When the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage, four couples were married by the Mayor of Amsterdam. But did you know that the city’s LGBT+ history* stretches back to the medieval ages? LGBT+ people – or LHBTI people, as they’re called in the Netherlands – have not only always tried to live and love as they saw fit. They have also played an important role in the development of the city and guided it towards the beacon it became.
This group tour that explores this history through the stories of the people who lived it. Some of the stories are sad and some are uplifting. Some of the people are inspirational and some are enraging. It’s a full – and sometimes surprising – picture of the variety of LGBT+ lives in Amsterdam’s history. We cover five centuries of LGBT+ history in Amsterdam whilst walking through Amsterdam’s Canal Belt, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
*We’ve opted for LGBT+ instead of LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA+ in response to conversations with our international guests. You can read about it here.
The roughly two-hour walk starts at Cafe Lellebel and ends at the Torensluis. Please wear good walking shoes and dress for the weather. In true Dutch fashion, we try to go rain or shine and cold or heat, though we will cancel if the weather looks severe.
Tours run:
Thursday-Sunday at 10am
Friday-Saturday at 5pm
Sunday at 3pm
If you’re interested in times outside of these and have a group of three or more, please contact us!
