Amsterdam Gay Travel Guide

News, Parties & Events in Amsterdam

• |  18 July 2009
• Resurrection: gay House party, 23:00 – 05:00, 15 € @ Odeon (Singel 460)

• |  31 July  –  2 August 2009
• Amsterdam Gay Pride 2009: Canal Parade with more than 50 boats along Amstel and Prinsengracht on Saturday afternoon.

• |  31 July 2009
• Reflexxx Party – Gay Pride Edition: happy vocal power house with DJ Manny Lehman. 23:00 – 05:00, approx. 20 € @ Melkweg (Lijnbaansgracht 234)
• -›  Website

• |  31 July 2009
• Furball – Pride Edition: The Amsterdam Hairy Men Dance Party.
  22:00 – 05:00, 15 € @ Akhnaton (Nieuwezijds Kolk 25)
• -›  www.furball.nl

• |  1 August 2009
• White Party Amsterdam: 22:00 – 06:00 @ The Powerzone (Spaklerweg)
• -›  www.whiteparty.eu

• |  2 August 2009
• Rapido – Gay Pride Edition: very popular gay House party. Only 4 times a year.
  Sunday 15:00 – 02:00 @ Paradiso (Weteringschans 6-8)
• -›  www.clubrapido.com

• Video: Rapido March 2007

About Amsterdam and its gay life

Amsterdam had been a powerful city of maritime trade fame for many centuries. In the second half of the 20th century it was considered the gay capital of Europe due to the city's liberal atmosphere which was far ahead of most other European cities and countries and due to the beauty of the city.

But with the rapid liberalisation in many parts of Europe since about 1995, Amsterdam had lost this advantage. Furthermore, as the Amsterdam gay scene seems to rest (with very few exceptions) on its best days in the 1980s and 1990s, it looses attractiveness especially among young gay men. Since 2005 first discussions and efforts have started to make Amsterdam's gay scene more vibrant and fresher again.

There are several gay areas in Amsterdam, all of them not really far from each other. First of all you got the street with the unpronounceable name, Reguliersdwarsstraat, which is rather mainstream and 1990s style and very busy at weekend nights. The area around Kerkstraat is a bit quieter and has some gay hotels, bars and the two biggest saunas. Then there is Warmoesstraat with most of the gay leather and cruising bars in 1980s style. Finally the area around the Amstel street with its many gay bars, many of them in traditional Dutch style and atmosphere.

As you can see on the Clubs & Parties page there aren't many regular gay clubs and parties left in Amsterdam nowadays. The most popular and crowded parties are those which happen monthly or every few months. So, if you like dancefloors with hundreds of half-naked sweating guys, check the websites we have listed here for the next dates or look for flyers once you are in Amsterdam.

Besides of going out and partying there are a lot of other things to do in Amsterdam. Our Links page provides some resources for detailed travel information.