Amsterdam Coffeeshop: First Timer's Guide (How-To's & Facts)

Discover the proper guidelines and rules when visiting an Amsterdam coffeeshop so that you can experience legal cannabis in the Netherlands!

It’s a known fact that other than the Red Light District, the city is famous for the Amsterdam coffeeshop experience — but above all, it is important to note that these two things do NOT define the city as a whole. Amsterdam definitely has a LOT more to offer given its rich culture, heritage, and history to name a few.

But of course, it is not hard to admit that these two things add to the city’s charm that in turn, they become ‘wonders‘ that are worthy to be witnessed when in this part of Europe.

So for this post, I will be sharing my experience in an Amsterdam coffeeshop as a first-timer, a newbie, a noob — or whatever you call it. I hope that with this, I can help answer some questions that are floating in your mind so you could get an idea about what it’s like, what you can do if you’re planning to try it, etc.

In the Netherlands, a coffeeshop is an establishment where you can legally do soft drugs — buying and smoking weed or hash, eating “space cakes” (any kind of cake or sweet like brownies that is infused with cannabis), etc.

At this point, you might be thinking, “Why is it called a coffeeshop when they don’t sell coffee?”

Well actually, they do — mainly cappuccinos or espressos and they might even serve teas, juices, soda, or no-drug snacks. But for the most part, they are called ‘coffeeshops’ because back when the policy of decriminalizing cannabis wasn’t so clear yet, this was the ‘cover name’ that was used by the shops who were selling hash and weed. But when it was officially decriminalized in 1976, the name just stuck.

“Then what if I want to go to a coffee shop that actually sells coffee or snacks and none of these soft drugs?” You can then go to either a café or a coffee house (koffiehuis); but still, be mindful that these two have different meanings as well…