“In her view, and that of the local heads of police and prosecution bodies, banning tourists from coffee shops is unavoidable in order to reduce the size of the soft drug sector, tackle tourist nuisance and attack hard-drug criminality.”

A great deal of tourists come to the Netherlands with one idea in their mind: getting messed up, and gawking at sex workers in the red light district. This is neither moral, nor profitable for the actual city itself, because rarely do these kinds of tourists end up spending that much money. Amsterdam – whilst liberal in many ways – is used too often like a sinful playground. Instead, it should be respected and adored for its beauty. That is why, we at Cannadelics, ask that if you are planning on going for a high weekend in the city, ensure that you maintain a level of respect for Amsterdam. 

The Perfect Weekend Itinerary

Let’s set the scene. Let’s say you’re arriving in Amsterdam on Friday night, and you’re leaving on Sunday evening. Essentially, you have two days and two nights. Here is the perfect stone itinerary for you. Let’s do this. 

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Friday Night

7 PM: Arrival and Check-in

On the first night, you will arrive in Amsterdam. After landing at the airport or the train station, you can take a taxi to your hotel. Once you check in, you can freshen up and get ready for the evening. This is the ideal time for a delightful dinner and an enjoyable walk through the beautiful glinting canals. 

8 PM: Purchase a Pre-Rolled Joint

Before dinner, it’s time to get your munchies on and chill after a long journey. Head to the Paradox Coffeeshop. This one is super hipster and colourful. It has been around for 30 years, and does not claim to be anything fancy. However, they do focus on quality and care. In addition, it is situated in a quieter area of Amsterdam, so you won’t be bothered by bustling crowds. 

9 PM – Late: Enjoy Leidseplein 

Now it’s time to head to Leidseplein. This area is full of tourists but it’s also a lot of fun. In a sense, it’s made for your enjoyment, and you won’t be bothering any locals for doing it. Go grab an easy bite to eat, a drink, and avoid doing any of the guided bar crawls. They are a waste of money and a scam. Enjoy the flashing lights and buzz from the cannabis. 

Saturday

11:00 AM: Breakfast at Van Stapele Koekmakerij

Van Stapele Koekmakerij is one of the most famous bakeries in Amsterdam. They are known for their delicious chocolate cookies, and you can have one with your morning coffee. It’s a perfect way to start your first proper day in Amsterdam.

12:00 PM: Explore the Canals

Amsterdam is famous for its beautiful canals, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can take a canal boat tour or rent a bike to explore the city. Biking along the canals is an excellent way to see the city and take in the sights.

2:00 PM: Lunch at De Foodhallen

De Foodhallen is a trendy food market located in the Oud-West neighbourhood. It features a variety of stalls serving different types of food, including burgers, sushi, and pizza. You can have lunch here and try some of the local delicacies.

4:00 PM: Visit the Rijksmuseum

The Rijksmuseum is one of the most famous museums in the world. It houses over 8,000 objects of art and history, including masterpieces by Rembrandt and Vermeer. You can spend a few hours exploring the museum and learning about the history and culture of the city.

7:00 PM: Dinner at The Seafood Bar

The Seafood Bar is a popular restaurant located in the city centre. They serve a variety of fresh seafood, including oysters, lobster, and crab. It’s a perfect place to have dinner with your friends.

9:00 PM: Night Time Coffee Shop

End your second evening with a trip to a fun coffeeshop. Head to the Gray Area and grace the same seats as the likes of Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg. Time Out writes:

“Held in high esteem by consumers the world over, Grey Area’s reputation is definitely well deserved – it has an extensive selection of award-winning cannabis and a back-to-basics vibe that lets its gear speak for itself.”

You can chill here and see where the evening takes you. 

Sunday

10:00 AM: Breakfast at The Breakfast Club

Have a wake and bake in the morning with any left-over cannabis you have and then head for breakfast. The Breakfast Club is a trendy restaurant located in the Westerpark neighbourhood. They serve a variety of breakfast dishes, including pancakes, eggs Benedict, and avocado toast. It’s a perfect place to start your day with a hearty meal.

11:00 AM: Visit the Van Gogh Museum

Now it’s time to truly understand the city. The Van Gogh Museum is one of the most famous museums in Amsterdam. It houses the largest collection of Van Gogh’s paintings in the world. His artwork goes hand in hand with a cannabis brain like a spoon and a fork. It is truly perfection. 

12:00 PM: Vondelpark

After a morning at the museum, head to Vondelpark, one of Amsterdam’s most famous parks. The park is the perfect place to relax and take in the beautiful scenery. You can grab some lunch at one of the many cafes and restaurants located within. If you’re feeling especially adventurous why not grab a box of magic truffles and trip out and enjoy the scenery. You can purchase them quite easily from the smartshops around the city. 

2:00 PM: Canal Tour

Next, take a beautiful canal tour. Amsterdam is famous for its canals, and taking a boat around them is like something out of a fairytale. The tour will take you past some of the city’s most famous landmarks, such as the Anne Frank House, the Westerkerk, and the Skinny Bridge. This will land you perfectly in the right spot for the next activity too. 

4:00 PM: Anne Frank House

Any trip to Amsterdam would not be complete without a reminder of how lucky we are today. The next stop is a trip to the Anne Frank House. This house is where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II and is now a museum dedicated to her life and the history of the Holocaust. The museum is a powerful and emotional experience so ensure that you are prepared for it. It is also important to be respectful, so try and be in a sane frame of mind for it so you can truly take it all in. 

6:00 PM: Fly Home

Enjoy

This has been our perfect itinerary for an ideal weekend in Amsterdam. Now, book those flights, and enjoy.

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The Problem

Whilst Amsterdam is known globally as this beacon of acceptance, it also has another side to it. Tourists from all over the world come to this city to take advantage – to utilize only the hedonistic pleasures. You’ll only have to walk the streets for a few minutes before you see a couple of young Brits falling over themselves, throwing a whitey, after smoking too much weed. It’s a common sight. The incorrect assumption is that Dutch locals smoke cannabis constantly due to the fact that it is accepted, but as is often the case, the legality of it normalizes it and thus makes it less common.

Or, for those that enjoy recreational substances, they do so respectfully and privately without causing a commotion. Amsterdam’s liberal attitude is not without its critics. Some argue that the city’s policies towards drugs and sex work contribute to social problems like addiction and exploitation. However, supporters of Amsterdam’s approach argue that it allows for greater personal freedom and reduces harm by regulating these industries rather than driving them underground. But the issue lies in tourism, not the policies themselves. 

Red-Light District

The red-light district, in essence, is an incredible idea. A place where sex workers can exist, work and be protected. It is also a place for those who desire sex, to come and not feel judged either. Whatever you think about the world of prostitution, in a world where it exists, the red-light district is probably the most ideal and safe solution. However, this is not how it always runs. Amsterdam is now having to tackle the fact that much of their tourism is based around exploiting sex and drugs. The mayor of the city, Femke Halsema, has announced the idea of moving the red-light district somewhere else. Dutch news quotes her saying:

“Sex work belongs to Amsterdam and it will never go away… But the situation in the inner city is unsustainable. Livability has been under pressure for years for residents due to the stream of tourists who regularly misbehave and cause nuisance… By setting up an erotic center, we will lessen the pressure on De Wallen and at the same time create an extraordinary place where sex workers can work safely, legally and undisturbed”

The issue lies in how the red-light district ends up working. Obviously sex workers desire pay, like any other profession. However, many tourists stroll around the red-light district, gaping at the workers, acting abominably and never actually paying for sex. Beyond even the disrespect, the workers aren’t even receiving any financial gain a lot of the time. This is why Halsema wants to move the location, creating an exotic center, where the new spot would hopefully encourage visitors who want to pay for the services. However, as of yet, this idea has not been given the green-light. 

Amsterdam Cannabis Ban

This isn’t the first time the mayor has had an idea that hasn’t come to fruition. Over the last few years, the idea of banning tourists from coffeeshops has also been floated. Whilst these ideas may not have materialized, what it shows is that those who care and live in Amsterdam want a change in how tourists are existing there. The issue, of course, is how much money tourism brings in. Nonetheless, after much uncertainty, there seems to be some concrete change right around the corner. The Guardian announces that Amsterdam is to: “outlaw cannabis-smoking in the red-light district streets”. It reads:

“Smoking cannabis on the street in Amsterdam’s red light district will soon be illegal, the city council has announced, as part of a range of bylaws designed to deter tourist excesses and make life more bearable for despairing local people.”

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This cannabis ban will not only be within the red-light district, there will also be a ban of any weed smoking in the entirety of the inner city of Amsterdam starting mid-May. Other changes are also included. Sex workers will now have to shut at 3am, rather than 6. Restaurants will also be forced to close earlier at 2am, rather than 2 on weekdays. On weekends this will be 3am instead of 4. In regards to drinking, shops within the inner city will have to remove alcohol from their windows anytime that it’s illegal for them to sell it (which is now anytime after 4pm, Thursday-Sunday). The city where anything is possible – has now begun closing its doors. 

The Positives

Whilst some may look upon this news with disappointment, the cannabis ban truly a necessary decision and – in many ways – a positive one for Amsterdam. Ever heard the phrase: ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it’. For too long, tourists have taken advantage of Amsterdam’s uniqueness and turned it sour. Openness, freedom and acceptance should not mean irresponsibly taking recreational drugs, making too much noise, disrespecting locals and using the city as a theme park. Like Icarus, as a society we have yet again flown too close to the sun. We have turned something beautiful into something ugly.

For locals in Amsterdam, the inner city was becoming practically unlivable. Something had to change. But this change isn’t a negative one. For those tourists who still love the city for its immense and diverse attractions – the beautiful canals, the museums, the cafes, the bars – they will have no problems. The city is open and always will be for those who truly love its identity. But for those weekenders who came to Amsterdam for cheap and legal thrills – to cause havoc and leave without cleaning up after themselves – they will be deterred. Is that a bad thing? Probably not. 

Conclusion

Ultimately, Amsterdam’s liberal attitude is a defining feature of the city’s culture and identity. Its policies have made it a unique and fascinating place to visit, and they continue to draw people from all over the world who are interested in experiencing a different way of life. However, this tourism has caused debates over the years and has turned from curiosity to exploitation. It is no surprise that the mayor of Amsterdam has enforced a cannabis ban in the red-light district. Until tourists begin treating the city with the respect it deserves, these sorts of law changes will continue to happen. 

Thanks for making your way over! We appreciate you stopping in at Cannadelics.com; where we work to bring you the best in independent news coverage for the cannabis and psychedelics spaces. Visit us regularly for daily news, and sign up to the Cannadelics Weekly Newsletter, so you’re always on top of what’s going on.