Things to do in De Wallen

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Neighborhood at a glance

Why visit: Amsterdam's oldest quarter, where the 800-year-old Oude Kerk stands among red-lit window cabins, two 14th-century canals (Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Oudezijds Achterburgwal), and the Zeedijk Chinatown strip.
Atmosphere: Crowded, neon-lit, medieval, residential.
Top things to do: See the Oude Kerk and the Belle statue, walk Oudezijds Achterburgwal after dark, visit Red Light Secrets, eat dim sum on Zeedijk.
Best for: First-time visitors, history fans, nightlife, curious travellers.
Time needed: 2 to 3 hours.
Best time to visit: Weekday evening after 8pm for the lit windows without weekend crowds; weekday mornings for quiet canals and clean photos of the Oude Kerk.
Nearby: Dam Square, Nieuwmarkt, De Waag, Amsterdam Centraal, Nieuwe Kerk, Damrak.

Top things to do in De Wallen

Why visit De Wallen

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The oldest streets in Amsterdam, all on foot

De Wallen is the medieval core the rest of the city grew out from. The Oude Kerk dates to 1306, Warmoesstraat is one of Amsterdam's oldest streets, and the two canals were dug in the 14th century. Everything described here sits inside a 10-minute walk, a 5-minute stroll from Dam Square and Centraal.

Legal window prostitution you can see nowhere else like this

Window prostitution has been visible here since the harbour days, and the Netherlands fully legalised sex work in 2000. Roughly 200 to 290 window cabins still operate around the two old canals. The Belle statue on Oudekerksplein, unveiled in 2007, was the world's first monument to sex workers and frames why the district matters beyond the spectacle.

A real Chinatown on Zeedijk

Zeedijk anchors Amsterdam's Chinatown, with the He Hua Buddhist temple, Cantonese kitchens like Hoi Tin, and Asian grocers such as Dun Yong. It is the best cheap-eats strip in the centre and a complete change of pace from the canals two streets over.

Hidden history behind ordinary doors

The district hides things tourists walk straight past: the secret attic church at Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder, the narrow Trompettersteeg alley, and the 15th-century Waag fortress gate at Nieuwmarkt. The contrast between the lurid surface and these buried layers is the reason to slow down.

The centre's best-connected base for walking

De Wallen sits between Amsterdam Centraal and Dam Square, so trams, metro and the station are all minutes away, and most major sights radiate out from here on foot. You can reach the Royal Palace, Damrak and Nieuwmarkt without ever needing transport.

Best ways to explore De Wallen

A guided walk here covers the Oude Kerk, Oudezijds Achterburgwal, the Belle statue and the history of legal sex work and coffeeshops. Note that since 2020 tours are not permitted to stop directly in front of the windows, so guides work permitted routes and small groups.

Book Red Light District 2-hour Guided Walking Tour

Book tickets and tours for experiences in De Wallen

Plan your visit

Tourists walking on a cobblestone street in Bruges, Belgium.

De Wallen sits in the medieval centre between Amsterdam Centraal and Dam Square, wrapped around the Oude Kerk and the two old canals. Most visitors arrive on foot from Centraal: exit the main hall, cross Damrak, and head down Warmoesstraat or Zeedijk to reach the windows in 5 to 10 minutes. From Dam Square it is a 3-minute walk behind the National Monument across Damstraat.

Primary route: Walk from Amsterdam Centraal. Leave by the main (city-side) exit, cross the water, and take Zeedijk for the Chinatown approach or Warmoesstraat for the direct line to the Oude Kerk.
Alternative route: Nieuwmarkt metro station (lines 51, 53, 54) drops you at the eastern edge by the Waag, a quieter entry that avoids the Centraal crowds.
Walking distances from the Oude Kerk: Dam Square 4 minutes, Nieuwmarkt 4 minutes, Amsterdam Centraal 8 minutes, Nieuwe Kerk 7 minutes, Rembrandtplein about 12 minutes.

Canal view of Amsterdam's red light district during a cruise, with people walking along the canal.

Come on a weekday for the windows without the weekend stag-party crush, and go after dark for the red lights or in the morning for the canals and church. Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest and rowdiest.

Early morning (8 to 10am): Quiet canals, easy photos of the Oude Kerk and empty alleys. The windows are mostly dark (cabins close roughly 6 to 8am) and coffeeshops are not yet open.
Midday (11am to 2pm): Calm and easy to navigate. Duck into Red Light Secrets, Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder, or a Zeedijk lunch when the streets feel sleepy.
Late afternoon (4 to 6pm): The first windows light up, bars fill, and the light on Oudezijds Voorburgwal is good for photos before crowds build.
Evening (after 6pm): The district is at full tilt, with lit windows, neon and busy bars. Thursday to Sunday, access to the core is restricted from 1am, bars close at 2am and brothels at 3am.

Amsterdam canal with historic buildings and a tree-lined walkway.

The essentials (1 to 1.5 hours): Oudezijds Achterburgwal, the Oude Kerk exterior, the Belle statue and a loop back along Oudezijds Voorburgwal.
The ideal day (3 to 4 hours): Add Red Light Secrets, the He Hua Temple, a Zeedijk lunch, and the hidden attic church at Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder, ending with the canals after dark.
With guided tours (2 hours): A guided or audio walk covering the history of sex work, the church, the cannabis laws and the main canals, on a route that respects the no-stopping-at-windows rule.

Person in wheelchair holding map, pointing while exploring city with companion.

Oude Kerk: Step-free entrance and an accessible main floor; the tower climb is not accessible.
Red Light Secrets Museum: Set in an old canal house with narrow stairs between floors; check ahead, as full step-free access is limited.
Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder: The historic attic church is reached by steep 17th-century staircases and is largely not wheelchair accessible; the modern entrance building is.
He Hua Temple, Zeedijk: Level street entrance to the main hall.
The canals (Oudezijds Voorburgwal and Achterburgwal): Flat cobbled quaysides, walkable with wheels, but the linking alleys like Trompettersteeg are very narrow and uneven.

Photographer holding a modern mirrorless camera close-up.

Pickpockets (Oudezijds Achterburgwal and alleys): Dense evening crowds make this prime pickpocket territory. Keep bags front-facing and zipped, and your phone out of a back pocket.
Photographing sex workers (the windows): Strictly banned and actively enforced. Workers and their guards react fast, so never raise a camera near a window.
Cannabis and alcohol fines (whole district): Smoking cannabis on the street has been banned since May 2023 (around €100 fine), and public drinking carries roughly a €95 fine. Use coffeeshop interiors and terraces only.
Drug dealers (Damstraat, alley corners): Ignore anyone offering "coke" or pills on the street; it is illegal, usually fake or dangerous, and a known scam.
Late-night rowdiness (weekends after midnight): Friday and Saturday nights get aggressive and crowded. If it feels off, move to the lit main canals.

Free things to do in De Wallen

Suggested itinerary for visiting De Wallen

De Wallen is compact and entirely walkable, built around two parallel canals with linking alleys, so you can loop the whole district without backtracking and never walk more than a few minutes between stops.

Oude Kerk in Amsterdam with canal and autumn trees.

Best for: Travellers passing through with a couple of hours between other plans.
Total time: 1 to 1.5 hours.

Oude Kerk and Belle statue (25 min): Start at Amsterdam's oldest building, then step onto the square for the sex-worker monument outside. Tip: go before 11am for empty photos. Upgrade: step inside for the rotating art installation.
Oudezijds Achterburgwal (25 min): Walk the main canal past the window cabins and Casa Rosso. Tip: keep your phone pocketed near the windows.
Oudezijds Voorburgwal (20 min): Loop back along the quieter canal of leaning merchant houses to finish near Dam Square.

Visitors exploring exhibits at Red Light Secrets Museum in Amsterdam.

Best for: First-time visitors who want history and food, not just the windows.
Total time: 3 to 4 hours.

Oude Kerk and Belle statue (40 min): The medieval church and the monument outside.
Red Light Secrets (1 hour): Stand behind a real red-lit window and read workers' own accounts. Upgrade: add a guided walk afterward.
Oudezijds Achterburgwal and Trompettersteeg (30 min): The busy canal and the squeeze-through alley between the two.
Zeedijk and He Hua Temple (30 min): Cross into Chinatown for the temple and roast-meat windows. Tip: arrive at Hoi Tin's bakery early before the pork buns sell out.
Lunch on Zeedijk (40 min): Dim sum or pho on the food strip.

Group enjoying lunch at a restaurant near Alpsee Lake, Germany.

Best for: Slow travellers who want the hidden layers and a meal, plus a step into the next neighbourhood.
Total time: 6 to 7 hours.

Oude Kerk and Belle statue (45 min): Open with the oldest church and the monument.
Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (1 hour): The secret Catholic church built in an attic, a 4-minute walk north.
Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal walk (30 min): Stroll the quiet canal of merchant houses.
Red Light Secrets (1 hour): The museum on the busy parallel canal.
Lunch on Zeedijk (1 hour): Cantonese or Vietnamese in Chinatown.
He Hua Temple and Zeedijk (45 min): The Buddhist temple and the leaning wooden house at number 1.
Nieuwmarkt and the Waag (45 min): End at the 15th-century fortress gate on the square just east, with terrace cafes for a drink. Upgrade: continue into the Nieuwmarkt and eastern canals.

Tips for visiting De Wallen

Buy your Red Light Secrets ticket online before you arrive; the entrance on Oudezijds Achterburgwal is small and the queue builds fast on weekend evenings.
For the history without a group blocking the alleys, take a self-guided audio tour rather than a fixed walking tour, since guides are no longer allowed to stop in front of the windows anyway.
Never photograph or film the windows. It is banned, enforced, and the fastest way to get into a confrontation in the district.
Do not smoke cannabis on the street here; the ban since May 2023 carries roughly a €100 fine. Stay inside a coffeeshop or on its terrace.
Eat on Zeedijk, not on Damstraat or the main tourist drag. Hoi Tin and the Chinatown kitchens are cheaper and better than the burger-and-waffle stalls aimed at crowds.
For the calmest photos of the Oude Kerk and the canals, come before 10am, when the windows are dark and the alleys are empty.
Walk Oudezijds Voorburgwal, not just Achterburgwal. Most visitors crowd the busy canal and miss the quieter parallel one a single alley away.
Avoid Friday and Saturday after midnight if you want to actually see the district; weekend nights turn into a slow-moving drunk crowd.

Best photo spots in De Wallen

Dining in De Wallen

Should you stay in De Wallen?

Short answer: Only if nightlife is the point of your trip. Central and atmospheric, but loud, crowded and not restful.

The vibe: After the day-trippers thin out, weeknights around the Oude Kerk can feel almost residential, but Friday and Saturday the canals stay loud past 2am with bar and stag-party noise carrying up to the windows.
The logistics: Accommodation is a mix of small budget hotels and hostels on Warmoesstraat and around Nieuwmarkt, plus a few higher-end options like the Sofitel Legend The Grand nearby; old, narrow canal buildings often mean stairs and no lift, and central prices.
Who it's for: Suits night-out travellers and those who want to roll out of bed into the action; not for light sleepers, families, or anyone wanting calm. You gain location and lose quiet.
Top recommendation: Book around Nieuwmarkt or the quieter Oudezijds Voorburgwal end rather than on Oudezijds Achterburgwal; a room off the main canal keeps you central without the window-strip noise.

Explore other neighbourhoods

Frequently asked questions about De Wallen

Not directly. Since 2020, tour groups are not allowed to stop in front of the prostitution windows, and group sizes and permits are restricted. Guided walks still run on permitted routes, and a self-guided audio tour is the most flexible way to learn the history at your own pace.

Things to do in De Wallen

Neighborhood at a glance

Top things to do in De Wallen

Quick navigation

Why visit De Wallen

The oldest streets in Amsterdam, all on foot

Legal window prostitution you can see nowhere else like this

A real Chinatown on Zeedijk

Hidden history behind ordinary doors

The centre's best-connected base for walking

Best ways to explore De Wallen

Walking tours

Self-led audio tours

Food tours

Attraction combos

Book tickets and tours for experiences in De Wallen

Plan your visit

Free things to do in De Wallen

Suggested itinerary for visiting De Wallen

Tips for visiting De Wallen

Best photo spots in De Wallen

Dining in De Wallen

Should you stay in De Wallen?

Explore other neighbourhoods

Frequently asked questions about De Wallen

Can you take a guided tour through the windows?

Is it legal to photograph the Red Light District?

Can I smoke cannabis on the street here?

What does a typical day cost?

Is De Wallen safe?

When are the windows actually lit?

How is De Wallen different from Amsterdam's other red light areas?

Is there an "erotic centre" replacing the district?

Is the area family-friendly during the day?

Is English widely spoken?

Why visit De Wallen

The oldest streets in Amsterdam, all on foot

Legal window prostitution you can see nowhere else like this

A real Chinatown on Zeedijk

Hidden history behind ordinary doors

The centre's best-connected base for walking

Best photo spots in De Wallen

Oudezijds Voorburgwal bridges at blue hour

Top things to do in De Wallen

Oude Kerk

Red Light Secrets: Museum of Prostitution

Oudezijds Achterburgwal after dark

Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple

Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

Free things to do in De Wallen

Belle statue, Oudekerksplein

Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal walk

Zeedijk and Chinatown

Trompettersteeg

Dining in De Wallen

Cafes and quick bites

Asian kitchens

Canal-side dining

Explore other neighbourhoods

Nieuwmarkt

Jordaan

Canal Ring (Grachtengordel)

Belle statue, Oudekerksplein

Oudezijds Voorburgwal canal walk

Zeedijk and Chinatown

Trompettersteeg

Cafes and quick bites

Asian kitchens

Canal-side dining

Nieuwmarkt

Jordaan

Canal Ring (Grachtengordel)

Oude Kerk

Red Light Secrets: Museum of Prostitution

Oudezijds Achterburgwal after dark

Fo Guang Shan He Hua Temple

Museum Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder

Things to do in De Wallen

Book tickets and tours for experiences in De Wallen