like Eetcafé Maud (Bilderdijkstraat 205. Tel. 31-20-786-6241. maudamsterdam.nl), with indoor or outdoor tables, excellent wine, and Italian-inspired food menus. Traditional Dutch “brown cafés” (cozy taverns) are a great place to feel local and eat simply. I especially liked the good burgers at Café Thuys (De Cler cqstraat 129. Tel. 31-20-612-0898. cafethuys.nl), and the chill vibes and traditional Dutch apple pie at Winkel 43 (Noordermarkt 43. Tel. 31-20-623-0223. winkel43.nl).
Amsterdam is such a global city, I had to try a few more cuisine styles, and loved the authentic Indonesian dishes at Blue Pepper (Nas saukade 366. Tel. 31-20-489-7039. restaurantbluepepper.com), as well as the modern Mexican at Madre (Westerstraat 186. Tel. 31-20-786- 5860. madre.amsterdam).
Oud-West is home to De Hallen (dehallen-amsterdam.nl), a retired tram depot that’s now one of the city’s newest and best cultural centers. Get a snack or a beer at one of the food-hall stands, then browse the boutiques, antiques, and art galleries. The sleek Hotel De Hallen (hoteldehallen.com) is a great lodging option in the neighborhood, with Henk de Vries urban-vintage décor and inviting cocktail bar.
Milkshake Festival in Amsterdam
With WorldPride 2026 headed to Amsterdam, it’s a perfect time to plan a trip to one of Europe’s most out-and-proud capitals. But then again, there are many annual LGBTQ+ events travelers can count on, like June’s Bear Pride (amsterdambearpride.com), July’s Milkshake (milkshakefestival.com) music festival, and, of course, the epic Pride Amsterdam (pride.amsterdam) heals each July-August. For a full line up of other exciting events, check out the impressively current city Cultural Agenda (iamsterdam.com/en/whats-on/calendar). The year 2025 is a special time here as Amsterdam celebrates its 750th anniversary. The city has planned a year of exhibitions, concerts, and other grand events to showcase its astounding history, rich culture, and diverse communities. Amsterdam 750 (amsterdam750.nl) may be marking one milestone anniversary, but the occasion also serves as a launchpad for progress in the capital’s days, years, and centuries ahead.
“Amsterdam is like a multi-faceted diamond, it will surprise you each time,” Henk told me. “This city is international and its a village at the same time. There’s an array of things to do for the gay tourist, not just mainstream visitors. From queer poetry nights to techno beat dance parties—you just have to find out what’s going on. Dancing the night away and then walking along the canals back to your hotel or hostel is something you can only do that in Amsterdam. You will fall in love with the city and you will want to come back.”
Happy birthday, Amsterdam, and here’s to the next 750 years.
