Amsterdam Hen Do

• Country: Netherlands
• Language: Dutch
• Currency: Euros
• Cost of a pint: €7-9
• Airport: Amsterdam Airport
• Flight duration: 1-2 hours

1. Smartphone City Treasure Hunt

Add some friendly competition into your weekend as you and the girls split into teams and use a smartphone app to track clues, trivia and challenges in a race for victory!

2. Canal Boat Bar Crawl

Cruise along the water on your own private canal boat with unlimited drinks on board. Finish off the session with entry into two Dutch bars – you’ll even get a free drink!

3. Prosecco Bike

Bike around the city of Amsterdam in a unique way and have a good laugh with the girls as you sip on 12 bottles of tasty prosecco throughout!

4. Pimp That Penis

Add a spot of humour into your celebrations with a dildo decorating workshop! This is bound to get your creativity up and laughter flowing – you can even take it home with you.

5. Top Night Out

Fit in with the locals and go on an epic bar crawl with the helping hand of a professional guide. Take some shots along the way and finish in a club!

6. Red Light District Photoshoot

A classic to any hen party in Amsterdam – get dressed up in sexy or funny outfits and get some pics in a former window brothel based in the Red Light District.

7. Escape Rooms

Solve riddles and puzzles, crack codes and decipher clues in an intensely thrilling race to escape a locked room with the girls before your time runs out.

8. Cocktail Making

Shake and muddle together your own classic cocktails with the other girls using fresh ingredients, professional equipment and lots of alcohol!

9. Pedalo Treasure Hunt

An epic adventure around Amsterdam’s canals as you go head to head completing orienteering, questions and clues on board a pedalo.

10. A’Dam Lookout Tower

A 360 degree observation deck like no other, this experience will have you celebrating above the city and soaking up the incredible views of this amazing destination.

Top Places to Eat in Amsterdam

There are tons of great places to eat around the Netherlands capital. The top places to eat in Amsterdam come in many forms, if you want an extensive guide we have a list of the best restaurants in Amsterdam that might be useful. Pancake houses are also very popular within the city especially places like Pancake Bakery located on the Prinsengracht Canal, what’s a more perfect way of starting your day of sight-seeing than pancakes for breakfast!

If you’re heading to the Netherlands for an extended stay, you can try both local cuisine and some of your favourites for your 3 meals a day. Like most capitals, Amsterdam can be slightly more expensive when it comes to food – but the eateries are worth the extra cost! Top of our list for Dutch dishes is Moeders. This restaurant has a whopping 2,000+ reviews on Google alone and is a favourite for both locals and tourists alike. If you want to immerse yourself in culture, this is the place to be! Similarly, check out Restaurant't Zwaantje on Berenstraat Street for a cosy meal.

Sometimes when you go away, all you really want is a few home comforts to enjoy in between all the antics. Amsterdam definitely doesn’t lack restaurants and café’s to try if you want simple yet delicious meals. For brunch dates with the girls (and hangover cures), try Café George in Leidsegracht. If you’re on the hunt for something hot and carby, try and grab yourself a table at Eatmosfera and treat yourself to some pizza or pasta. Top tip – a lot of restaurants like Ristorante Italia Oggi serve simple, homemade pasta tossed in a giant wheel of melted cheese!

Although Amsterdam doesn’t have traditional food as such it definitely lives up to its expectation on the restaurant front, this city offers amazing unique dishes whether you’re looking for tapas or Mediterranean, Indonesian or modern Dutch. During your weekend in Amsterdam you will find that it is impossible not to find something you’ll love. One type of Dutch food is a Stroopwafel which is two thin cinnamon flavoured waffles with caramel in the middle, it’s a food specific to Amsterdam.

Vegan hen party members also will not miss out with plenty of vegan restaurants in Amsterdam to choose from.

Red Light District

The be all and end all of the nightlife in Amsterdam, it would be rude not to enjoy at least an hour of the night in the red light district. There’s multiple reasons that this area of the Dam is so popular, and the bars, pubs and clubs is a few of them! With so many neon lights and buzzing music, it’s much easier to narrow down the best venues before you arrive and get overwhelmed. One unique venue that’s not to be missed is Casa Rosso. The number one live sex show in Amsterdam, Casa Rosso is a one of a kind experience that everyone visiting the Netherlands capital should enjoy at least once.

Obviously, sex shows aren’t for everyone – especially if you’ve invited your mum-in-law! There’s plenty of quirky bars and fantastic clubs to dip in and out of while avoiding anything too frisky. One bar to try is Belushi’s, a sleek and stylish watering hole that prides itself on impeccable cocktails all year round. Alternatively, immerse yourself in a more relaxed, American-diner at BigShots Bar. Bigshots stocks all your classic liquor plus it’s a great place for any late-night munchies you might have.

It’s no secret that the number of coffeeshops for legal highs is a big reason why Amsterdam is so popular, especially for younger crowds. So coffeeshops also serve drink in a more laid-back atmosphere like the world-famous BullDog café. On the opposite end of the spectrum, The Dutch love their locally brewed beers! You can find a unique crossover between proper Irish pubs and delicious, locally brewed beers here in Amsterdam and the red light district.

Leidseplein

Leidseplein is definitely a place you have to explore during your Amsterdam weekend, this area is one of the major centres of Amsterdam’s nightlife. Here you will find bars, clubs, pubs and cafes, and you will find that most are open until 5am! Leidseplein is all about tourists for shopping and night time entertainment, so you’re sure to be looked after in this district of the capital. Probably the best area for a pub/bar crawl, there’s lots of little venues for casual drinking, like Irish pubs Dan Murphy’s and the Hoopman which are just a stones throw away from one another.

Just further down from the rowdy Irish pubs that grace Leidseplein are a few more chilled, modern-style bars to sink your teeth into. If you’re a fan of fancy cocktails and low lighting, NJOY is a small but sweet bar that sleek and stylish. Pair your visit to NJOY with some dancing at Club Candela just next door! This 2-storey nightclub has all the classics including karaoke and late-night DJ’s until 5am on weekends.

The BullDog legacy extends itself from the red light district to Leidseplein with the impressive Bulldog Palace. A coffeeshop stroke cocktail bar, it has a huge outdoor patio area that will easily fit a big group of giggling girls. If you’re a big fan of jazz music, Leidseplein is home to the longstanding Jazz Café Alto. You’ll see the venue a mile away with the giant saxophone hung outside, and inside you’re greeted with cozy vibes full of music and friendly faces.

Rembrandtplein

Rembrandtplein is considered as the heart of Amsterdam’s nightlife and a real hotspot to head to during your Amsterdam celebration, especially since it is home to many of the city’s most popular clubs and bars! More on the touristy side, you can get a glimpse of what Amsterdam offers while still having a classic last night of freedom. Probably the most popular bar in this district of the capital is the Xtra Cold Ice Bar! Exactly what it says on the tin. This venue features one normal bar before throwing on a coat, hat and gloves and heading into the ice bar. Drink from ice glasses and marvel at the ice sculptures in this unique nightlife experience.

Of course, there are a lot warmer venues in Rembrandtplein if you’re not a fan of the cold head to Lunar Bar on Halvemaansteeg and immerse yourself in bright lights and LGBTQ+ culture. Top tip – this bar has some incredibly different cocktails to tantalise your taste buds if you want to broaden your drinking horizons! Pair your visit to Lunar Bar with a bit of hilarious karaoke at Karaokebar 24K right next door. With a sleek style, you can get straight in and sing your heart out in the little booths.

Amsterdam nightlife is pretty ahead of the times, and you can find plenty of quirky décor to snap a pic or two! The whole of Rembrandtplein is a perfect example of this, with high seating and crazy murals to entertain your girls while sipping on cocktails. When the night gets later and your vision gets blurrier, there’s only one place to go – AIR nightclub. A multi-tiered dancefloor, cutting edge electronic music and 5 vibrant bars all in one venue to make the last night of freedom one to remember.

Reasons to Visit Amsterdam

There are plenty of reasons to visit Amsterdam, including obvious elements that make the city special and hidden gems to discover while you’re there. Amsterdam is often a bucket list destination for most people, and what better time to tick something off the list? See some of the top reasons to visit Amsterdam to celebrate the last night of freedom below.

A Liberal Viewpoint

The element that sets Amsterdam apart, the liberal way of life offers a relaxed, open and free atmosphere to the city.

Excellent Transport

It may be boring, but easy transport can make a world of difference when it comes to exploring a new city. Train links and cycling is just two of the easiest (and fun) ways to get around.

Red Light District

You might be surprised by how much you enjoy the red light district, as there’s something for everyone. Sex shows, bars, pubs, windows, sex shops and coffeeshops make for an explosive combination.

The Canals

The array of waterways that weave in and out of the city are beautiful and offer canal trips so you can see a different side of the city and learn a little about the history.

Rich in History

If you’re bride to be is a history buff, she’ll know the depth of history this city holds. Amsterdam show cases it’s history in many different forms, from the light-hearted Sex Museum to the serious Ann Frank House.

Art Hotels

Amsterdam has invested a lot of time and money into making sure travellers have the best stay possible. This extends to where you stay, with a multitude of art hotels, quirky accommodation and modernised apartments to choose from.

A Safe City

It’s super important to know how safe, clean and friendly a city is before you jet off. Amsterdam has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe and are more than used to looking after visitors all year round.

Coffeeshops

A unique factor of the Netherlands capital is the numerous coffeeshops that can legally sell cannabis to the public. It’s a great bucket list item to check off while you’re celebrating!

How to Get Around Amsterdam

Often, when you travel to a new place a big form of stress is how to get around. Amsterdam has minimalised this stress into nearly none-existent with genius ideas and transport links at your disposal. First and foremost, the city is pretty compact as it is. This means that once you’re in the city centre, you can explore most places on foot and see all the great bits and pieces in between. If you’re flying over to the capital, the airport is home to the central train station that’s directly underneath. This means you can hop off your plan, down the stairs and right onto a train into the city with no worries.

Your best resource for train transportation is the official GVB website. This is where you can check the times and prices of trains going from central station and beyond. You can also create an account to save journey’s ahead of time!

For cheap travel, we highly suggest you hire a bike for your stay. Some accommodation even come with bike access, and the city is built for cyclist with specified roads and traffic lights to keep you safe while you dart around.