2026 - January - Amsterdam

My naive assumption was that mid-January would be a good time to visit Amsterdam, as there would be fewer tourists around.

But that was not the case at all. Party tourists had already found their way here. In certain parts of the city, it’s probably similar to Ballermann, just with added prostitution and plenty of weed. Our hotel was nice, situated by a canal, not far from the train station, and we slept well. But just two or three streets away was the red-light district. And if you think that only men would find pleasure here, you're mistaken. Tourists from all over the world, including many couples, stroll around here.

It’s the allure of the almost universally forbidden that is so enticing. You can often see rosy-cheeked Asian couples coming out of a strip club or the