amsterdam

Gay Amsterdam – The Nomadic Boys

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Gay Amsterdam - The Nomadic Boys

We love visiting gay Amsterdam. Whether it’s for a city break, romantic weekend or a party, we always know we’re going to have a terrific time.

Whilst Amsterdam is most famous for its “coffeeshops” where you can smoke joints legally, it is also culturally rich with world-class museums and has the most distinctive urban landscape. The city is dominated by water, with 165 canals, around 500 bridges, lots of cute narrow cobblestone streets and many many many bicycles! It’s so picturesque that the network of canals in the 17th-century historic old town (called the “Canal Ring“) was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.

The city is also super gay, which is unsurprising given that it is the capital city of one of the most queer friendly countries in the world. It is one of the few places where we feel comfortable walking the streets holding hands and don’t feel like we first have to look over our shoulders to do that safety check! It also has some fantastic parties, plenty of LGBTQ+ hangouts, lots of events and the most unpronounceable gay village ever! We’ve summarised it all right here in our detailed gay Amsterdam travel guide.

First time in Gay Amsterdam?

One of our favourite ways to get a feel of Amsterdam is on a gay tour, in particular the ones offered by Gaily. They do a series of different tours in Amsterdam which we’ve tried, love and highly recommend, especially to first-timers. A local will take your hand and guide you through the touristic highlights of the city by day and will also show you around the Reguliersdwarsstraat scene by night.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Amsterdam Travel Resources

Kinky Amsterdam Hotels – The Nomadic Boys

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Amsterdam is a place full of diversity and sexual acceptance, one of the main reasons we love visiting so much. Some people may think that travelling around the Red Light District and all it has to offer is as naughty as it gets. But there are plenty of hidden treasures dotted around the capital just waiting to be enjoyed!

We have only had pleasurable experiences when choosing Amsterdam hotels to stay in, but these hotels are slightly different. Below is our list of five of the best and most outrageous (in a good way) kinky, sex hotels in Amsterdam for pure pleasure-seekers.

THE KINKY SUITE AMSTERDAM

We thought we’d start strong! The Suite is an incredible 3-floor rental apartment slap bang in the middle of the Red Light District.

Before we get into more detail of the vast sexual instruments and equipment The Suite has available to guests, it also seems important to highlight how beautiful the décor actually is inside the apartment.

Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Amsterdam Gay Travel Resources

Gay Amsterdam, More Than Damn Thrilling – The Gay UK

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gay Amsterdam - pixabay

Paris may try to lure you in with its reputation for style and sophistication, Berlin with its unconventional ways and underground creativity and San Francisco with its liberal mindset. Gay Amsterdam, however, has all of this but doesn’t feel the need to flaunt it. It is the coolest looking person in the club, and it knows just how cool it is. If Amsterdam didn’t exist, you would think it’s too unbelievable to be real, a fictional utopia, the product of an over-zealous mind.

As always the Eurostar journey was effortless, the perfect combination of speed, practicality and comfort, which could almost be the motto on the coat of arms of the city I was heading for. You can travel directly from London to Amsterdam for as little as £35 per person, and Amsterdam to London (with a stop in Brussels) for £65.50 per person. Time your return to London smartly and spend the day in Brussels at no extra cost.

My destination was The Toren hotel, only 15 minutes walk from Amsterdam Centraal Station, nestled seductively in the iconic canal belts of the city and the perfect location from which to explore the main attractions at the heart of Amsterdam. Chic, theatrical and more than a little bit mysterious, this old building blends warmth and comfort and is rich with vivid patterns and lush interiors.

By Ray Si – Full Story at The Gay UK

Gay Amsterdam Travel Resources

 

Top Ten Gay Amsterdam Hotels – Nomadic Boys

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Gay Amsterdam Hotels

Amsterdam is one very gay friendly city which we love visiting. It has one of the best gay scenes and we always have an amazing time here.

Booking a hotel to stay in Amsterdam has never been a problem for us. We have always felt welcome at every place we’ve stayed at and sharing a bed has never been an issue. We never feel like we have to hide our sexuality anywhere in Amsterdam or in Holland, which is why we think it is one of the most gay friendly countries in the world.

These are our 10 favourite unique gay Amsterdam hotels based on our personal experiences and from recommendations by other LGBTQ travellers. Just remember, Amsterdam is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, so anything around $100 or less is considered budget, between $100-$200 is medium average budget, and over $200, high end luxury.

1. Quentin Golden Bear: budget hotel

The Golden Bear used to be a gay hotel, but recent change in management has widened the net to target backpackers and travellers on a budget. Despite this, it’s remained a very gay friendly hotel. It is located at Kerkstraat 37, which is walking distance to the city’s gay hangouts.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Gay Amsterdam Travel Resources

How Queer Friendly is the Netherlands?

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Queer Netherlands - Once Upon a Journey

Travelling nowadays seems like the ultimate dream. We’re living that dream, and it is an absolute fairy tale! But, travelling the world as an LGBT traveller isn’t as easy as packing your bags and go. We have travelled to countries with anti-gay laws and we refuse to boycott countries for that reason. We believe travelling the world is for everyone! However, it’s important to do it safely. A few important questions to keep in mind before flying to a new destination: what are the LGBT+ rights? What’s the public opinion like? Where are the LGBT+ safe spaces? In our “How LGBT friendly is…” series we’ll share all so you have fewer worries and more fun on your travels! In this blog post, we answer all those questions about the Netherlands. How LGBT friendly is the Netherlands?

The Netherlands is often referred to as one of the most LGBT friendly destinations in the world (ranking #9 of Spartacus Gay Index 2018). Therefore it isn’t weird that LGBT rights in the Netherlands have been some of the most progressive in the world. The Netherlands is home to the world’s oldest existing LGBT organisation: COC Nederland, an organisation that has been fighting for LGBTI rights nationally and internationally since 1946.

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize marriage. Registered partnerships between same-sex couples are allowed since 1998. Same-sex couples may adopt together and lesbian couples have access to IVF. There are anti-discrimination laws since 1994 that ban discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation. From 1985, transgender people can legally change their gender when undergoing surgery and hormone therapy and since 2014 without undergoing surgery and hormone therapy. It’s possible, from 1970, to state “sex cannot be determined” on a birth certificate. This year, the Dutch court has ruled that a third gender must be recognised, adding a neutral option to the ‘male’ and ‘female’ gendered boxes. Overall, the Netherlands has great LGBT laws and keeps working on them!

By Roxanne & Maartje – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Netherlands Gay Travel Resources

Getting From Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to City Center – The Nomadic Boys

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Getting From Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to City Center - The Nomadic Boys

Amsterdam Schiphol is the city’s main airport and one of the busiest airports in the world. It is located around 17km (10.5 miles) southwest from Amsterdam’s main train station (“Amsterdam Centraal“). Most of the European budget airlines fly here, so if you’re based in Europe you can get some pretty cheap flights to Amsterdam for a city break.

The main way to reach Amsterdam centre from the airport is via the Airport Express Bus 397 or the regional train to Amsterdam Centraal. We set out the various options below in detail, but strongly advise you to consider getting an Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket prior to your visit. This card gives you unlimited travel on all the city’s public transport networks operated by the Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf (GVB), and also has the option to add on the Airport Express Bus return journey to/from the airport.

The Amsterdam Public Transport Card

Amsterdam’s public transport is impressive with a comprehensive network of buses, metro, trams and ferries. But this makes the ticketing system rather complicated and confusing, particularly for first time visitors. When buying your ticket at the ticket machines, there are so many options, it can be quite overwhelming! In addition, queues for the machines can get quite long, particularly during rush hour. This not only wastes time, but can be quite stressful.

To overcome this, we use the Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket, which gives you unlimited travel across all GVB operated services on the metro, trams, buses and ferries. Needless to say, we found this to be a godsend for our trip. It not only saved us a lot of unnecessary stress and time, but also money. Prices start from €7.50 for a 1 day ticket, plus €10 for the Airport Express Bus return ticket add on. By comparison, a one way ticket on the public transport costs €3, so after 3 journeys alone in one day, you’ve already paid off the cost of purchasing the Amsterdam Public Transport Ticket.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at The Nomadic Boys

Netherlands Gay Travel Resources

 

Amsterdam Pride – Once Upon a Journey

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Roxanne & Maartje - Amsterdam Pride

There’s no time to rest, as the next Pride celebrations are already here! After a fantastic Pride weekend in Berlin, we fly back to Amsterdam. We rest and work for two days in Eemnes before the exciting new things are happening. Amsterdam Pride is a lot about partying but we also have some meetings coming up. Somehow, now that we are back in the Netherlands we get opportunities to connect with people we couldn’t connect anywhere else before (read: networking!).

The highlight of Amsterdam Pride is the canal parade on the first Saturday of August. This year will be the first time we will go on a boat of the parade. Normally we see all the boats passing by from the streets so it’s going to be a whole different experience this time. Thanks to our new Berlin-slash-gay-friend Haroon Ali we connect with some great people from Amsterdam Marketing and that’s how we get the opportunity to be on the NYC-Amsterdam boat. Why an NYC-Amsterdam boat? Next year, 2019, NYC will host World Pride. Something we are already insanely excited for. Mark June 2019 in your agenda: World Pride time! See you there?!

Amsterdam Pride is a lot different than most Prides worldwide. In Amsterdam, it started as a celebration of freedom and diversity instead of a demonstration. Prides elsewhere are usually inspired by the Stonewall riots, but in the Netherlands, that’s continued by Pink Saturday. In 1996 Amsterdam Pride started. The canal parade grew the past years till a parade of 80 boats and over 500.000 visitors! To make our boat even more special we learn a choreography. Together we will dance on the song Go West from the Pet Shop Boys, the entire boat ride.

By Roxanne & Maartje – Full Story at Once Upon a Journey

Netherlands Gay Travel Resources

Amsterdam in the Morning – Keep Calm and Wander

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Amsterdam in the Morning - Keep Calm and Wander

In my previous blog post, I talked about what Amsterdam looks like without the tourists. This is part 2 of the post – and a continuation of my morning stroll. You might not like waking up early in the morning but it’s worth it. You’ll see more of Amsterdam when there are no tourists around.

Though you won’t be able to see museums and art galleries, walking around the city in the morning is far more rewarding than doing it when tourists are everywhere. Don’t worry about getting lost – enjoy being lost. It’s a small city, so you’ll always find a way to get back where you started. You might be surprised what you can find in the city’s little corners.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Amsterdam Gay Travel Resources

Amsterdam Without the Tourists – Keep Calm and Wander

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Amsterdam Without Tourists - Keep Calm and Wander

Here are photos of what Amsterdam looks like without the tourists.

It is estimated that there are around 17 million tourists that visit Amsterdam every year. For a tiny city, this number is already insane! Come in summer and you might think you’re in China due to the crowd – everywhere! Your photo will always have people in the background. Unless you’d walk away far from the centre. You can’t even enjoy a very nice, quiet meal in a restaurant. Bicycle? Forget it! Biking downtown is truly a nightmare for someone who doesn’t know the city’s shortcut corners.

Go Around in the Morning. Before tourists are awake, take a stroll along the city’s canals and squares. Though it’s quiet but you’ll appreciate the city’s layout without the crowd. The canals are serene and seem to have a personality of its own. At 7:00, the locals start to go out by riding their bikes to their offices. You’ll be hearing more bike bells anywhere you go and suddenly, you feel that you’re really in Amsterdam. By 9:00 a.m., the city starts to look a lot more like Disney again.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Netherlands Gay Travel Resources

Masterpieces of the RijksMuseum in Amsterdam – Keep Calm and Wander

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RijksMuseum Amsterdam - Keep Calm and Wander

When you’re in Netherlands, don’t skip in getting to know all the masterpieces inside Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Boy, until now, I can’t help but remember the goosebumps I had staring at the originals masterpieces of Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Frans Hals, Johannes Vermeer and other Dutch masters.

How much time should I spend there? I was there two hours before is closed. That’s good enough time to explore the whole museum. But if you’re really an art enthusiast, then, you need a half day to scrutinize everything.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Netherlands Gay Travel Resources