Featured Destination

Amsterdam, Netherlands


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Overview:

Language(s): Dutch, Frisian, German, English
Time Zone: GMT + 1
International Country Code: 31
International Access Code: 011
Population: 743,027 (city); 1,209,419 (metropolitan)
Currency: Euro
Airport(s): Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Gay info: When In Amsterdam the following resources can be helpful to address your questions and inquiries ... Amsterdam Gay Map http://guide.gayamsterdam.com/maps/. The famous Amsterdam gay map is available for free at all gay venues, hotels, restaurants, bars, etc around town. S4G highly recommends using! Gay Amsterdam at www.gayamsterdam.com is Amsterdam's gay what, where, who and how while in town. Stop by Pink Point which is a kiosk/stand in front of the Wessterkerk with information on the gay scene. Located next to the Homomonument. The complimentary gay magazine in town is G: Gay News.nl and S4G recommends picking up this handy mag as it will cover everything you need about what to do in gay Amsterdam. Gay & Night is another gay mag which is a bilingual monthly publication for The Netherlands and Belgium. Both mags you can easily find at gay venues all across town! New resource for 2010 is the website A Big Gay Welcome at www.abiggaywelcome.com

Description:

For centuries Holland's extremely open climate has had a magnetic appeal to gay men and women all over the world. The first gay wedding in the world was held here, after which many other cities and countries followed suit. It is not at all unusual to find gay couples walking hand in hand. Gay life is well represented in this former harbor city with its picturesque canals and bridges which adds to its unique architecture. With a variety of bars and venues, a unique spirit, freedom and marriage equality Amsterdam holds an impressive gay reputation.

Hot stops:

Amsterdam is not a big city; most venues are at walking distance. There are 3 major parts where gay life can be seen and experienced - Warmoesstraat Area, which consists of leatherbars, bars & nightclubs, cafes and the infamous red-light district; The Regulierdwarsstraat area which together with the Amstel area is the trendy area in town and the Kerkstraat Area which is the oldest gay area in town and where you will find The Homomonument. The Homomonument is both a memorial as a celebration of gay life, and consists of a triangle made of three areas of marble, from which the most visible one is the one on top of the water. On May 4th, the national Memorial Day, victims of Aids and people convicted for being gay are remembered. The Anne Frank House, Prinsengracht 267, is a celebrated stop for gay and straight visitors alike. In the center of Amsterdam from the "Secret Annex" in the back of a canal house Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during the years she and her family were in hiding during World War II. You can visit the rooms of the actual hiding place, which provide an impression of the life of Anne Frank, her family, her diary and the hiding period. The Van Gogh Museum, on Museumplein between the Rijksmuseum and the Stedelijk Museum, is another recommended stop. At the Museum Vincent's tormented drawings and writings complement 200 striking canvases - providing marvelous insight into his life and work. And of course the famous red light district in the Warmoesstraat Area. Walk the narrow streets and look at the shop windows where you will witness Amsterdam's legalized prostitution. A must stop for leather shopping is Mr B Leather & Rubber, Warmoesstraat 89, if you're searching for it...they will have it! Just a few doors down is RoB Flagship Store, Warmoesstraat 71, where again you will find hand-made leather and rubber clothing. Both locations have an extremely good reputation and are more than worth visits. Bronx, Kerkstraat 53-55, is also well worth a visit. The Bronx has an enormous DVD collection and is one of the biggest gay shops and largest adult video stores around. Pink Point, at the Westermarkt, is a gay info & souvenir shop where you will find a friendly staff who will help you navigate Holland. They also have the the best collection of gay souvenirs in Amsterdam. Amsterdam's gay bookshops are well stocked and have some great collections, but are also a great place to find all gay info about Amsterdam. Intermale, Spuistraat 251, is one of Europe's largest gay bookstore. Located in the heart of Amsterdam you'll find Vrolijk, Paleisstraat 135, another well stocked G&L bookstore. Interesting reads, coffee table books, DVDs, magazines and erotic and male nude books can be found at both.

Hot nightlife:

Most of Amsterdam's gay venues are at walking distance, so there is no need to travel long distances on a night out. In Amsterdam, bars generally close at 1 am (Fri/Sat 3 am). Amsterdam has a great variety of gay bars and a lot of bars are frequently organizing specially themed parties and most even have darkrooms. Here we will comment on the ones recommended by S4G. New Club Church, Kerkstraat 52, Amsterdam's newest gay cruise club open from Wednesdays until Sundays. They have different themes each night such as PERVERTS and SWING YOUR THING to name just a few. Dirty Dicks, Warmoesstraat 86, is the former Eagle Bar (which moved a few doors to the left); it's horny atmosphere is always present. A few doors down you'll find Cockring, Warmoesstraat 96, if you haven't already by its can't-miss sign. You'll find tourists constantly having their photos taken here as their signage is not to be missed! Inside you'll find a very popular bar and disco and every Thursday and Sunday live shows on the stage. The Eagle, Warmoesstraat 90, is new and replaced the old Eagle just a few doors down the street (to not confuse anyone.) The Eagle is famous for it's attraction of a great crowd, young to older, all types you won't see anywhere else, which guarantees for an unforgettable hot night out! The Cuckoo's Nest, Nieuwezijds Kolk 6, is a gay cruise bar right in the center of Amsterdam that opened in 1984 as a leather bar. It is quite popular today and is fetish oriented that can pack in a hot crowd. One street away from here you'll find The Web, St. Jacobsstraat 6, a busy gay cruise bar attracting a cross-section of guys from casual to leather. Prik Bar, Spuistraat 109, is a cozy bar off the beaten path. It is a funky bar known for their cocktails, snacks, DJ's and chill atmosphere. A great place to relax with friends. Exit, Reguliersdwarsstraat 42, is a real dutch bar and trendy dance club on 4 floors. They are known for many exceptional parties! S4G recommends checking their website for an up to date agenda.

Hot eats:

Amsterdam has a wide of restaurants sure to satisfy everyone. If you like burgers and cocktails make sure to hit Getto, Warmoesstraat 51, an affordable restaurant with dj and their Getto Moonlight Hour and Cocktail Happy Hours are recommended. Sunday brunch is served here until 3:30 pm. Stop by Arc, Reguliersdwarsstraat 44, a trendy restaurant, during the day open for lunch and dinner, in the evening trendy gay bar. In the mood for italian? Saturnino, Reguliersdwarsstraat 5H, serves meals italian-style in the middle of the gay area. It's quite popular so you may want to make a reservation to avoid long waiting. BIHP, Keizersgracht 335, is very gay-friendly and an affordable and trendy restaurant/bar. Every 2 months different art exhibitions are displayed. Hemelse Modder, Oude Waal 11, is sure to please with its Western-European kitchen and friendly staff. Downtown, Reguliersdwarsstraat 31, is a totally gay lunchroom on a nice corner of the Reguliersdwarsstraat and is very cozy, artsy and heartfilled place well worth a visit. A cafe with a celebrated history and a S4G recommendation is Café April, Reguliersdwarsstraat 37. They opened their doors in 1981 for the first time, and have been open every day since. The novelty at the time was that April not only opened its doors but also its windows, because it wasn’t all that easy for gays to be out. Café April changed all that and will always have an open door!

Hot stays: