Amsterdam at Night - Best Amsterdam Nightlife Tips

Amsterdam at night is a lot safer than many foreigners believe it to be.

While Amsterdam nightlife has a reputation for being seedy, with sex clubs and bachelor's parties being foremost in the mind, this aspect of Amsterdam is actually almost entirely confined to the small Red Light District.

With a mixture ranging from bright neon lights, hip night clubs and bustling street crowds to the calm, classily lit bridges and walkways of the Jordaan, Amsterdam at night is actually a great place to be.

The Jordaan

Amsterdam at night

Amsterdam canals at night

The picturesque, artistic area called the Jordaan is one of the more charming places to visit in Amsterdam at night. During the day the canals and narrow streets are busy with the activity of markets and the people coming and going from the area's many cafés and art galleries.

At night the Jordaan takes on a magical quality as the strings of lights along the bridges are lit and the area becomes ideal for a nighttime stroll.

If walking isn't your thing, there are many canal cruises that tour the area in the evenings. From Prins Hendrikkade opp. 25-27 you can choose from a few different evening canal cruises, including one that serves wine and cheese by candle light, to see the Jordaan and other areas of Amsterdam at night.

Here's more about Amsterdam cafes in and outside the Jordaan, and you'll find more brown cafes (pubs) and 'tasting houses' in our Amsterdam pub guide.

Going Clubbing

For people looking for an active way to spend their time in Amsterdam at night, there are plenty of lively clubs to choose from. In these you will find a mix of locals, tourists and expats from all corners of the globe. Find more Amsterdam clubs here.

Rembrandtplein at night

Rembrandtplein at night

It might be named after a Renaissance painter, but the clubs on Rembrandtplein are more suited to a different type of anatomical study. Expect to pay an entrance fee to any of these clubs and possibly a little bit extra for your drinks.

Club Rain at Rembrandtplein 44 tries to be an upmarket club, with a well designed interior and playing a mixture of world music ranging from contemporary jazz to hip hop and house. Cocktails and dancing are the order of the night; this is the kind of place where people come to see and be seen.

If you're in Amsterdam at night and want to go clubbing, but not necessarily have to dress to kill, there are places such as Studio 80, at Rembrandtplein 17, the extremely easy to find and always lively Club Smokey at Rembrandtplein 18/20, or former church Paradiso, at Weteringschans 6.

Club 8, Amsterdam

Club 8

A little further from the city centre, you can head west to find Club 8 at Admiraal de Ruyterweg 56B, host to indie, burlesque and techno nights, or go east for the eclectic and slightly more mature Club Panama at Oostelijke Handelskade 4.

If you're looking to go dancing in the Jordaan, Bitterzoet is just around the corner at Spuistraat 2. This club has some very good nights, such as Struttin' where the third Friday of every month becomes a haven for dancers, playing classic funk and soul music.

Late Bars

Open until 4am on the weekends, Hemple Temple, the bar of the Hemp Hotel at Frederiksplein 15, is a good place to party 'til late. Not only that but, with its hemp beers, lollipops and ice creams, this is one the more unique spots found in Amsterdam at night.

Dan Murphy's Irish bar on Leidseplein stays open until 3am on the weekends and has been known to open even later on special occasions. Some other late bars worth mentioning are the Chocolate Bar at Eerste van der Helststraat 62, De Still at Spuistraat 326 and 't Tuinfeest at Gelderskade 109, all open until 3am on the weekends.

Paradiso, Amsterdam

Paradiso

If you're attending a concert or music club in Amsterdam at night, you'll probably find yourself in a venue such as Paradiso or Melkweg, at Lijnbaansgracht 234-A. Here you can often expect to stay in the venue until quite late. Opening until 4am is not unusual; it's not even unheard of, depending on the night and the act, to be able party up to 5am and wander back to bed as the first rays of daylight are making themselves known.

In general, closing times in Amsterdam can often be earlier than visitors from other European countries are used to. While it may be the norm in Spain or Poland to drink and dance the night away from midnight to the early hours of the morning, many bars and cafes in Amsterdam close around 1am on weekdays and around 3am on the weekends. Clubs usually close later: 4am on Thursdays and Sundays, and 5am on Fridays and Saturdays.

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