Nightlife

DJ

The nightlife in Amsterdam is versatile, cosmopolitan and never sleeps. The city has a progressive club scene, internationally renowned orchestras and fantastic rock and pop venues. From evening theater to lounge bars; from coffee shops to clubs; from cozy pubs to grand cafes. Enjoy a pint of beer with two fingers of foam in a traditional ‘brown cafe’ or party until dawn to the sound of Tiësto, Armin van Buuren, Martin Garrix, Afrojack or Hardwell. Amsterdam offers something for everyone.

Rokin

Amsterdam's nightlife is just as varied as the residents of the city itself. The city offers everything, from night theater, art festivals and live music from known and emerging international groups, to packed clubs with the best DJs spinning everything from R&B and house, to hard rock and hip-hop.

Pub Crawls in Amsterdam

Join one of the Pub Crawls and meet other travellers on a mind-blowing, trouble-free evening offering a taste of the best that Amsterdam has to offer:

Nachtleven

Leidseplein

The center of Amsterdam's nightlife is the Leidseplein. Here are the most popular pubs, bars and clubs within a stone's throw from each other. In the summer you can nicely relax here at one of the bustling terraces. Around the Leidseplein you will find several theaters, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, the casino, the Lido theater with live entertainment. The local cultural, and musical centers offer varied music: rock, pop, dance, rap and live performances by major national and international artists.

Rembrandtplein

Spui

Rembrandtplein is another square that really comes to life when night falls. It has a rougher reputation than the Leidseplein, but for party animals it's really worth it. The square is adjacent to the Thorbeckeplein. You will find plenty of bars on these two squares, cinemas, restaurants and clubs. Because of the many bars, restaurants and cafes the square is one of the best known nightlife areas in Amsterdam. The area is popular among locals and tourists, young and old.

Jordaan

Those looking for a real Amsterdam experience should not miss a visit to a quintessential Amsterdam cafe, also known as a ‘brown cafe or bar’. The reason these charming cafes are called brown cafes is quite simple: it is because of the many years of smoke. However, sometimes the walls are just painted brown. The interior is a bit faded, and the decor includes wooden tables with carpet (on the tables!), historical showpieces and a friendly waitress, who is with us since the opening.

Some of the finest brown cafés can be found around the Zeedijk near Central Station, in the Jordaan, and along the Utrechtsestraat. The old part of Jordaan is mainly visited by young people. In these cafes and bars it is easy to meet local people and make new friends.

Red Light District

At the back of the Dam, the entire Red Light District is always overwhelmed by large groups of tourists who walk the streets and look at the women behind the windows. If you really want to know the history of the Red Light District, book a tour, this is really a must. Besides window prostitution, strip clubs and sex shops you will also find many small restaurants, cafes and coffee shops in this area.

Here are the most popular clubs:

Bitterzoet

Bitterzoet

A hot, spacious ‘theatre-club located right in the vicinity of ‘Centraal Station’,’ this club offers excellent music with a live DJ's as well as the occasional live musical performance of local talent and touring acts. Stylistically, Bitterzoet tends to cater to a more sophisticated crowd who enjoy the jazzy sounds and world music. ...

    Spuistraat 2, Amsterdam
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    Club Claire

    Club Claire

    A small, very relaxed and mellow club with a totally cool, laid back staff, great music and a killer sound system. Did we mention that this club is SMALL, awesome, but small, so it gets literally gets ‘HOT’ when things start to get hot! It’s the coolest hot club around! Open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 pm.

      Rembrandtplein 17, Amsterdam
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      Jimmy Woo

      Jimmy Woo

      Modern tech meets ancient Hong Kong in this amazingly well lit club where the color scheme is black and dark and the music is mixed to perfection. Black leather sofas and comfy seats are the furnishings of choice, along with the traditional opium table that you might want to cozy on up to. This place is famous for being very picky about who ...

        Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 18, Amsterdam
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        Trouw

        Trouw

        Housed in a former newspaper printing factory, this very down to the brass tacks, basic, no frills club offers some of the hottest ‘Progressive Electronic’ pumped through one of the finest sound systems you will ever have the privilege or pleasure to hear. The club includes a great restaurant that serves up a delicious blend of what it ...

          Wibautstraat 127, Amsterdam
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          Melkweg

          Melkweg

          Mostly a popular hang-out for those who like ‘World Music,’ this club has a ton of live performances, is extremely laid back and relaxed and very ‘youth friendly!� Times greatly vary as to when the club opens, so be sure to call ahead!

            Lijnbaansgracht 234a, Amsterdam
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            AIR

            AIR

            AIR is the club in Amsterdam with an international look and feel. AIR represents tolerance, diversity, creativity, quality and freedom. AIR astonishes its guests with diverse electronic music programming for various people and its attention to service.

              Amstelstraat 24, Amsterdam
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              Paradiso

              Paradiso

              This club is primarily popularly known for its live musical performances, but during the weekend it often becomes a club nights with local and international DJ's. Times greatly vary as to when the club opens, so be sure to call ahead!

                Weteringschans 6-9, Amsterdam
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                ABE club & lounge

                ABE club & lounge

                High Energy, Dynamic, Fun, Dance Music & Entertainment; these are the key elements that make up for the Club area in ABE. Behind the 8.5 meter long bar you will find the bartenders ready to serve you with a smile. Waitresses cater to the needs of our VIP guests seated behind gold bars…

                  Amstelstraat 30, Amsterdam
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                  Sugar Factory

                  Sugar Factory

                  This is more of a ‘night theatre,’ where you can enjoy a very relaxed atmosphere and moderate priced drinks while absorbing some powerful poetry readings, live music, DJ monitored dance music and various artistic performances, with the early show being a stage performance piece and the late show being a vast variety of music and ...

                    Lijnbaansgracht 238, Amsterdam
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                    Escape

                    Escape

                    This is one of Amsterdam’s largest and most popular clubs, but it quite rented out for events, so be sure to check to see what’s happening before you just show up at the door. This place can easily accommodate 2,000 + partiers, but there is still likely to be a line to get in and an ...

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                      Rembrandtplein 11, Amsterdam
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                      Nachtleven

                      Opening hours and admission

                      After the quiet early evening hours, the streets and squares of Amsterdam become very busy at night. There is plenty of time to enjoy the varied nightlife, because most night clubs stay open until deep into the night. Bars and cafes in the city center may open weekdays until 1:00am, weekends until 3am. Clubs usually open their doors around 22:00, and are often open until 3am. In Amsterdam you will also find a number of night pubs, these cafes are open weekdays until 4am and on weekends are open until 5:00am. Most cafes and bars are open every day, but especially on Thursdays (student night), Friday and Saturday it is jam packed in the popular nightlife areas.

                      Dress code

                      Amsterdam's nightlife is in terms of dress code usually pretty casual. Provided you look groomed and sober, you'll often can find your way inside. However, large groups of men are not really appreciated. Only a small number of clubs in Amsterdam handle a strict dress code.

                      Minimum age

                      Furthermore, with most clubs you need to be at least 18 years of age, some even set a minimum age of 21 years. For most pubs and bars there's is no minimum age requirement, but there's a smoking ban, though not always obeyed to.

                      Nachtleven attracties & musea in Amsterdam

                      Hieronder vindt u leuke interactive en informatieve activiteiten om overdag te doen waar u meer te weten komt over de wereldberoemde Nederlandse dance scene.

                      FAQ

                      Welke dag uitgaan in Amsterdam?

                      Donderdag, vrijdag en zaterdag zijn de beste dagen om uit te gaan in Amsterdam.

                      Waarom zijn diverse clubs 21+?

                      De reden dat deze clubs er zijn, is dat er vaak in 18+ clubs ook "tieners" rondlopen van 17 of 16 jaar (of zelfs jonger). 21+ clubs geven aan dat ze zich specialiseren in de jong-volwassenen.

                      Waar zat vroeger discotheek de iT?

                      De iT werd door Manfred Langer op 7 september 1989 geopend aan de Amstelstraat 24 in Amsterdam. De iT werd definitief gesloten in 2004. Sinds 2010 bevindt zich op deze locatie Club AIR en sinds 2021 ook het dancemuseum Our House.

                      Waar zat vroeger discotheek de RoXY?

                      De RoXY werd in augustus 1987 geopend door het driemanschap Arjen Schrama (bekend van het blad Vinyl), DJ Eddy de Clercq en kunstenaar Peter Giele aan de Singel 465-467 in Amsterdam. Op 21 juni 1999, de dag dat Peter Giele begraven werd, brandde de discotheek volledig uit. Daarna ging de discotheek nooit meer open.