Red Light District

First-timers in Amsterdam will likely not be able to avoid the city’s (in)famous red-light district, the largest in Europe. The mostly red-lit storefront windows of De Wallen, the area near Oude Kerk, are occupied by sad, barely dressed young women, making the alleys resemble a human zoo. Recent initiatives like the Redlight Fashion project, in which young designers rented the prostitutes’ windows for installations, are supposed to slowly change the face of De Wallen, but it’s a long way from being a standout destination. While it may be unsavory, however, it’s not unsafe. If you’re visiting and curious, walk through in the early evening (a new law requires the windows to close early).