A curtainless story from a place full of curtains
Looks like I’m becoming a Red Light District expert 🙂
I’ve been to Amsterdam 10 times so far, and every time, I’ve wandered the streets of this area.
Looking back, I realize I’ve “evolved”: from giggling with friends and nudging each other in front of the windows with girls or in sex shops with “naughty” products (back in 2008), to now strolling curiously and respectfully through the alleys with red lanterns and chatting with shopkeepers about the weirdest things on the shelves. I even chatted with the girls themselves during the pandemic, when they were hanging around outside – I wrote more about that shocking time here.
I understood that this place is normal for the Dutch, and for many tourists too, but it remains a hidden pleasure for a large portion of the world…
I’ve always wondered how to learn more about this neighborhood, straight from the source. And guess what? I found the perfect source!
WALK AND TALK
I had taken a photo of this window display years ago, but I couldn’t remember the name of this center, so I went digging through my archives to find the picture. Then… searched it on Google, found the website and… the cool part: these people actually cater to my curiosity!
Several times a week, from 17:00 to 18:30, they organize something called “walk and talk”. It’s not a tour, they tell you that from the start, so you won’t have expectations. Guided tours in the window prostitution areas were banned starting in 2020, for several reasons: primarily because of the overwhelming waves of organized groups blocking pedestrian traffic; secondly, to protect the dignity of sex workers; and lastly, to restore urban balance by reestablishing respectful coexistence between locals, sex workers, and tourists.
In fact, the city hall keeps trying to reduce voyeur-style tourism, and there is talk of relocation. Basically, they want to move the Red Light District into a so-called House of Prostitution, a kind of mall where sex workers can continue their activities as before, but without being displayed in windows and without harassment from passersby.
Currently, there are over 300 sex workers in the district. But, to give you an idea, city-wide estimates suggest there are between 15,000 and 20,000, including various forms of sex work such as escorting, private clubs, and erotic massage.
PROSTITUTION INFORMATION CENTER
Alright, back to the “walk and talk”.
So, it’s not a tour, but from the description, I gather it’s more like a seminar. Or a “Q&A”…
We’ll have a chat inside, at the center, then they’ll send us briefly into the neighborhood on our own, with a hand-drawn map and a marked route, after which we’ll return and continue with a series of questions.
Okay! I make a reservation, pay €26.24, and get ready with a long list of questions! You’d think I was going to interview Trump after winning the elections!
The Old Church chimes at exactly 5 o’clock. Ironically, this is the church around which prostitution developed.
On the pavement, if you look closely, there’s a unique sculpture:
The artist is unknown! All we know is that he’s a doctor.
The sculpture mysteriously appeared in 1993. Authorities removed it at first, as it had no permit. But later, due to public pressure, they agreed to let it stay.
There are many interpretations regarding the meaning of the gesture. What’s certain is that a myth was born: if you rub the nipple, you’ll have good luck. Because of that, the poor nipple is extremely worn down 🙂
The author supposedly returns here once a year, secretly, to restore his work.
In fact, he has several urban art pieces spread across the city.
Also near the church, very close to the center I’m heading to, is Belle – the bronze sculpture representing a woman in a window display.
It’s a tribute to sex workers and the first sculpture of its kind in the world, placed in a public space.
On the plaque it says: “Respect sex workers all over the world”.
The sculpture was created by a Dutch woman in 2007, at the initiative of a lady – Mariska Majoor, a former sex worker and the founder of the Prostitution Information Center. That’s where I’m quickly heading, because things are about to start…
The room is colorful, filled with furniture, packed with posters, books, products, and photos – all related to the sex industry.
There are 10 of us tourists from different countries. Two men, the rest, women.
The host? A cheerful, lively blonde. She casually zips up her long black patent leather boots, adjusts the leather harnesses she’s wearing, plays some music from her phone, picks up a whip and… the show begins!
I’m joking, it’s not a show, but trust me, the woman would do great as a host on an entertainment program, she’s that lively. And her English makes me jealous.
We’re in a center whose doorstep is crossed by curious tourists like us, but even more so by sex workers and clients. The role of this center seems very important to the community.
Women come here for counseling, for help, for information (in case they want to work in the industry). And there was a time when they even came to learn from the founder of the Center how to stand in the windows, how to move, what gestures to make to attract clients. Valuable tricks!
Clients can also come here to get information before wandering in front of the windows with girls, so they’re not caught off guard. But they also come here to complain. Definitely after they’ve spent some money 🙂
According to what our host tells us, clients complain about all sorts of things: that it cost too much, that the service didn’t meet expectations, that they didn’t like how the woman was dressed or how she spoke to them, etc., etc.
She shares stories, our questions keep flowing, and she keeps answering. The two men in the group are more reserved; but we, the women – oh boy! Our curiosity is off the charts 🙂
From the start, you’re encouraged to ask anything, without shame, no filters. That’s what you’re here for. What’s more, the people who run these “walk and talk” events are actually industry workers themselves! Either window girls or women who work in the clubs around the district, or even “porn stars”, as we found out from our host about her. (But not the typical kind – she works in “feminist porn”, creates independent content, takes erotic photos, participates in workshops, etc.)
At the beginning, she gives us a bit of history about the district, which totally whets my appetite to learn more.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT
The Red Light District is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Amsterdam. Locally known as De Wallen, the district developed around Oude Kerk (the Old Church). Ironic, right? But that was the medieval reality, prostitution and religion coexisted in port cities.
Starting in the 14th century, Amsterdam became a major maritime and commercial hub, which naturally attracted sailors, merchants, and temporary workers – people who often sought the services of sex workers.
Prostitution wasn’t legalized, but authorities tolerated it, as long as it didn’t cause any “trouble”.
And that’s how it operated for a long time.
In the 16th century, the Protestants dealt a heavy blow to the industry! Prostitution was strongly discouraged, as it was considered a sin. Brothels were shut down or forced to operate illegally, and sex workers were sent to rehabilitation.
When Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the Netherlands, he quickly realized his soldiers wouldn’t be able to resist temptation :), so he took a pragmatic approach: the biggest issue wasn’t that the soldiers were visiting women, but that they were coming back with syphilis… So the man came up with a solution: regulated prostitution. (This was practically the beginning of a tradition of regulated tolerance, which would become a characteristic of Dutch society.)
Under Napoleonic administration, brothels operated under licenses, and sex workers had to register with the police and undergo regular medical check-ups.
In that same 18th century, the condom also appeared in a form closer to what we know today. It was made from animal intestine or bladder, was reusable and expensive, used mostly by aristocrats and soldiers.
One of those condoms, unused (!), nicely framed, now hangs on the wall at the Prostitution Information Center.
It’s made from sheep intestine.
Unfortunately, these early condoms proved useless against syphilis. Intestinal tissue naturally has microscopic pores, meaning it’s not fully impermeable. So, such a condom didn’t offer reliable protection against venereal diseases, BUT it was effective against sperm, so it could prevent pregnancy!
Condomerie
Prostitution was officially banned in 1911, when the Dutch government shut down brothels – though the practice continued clandestinely, especially here, in De Wallen.
In the 1990s, Amsterdam began adopting more transparent policies toward prostitution. Then, in 2000, prostitution moved from being “tolerated” to being “legalized and regulated”: brothels became officially legal, with the aim of combating organized crime and protecting sex workers.
DE WALLEN
The district is spectacular in the evening, with the neon and red lights on, with bars and restaurants full of noisy crowds, with special clubs that have tight security at the entrance, with porn shows or “peep shows” (which I just now learned what they actually mean :)).
The streets are full of sex shops offering all sorts of unusual sexual accessories, as well as funny sexual souvenirs or “hot” lingerie.
But everything is open during the day too. There are just fewer girls in the windows.
2008 – my first visit to Amsterdam
Walking along the canals and through the streets of the district is really cool, and there are plenty of restaurants to satisfy your hunger, some of them highly rated!
And that’s where you come across the narrowest street in Amsterdam: Trompettersteeg.
It’s actually more of an alley, just 1 meter wide, and when it’s crowded, it’s hard to squeeze through…
From what I’ve seen since the pandemic, the windows here are no longer used by sex workers, they’ve been repurposed:
Now, in one of them, I spotted a small nail salon in full swing.
WINDOWS IN THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT
There are about 100 active windows, out of a little over 200 total in the area.
You can spot the active ones from a distance, especially at night. The others you discover gradually, along various alleys. Some are for rent, others have been abandoned.
(Photo taken from far, many years ago, in the excitement of discovering the place.)
Over 70% of the women working here are non-Dutch! Most are from Eastern Europe — officially, Romanian and Bulgarian women are at the top! (Heads up to any guys passing through – you might run into a neighbor…)
There are also a few women from the United States, but they’re an exception.
Okay, I get the situation with the women, but here’s a dilemma I’ve had for years that no one has answered yet: why aren’t there any men in the windows???
What do you think? There used to be men in the windows too!!!
Ha! I totally didn’t expect that!
Yes, back in the ’90s and early 2000s, there were also men displayed in the windows of the Red Light District.
There are photos from that time to prove it, some framed, others included in printed albums.
Those men have disappeared.
Only David is still left in a window, ladies, if you’re interested. But I doubt he can satisfy anyone…
Male figures in the district’s windows disappeared… naturally. Even studies show that women use such services much less often, or at least seek them out differently, more discreetly, more privately, maybe with a quick Google search or something.
Also, male prostitution is more heavily stigmatized than female prostitution.
And so, the men in the windows vanished. What a pity 🙂
WINDOWS WITH GIRLS
The windows are private properties, most of them owned by companies. Not just anyone can be the owner of such a space. The Amsterdam municipality strictly controls applicants, checking the origin of their funds and their business intentions in order to prevent money laundering, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.
A window is basically a small room with a bed, a sink, and a tall chair where sex workers sit while luring clients or scrolling on their phones.
There’s also a shower, but the sink is the most essential, since most girls require clients to wash their genitals beforehand. Some even do it themselves, which has a double effect: the client is thrilled, and the worker feels reassured that everything is clean…
All rooms are equipped with condoms and lubricant. Condoms are always used during penetration. Some cabins also have gloves, as some girls use gloves during a handjob. If, as a man, you want it without gloves, you pay extra… But we’ll get to prices shortly.
The girls rent the windows from the owners and pay per shift, not per month. There are day shifts and night shifts. One shift lasts 7 hours. For a night shift, for example, the rent is 200 euros.
It’s not that easy to end up working in a window. You have to meet several conditions in order to be allowed to rent such a space.
First of all, you must be at least 21 years old. You must be from the European Union (anyone from the EU has the right to legally work in this industry). There are, however, a few exceptions, as mentioned earlier.
Then, you need to have proper documents, an official address, and work as a self-employed person, paying taxes – and from what I understand, on top of rent, they pay a lot in taxes. However, they also have the right to regular free medical testing, access to healthcare, and legal support.
Each girl is thoroughly checked by the owner before being allowed to rent the space.
Once she rents the booth, she has full control over her activity, since she is an independent tenant, not an employee of the owner. She can refuse clients, set her own schedule and prices.
Each one keeps track of her clients and pays 21% VAT on every service. Now, of course, it depends how much she actually reports… But you become suspicious if you’re paying rent for a bunch of shifts and report very few clients. Something’s clearly off.
I found out that during a single shift, a girl typically has around 6 clients, not more. There are a few special women who exceed that number. On the other hand, older women or transgender workers tend to have fewer.
So how does the whole thing actually go down?
The man walks around, observing, while the sexy girl tries to attract him with her outfit, gestures, expressions. That is, if she feels he’s a potential client! Because if she senses he’s just a gawker, someone drooling while staring at women in lingerie, she’ll ignore him.
The client picks a girl, she opens the door, there’s a quick exchange and… either he goes in or she says no, goodbye.
As soon as the man enters, the girl pulls the curtain to block the view – no audience allowed.
The session lasts 15 minutes, that’s it! We’re talking about “basic service” (the standard position for vaginal penetration). If you’re not done in those 15 minutes, you can either pay again to continue until the happy ending, or pull up your pants however you can and head for the door…
During the pandemic, I personally heard of basic service going for 50 euros, but now it ranges between 100 and 200 euros. Of course, depending on how the girl “scans” the client, she might ask for more right from the start.
Some brag about making up to 1,000 euros per shift!
And our host at the Center told us the highest amount she ever heard paid for a standard 15-minute session was… 2,000 euros!!! Paid by an older gentleman. Classy, right?
There is no bargaining! The girls don’t negotiate. They have fixed prices for each extra service. The client may ask for a certain position or fetish, and if the girl provides that, she tells him the price. Even kissing is negotiated, it’s not part of the “basic package”. And not all girls even offer it as an extra service.
Of course, there are some unhappy customers, men who start acting out once they’re in the room.
We’re told there are two classic reasons for that:
- The man doesn’t want to leave because he didn’t orgasm within the 15 minutes.
- The man doesn’t want to pay.
In such cases, as well as in potential violent situations, the girl presses the panic button. Because yes, all windows are equipped with a panic button.
An operator immediately calls to ask what happened, and then the police arrive.
Archival photo showing the oldest sex worker in the District and a police officer. An image of the good relationship that has always existed between the girls and the police.
The police are, without exception, on the girls’ side! From the start, they are protected by law against exploitation or harassment.
But before the police even arrive, the sound of the alarm is so loud that not only do all the neighbors hear it, but it also publicly humiliates the client…
Anyway, such cases are very rare, because the girls immediately reject clients who are drunk, high, or seem off in any way. And the police are present in the district non-stop.
In a neighborhood where urinating in public is fined 140 euros, and drinking alcohol on the street gets you a 100-euro fine.
WHAT ELSE TO DO IN THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT
If you’re not interested in the girls in the windows, there are plenty of other entertainment options in the Red Light District.
Bars and restaurants – you’ve got lots to choose from!
You can even go to The Bulldog – considered the world’s first coffeeshop, opened in 1975 by a guy who turned his father’s sex shop into a welcoming space for cannabis users.
Although there were other places selling cannabis before 1975, this was the first to operate as a true “coffeeshop” (a term actually coined by the owner) – a public venue designed to sell cannabis in an organized setting.
The place didn’t escape police raids in the ’70s, which actually gave it major notoriety.
Today, The Bulldog has expanded, with several coffeeshops across Amsterdam, as well as a hotel, bars (including one with live music), and souvenir shops.
Not into coffeeshops? Then you can always go for a strip club.
Bananenbar is considered one of the most popular sex clubs. You pay 50 euros to get in, and after that you can just sit and have a drink while watching the girls, or pay them for a lap dance. That’s all I found out. The rest happens behind closed doors…
Moulin Rouge is the first club that catches your eye as you walk through the district. That’s why, on every visit, I ended up taking a photo with it in the background haha.
2011, 2021 (pandemic times), 2022, 2023, 2025
In its vicinity, there are also a lot of windows with girls, so if you want a photo here, it’s best to take it from the bridge or across the canal, so they don’t think you’re aiming at them.
At the club entrance, there’s a list of the types of shows and I have to admit, I stared at it like a deer in headlights. I understood almost nothing, just imagined what each thing might mean.
For a bit of culture, you can visit several museums in the district – the Erotic Museum, the Prostitution Museum.
You can also browse shops where you can buy erotic products, sex toys, or legal drugs.
You can take photos with various kinky accessories or sit in a tub full of colorful penises 🙂 The only condition is that you take off your shoes.
If your blood sugar drops or your appetite spikes, you can grab some donuts that are perfectly themed for the area:
Then you’re just right to head into a “peep show”.
This was a big mystery to me until now. I always wondered what the hell that even meant, and in my mind, it was like you pay 2 euros and watch a porn film in a booth. Well, that’s not it.
In the evening, this place gets really crowded!
Encouraged by a few Asian women giggling at the entrance, unsure whether to pay for the experience, as well as by some husband-and-wife couples stepping into uncertain territory, I decided to join the curious crowd and see what happens inside.
I enter the lobby.
It’s clear these people have had enough of answering the same questions, so they’ve nailed a sign to the wall explaining how it works. With a handwritten note emphasizing that this is NOT a sex show.
Alright, like everyone else, I go to the machine that exchanges bills for coins. I feel like I’m at the supermarket, except there I get coins to grab a shopping cart, not to watch an erotic performance 🙂
I wander around the booths; all of them have red lights on, which means there’s someone inside enjoying the show.
As soon as one booth frees up, I go in. I insert 2 euros into the machine and… snap: the opaque glass in front of me turns transparent. On the other side of the glass, a woman in lingerie is lying on a small rotating stage, making suggestive movements. She changes positions, touches herself, gives some sultry looks, touches herself again, changes position once more. It’s clearly a routine, like a regular day job. Proof: just as I step into the booth, there’s a shift change: the girl stands up, leaves, and another one takes her place and starts her performance.
(You’re not allowed to take photos or film – it’s strictly forbidden, and understandably so. So I have nothing to show you from inside.)
Man, but the coolest thing isn’t what the girls are doing, it’s the fact that YOU CAN SEE EVERYONE in the other 11 booths surrounding the little stage hahaha. All of them peeking through their little windows at the same girl!
My God, I had a shock when I realized that! I even took a step back, thinking maybe they can’t see me. (Highly unlikely, because with how small the space is, there’s no way to hide…)
I found it very funny, to be honest. You can’t imagine the faces of some of the guys staring intensely at what the girl was doing.
And suddenly, the glass turns opaque! That means the 2 minutes are up. 2 euros – 2 minutes of watching.
I put in another 2 euros, because I am curious how far the show would go. It doesn’t, it stays in place 🙂 Well, it’s spinning… The stage is rotating, the girl keeps caressing herself artistically for the viewers, and that’s it.
When the glass turns opaque again, I leave. That was enough to satisfy my curiosity.
In the same building, there are also individual booths. (I snapped a photo while rushing past, not sure if it was allowed.)
I asked a guy working there what happens in those individual booths.
That one’s a bit more “premium”!
From a screen with numbered girls, you choose the one you want. She appears behind the glass just for you, but the experience costs you a minimum of 20 euros. Then, if you want to see more, you insert more coins… There’s even room for negotiation, you pay and say what you want to see.
CASA ROSSO
Porn shows attract a ton of curious people. Especially in the evenings, there are big lines at the entrances to these kinds of theaters.
2016
I’ve been there too! On 3 different occasions, with 3 different groups of friends.
As of now (May 2025), the entrance fee is 60 euros, which includes a drink.
For those 60 euros, you can stay as long as you want. You basically watch live sex, on a rotating stage, so you don’t miss any angle…
There are 8 sex acts that run on a loop, the locals told us. We left after the fourth one, when there was a short break.
You’ll see everything from women inserting all kinds of objects into their private parts, women doing erotic-comedy shows with people pulled from the audience, to couples having sex in various positions.
The venue is small, with just a few rows of seats. There are bouncer-sized bodyguards who won’t let you get away with anything – no filming, no photos, no touching the performers, and no talking dirty to them.
You can stay as long as you want and leave whenever you like. You can also keep ordering drinks. For a fee, of course.
From what I observed, most of the audience seemed to be there more for fun than for genuine arousal. I saw solo visitors, young couples, groups of girls, and even seniors who looked like they were at a party. Me? I went full producer-mode in my head, thinking how cool it would’ve been if they had done that scene differently, or brought in some props…
Whether funny or steamy, the porn show is an experience.
A tip: if you don’t want to be pulled on stage by one of the performers for an erotic act, don’t sit on the edge of a row, and make sure your friends aren’t secretly planning to shove you forward… I’ve seen it happen. Luckily, those people were pretty chill about it.
Anyway, the contact between the performer and the audience stays within certain limits, no one is actually having sex with the public.
And that’s it…
That’s the Red Light District as discovered and explored by me. You tell me: how could anyone be bored there? 🙂
As for its shocking image during the pandemic, you can read about that here.
