Amsterdam Red Light District Tour

Understanding Amsterdam’s Red Light District

No visit to Amsterdam would be complete without touring the city’s most famous / infamous neighborhood – the Red Light District.

Tours of the Red Light District are now banned so beware, when you see a tour being offered it won’t go into the district. They will probably talk about it just outside the district and then send you into the area alone afterwards.

There is still a way of having a meaningful learning experience however… The PIC (Prositution Information Centre) had been giving tours of the area forever. With the current restrictions they have changed their format. You go to their premises in the Red Light District, which is tucked between working red light windows. There, a sexworker or long term ally will give a detailed talk all about the area and the industry. Questions are very welcome and discussion is encouranged. I (Mark), being a long term ally, will be giving some of these talks.

After the talk, you walk on your own through the district looking out for things that you have just learned about during the talk. Then you return to the PIC after your walk for follow up questions. These ‘Talk and Walk’ sessions are at 5pm, last 90 minutes, and are held from Wednesday through to Saturday and cost 25 euros per person. Booking is via the PIC website, here is a link:

https://pic-amsterdam.com/ 

What I tradidionally covered during my previous tours and what I will cover during my Talk & Walks are the following topics, and, of course, whatever questios you have:

• The history of the Red Light District and of prostitution in general in Amsterdam
• Today’s legal framework, the good and bad points
• The impacts gentrification has on the area and the business
• How sexworkers rent their spaces and what’s included
• How much sexworkers tend to charge their clients and how to negotiate
• Security in the area and the role of the management companies and the police
• Men for women behind the windows
• Other formats of sexwork in the Netherlands
• Sex shops, live sex theatres, peep shows, strip clubs