Amsterdam’s Coffeeshops No comments yet

You’ve come to Amsterdam and, for reasons best kept to yourself, wish to flirt with practices that would get you the rap at home. Holland’s liberal drugs laws are a draw for rafts of tourists and give rise to the best destinations worldwide to smoke up and enjoy, shall we say, a more settled frame of mind.

Amsterdam’s dens of vice go by the name coffee-shop and here’s what your average one will looks like. It’s comfortable, there’s an old timer behind the counter, often an American left over from the 60s exodus. He’ll introduce you to the range and varieties of herb on the menu, recommend the one that’s good for you if you’re a little shy. The sofas are comfortable but not so much to encourage sleep, the music ranges from elecronica to hip-hop and reggae. Many coffee-shops, ironically, serve the best coffee you’ll find anywhere. There are murals, psychedelic landscapes on the walls and your fellow customers will be sitting in self-contented haze. Conversation is not compulsory.

The following exhibit these characteristics to an outstanding degree:

The Grey Area, Oude Leliestraat 2 – founded by Americans and completely tiny. With a large reputation it is almost always packed to the brim, which is why you should try:

Abraxas, Jonge Roelensteeg 12-14 With three floors and a host of individually designed rooms, Abraxas has enough space for you and your friends to enjoy a smoke win a place of good ambience.

Dampkring, Handboogstraat 29 – has one of the better interiors and lots of space. A good atmosphere and deserving of its classy reputation.

Homegrown Fantasy, Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 87a – For the more arty stoner. Off the beaten track, it houses an art gallery and serves by far the best coffee. HF’s virtual tour gives 360° views of the interior and is well worth a 30 -second look.

For those preferring to browse around, a westward walk along Harlemmerstraat, starting from the northern end of Singel offers the best selection, including the well-known Barney’s.

And if you prefer to browse without getting off your butt go here. View Larger Map