Amsterdam has been one of the most open and safest cities in the world for LGBTI+ visitors for decades, and you can feel that reputation in almost every street.
A tolerant city
Amsterdam's openness is not a recent marketing story, but has roots that go back centuries.
A refuge for centuries: as early as the seventeenth century the city was a safe place for people persecuted elsewhere for their faith or their way of life, a tradition that still resonates today.
Welcome everywhere: in Amsterdam you do not need to look for hotels or restaurants flying a rainbow flag. Almost everyone is open-minded, which makes the tolerance tangible right across the city.
A scene without equal: whether you want to dance all night, sip cocktails in a stylish bar or simply spend a relaxed evening in a pub, the choice is enormous and varied.
A city of 180 nationalities: that diversity gives Amsterdam a unique atmosphere of freedom and creativity, and explains why the city is seen worldwide as a symbol of connection.
WorldPride and Pride Amsterdam
In the summer of 2026 Amsterdam was in the global spotlight as host city of WorldPride.
A historic first: from 25 July to 8 August 2026 WorldPride took place in Amsterdam for the first time, alongside EuroPride and under the theme UNITY. It was also the thirtieth edition of Pride Amsterdam.
A double anniversary: 2026 also marked 25 years of marriage equality, as the Netherlands was in 2001 the first country in the world to open marriage to same-sex couples.
The Canal Parade: the world-famous boat parade through the canals remains the absolute highlight in ordinary years too, with dozens of decorated boats and hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the quays.
Every year again:Pride Amsterdam returns annually in late July and early August with the Pride Walk, street parties and an extensive cultural programme. Check our events calendar for the current dates, and book your accommodation well in advance.
The Homomonument
On the Westermarkt lies one of the most meaningful places in queer Amsterdam, and a place of pilgrimage for visitors from around the world.
The first in the world: the Homomonument was unveiled in September 1987 to a design by artist Karin Daan and was the first monument of its kind anywhere. To this day it is also the largest.
Three triangles: the monument consists of a granite triangle set into the pavement of the Westermarkt bearing the line of poetry ‘Naar vriendschap zulk een mateloos verlangen’ (such a boundless longing for friendship), a raised triangle that serves as a stage, and a third that slopes down into the water of the Prinsengracht, where flowers are laid regularly.
Symbolic directions: the three points face the National Monument on Dam Square, the nearby Anne Frank House, and the offices of the COC, the Dutch association for LGBTI+ emancipation.
Remembering and celebrating: the monument commemorates the gay men and women persecuted and murdered during the Second World War, as well as everyone still facing oppression today. On 4 May wreaths are laid here; on 5 May and during Pride the same spot turns into an exuberant celebration.
Freely accessible: the monument stands in public space beside the Westerkerk and can be visited free of charge, day or night.
Pink Point: the information kiosk
Right beside the Homomonument stands the place to go with all your questions about queer Amsterdam.
Official information point:Pink Point is Amsterdam's official LGBTI+ information kiosk, housed in a striking nine-cornered pavilion on the Westermarkt and the trusted address for visitors from home and abroad for more than 25 years.
Insider tips first-hand: the staff help you with maps, club listings and tips you will not find in any guidebook. There are also leaflets and flyers from local organisations, ranging from serious advocacy to exuberant parties.
Souvenirs with meaning:Pink Point sells one of the finest selections of queer souvenirs in the Netherlands, from pride flags and pins to postcards.
Practical: the kiosk opens seven days a week, generally from 10.00 to 18.00 and on Sundays from 12.00. Opening hours may vary by season.
The pink districts
There is plenty to do all over Amsterdam, but most queer cafés, bars and shops are concentrated in a handful of streets in the centre.
Amstel and around: the scene around the Amstel, including Rembrandtplein and the Halvemaansteeg, has a more traditional character, with brown cafés full of Dutch sing-alongs and song festival classics. During King's Day and Pride, spontaneous street parties break out here with a large stage along the water.
Kerkstraat: this picturesque street is the longest in Amsterdam and runs from the Leidsegracht all the way to the Magere Brug. A relatively recent addition to the scene, with most bars, clubs and hotels clustered around the Leidsestraat.
Reguliersdwarsstraat: the pink nightlife street of the city, with trendy bars and clubs that firmly established Amsterdam's reputation as an international Gay Capital. After a difficult spell the street is thoroughly back on form.
Zeedijk: an international neighbourhood in the heart of Chinatown, and historic ground: this is where Café 't Mandje, the first openly gay bar in the Netherlands, opened in 1927. The café is still a much-loved meeting point and the interior alone is worth the visit.
Warmoesstraat: around the corner from the Zeedijk lies the heart of Amsterdam's fetish and leather scene, with specialist clothing shops, saunas, bars and clubs drawing visitors from all over the world.
The road to today's openness ran through a series of firsts, many of them the first anywhere in the world.
1811: homosexuality is removed from the Dutch criminal code, a good century and a half earlier than in many other countries.
1927:Café 't Mandje on the Zeedijk opens as the first openly gay and lesbian bar in the Netherlands.
1946: the COC is founded in Amsterdam, one of the oldest LGBTI+ rights organisations in the world still in existence.
1987: the city erects the first Homomonument in the world, in tribute to the victims of the Second World War and all those persecuted since.
1996: the first edition of Pride Amsterdam takes place, with the Canal Parade that would grow into a world-famous phenomenon.
1998: Amsterdam becomes the first city outside the United States to host the Gay Games.
2001: the Netherlands becomes the first country in the world to legalise marriage for same-sex couples. On 1 April the first four couples marry, in a ceremony conducted by the then mayor Job Cohen.
2026: Amsterdam hosts WorldPride for the first time, exactly 25 years after those historic first marriages.
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