De Wallen (Red Light District)

De Wallen / Oudezijds Achterburgwal

Red-lit canal lanes around the city's oldest church

⚠ No photos of windows

Hours

Streets always open; the Oude Kerk keeps its own hours

Tickets

Streets free; the Oude Kerk charges separately

Address

Start at the Oude Kerk square; the district runs along the Oudezijds Achterburgwal canal beside it

Right beside the Oude Kerk, the oldest building in Amsterdam, run lanes of windows lit in red. By day the canal houses and bridges look like any other part of town; after dark the red light bounces off the water and the mood shifts completely. People actually work here, so pointing a camera at the windows is off-limits. Most visitors walk through once to see it and move on.