Pub Crawls in Amsterdam: Why the Craze Won't Slow Down

Try counting the bars in Amsterdam's city center—you’ll lose track quickly. With venues squeezed between canals and clustered around places like Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein, pub crawls are basically baked into the local DNA. In just a few hundred meters, you can go from a brown café serving jenever to a neon-lit club cranking out Dutch pop classics.

This isn’t just some tourist novelty either. Locals, students, and yes, plenty of expats, have their own favorite Sunday and Thursday routes. Big-name crawls like Ultimate Party Amsterdam or Dam Good Pub Crawl sell out most weekends, proving how everyone—whether you’ve lived here for one week or twenty years—seems to want in. And with public transport running late (plus lots of cycling home), it’s pretty safe to roam until the last round.

If you’re new in town, a crawl is hands down the fastest way to break the ice. You’ll learn which bars pour Grolsch with style, sneaky basement hangouts with dartboards, and where all the locals end up for late-night kibbeling or falafel. Bonus tip: always have a contactless card handy for quick bar service, since some spots don’t take cash at all anymore.

• Amsterdam’s Pub Crawl Explosion: What’s Behind It?
• Bar Diversity: Amsterdam’s Secret Sauce
• Tips for Surviving (and Thriving) on the Crawl
• Unexpected Perks and New Traditions

Amsterdam’s Pub Crawl Explosion: What’s Behind It?

There’s a good reason pub crawls have taken over Amsterdam. For starters, the city has more than 500 bars in the central area alone. With so many options stuffed into narrow streets along picturesque canals, it’s almost impossible not to end up hopping from one spot to another.

The size of the city center makes things even easier. You can hit five unique bars without clocking 2 kilometers on your phone. That means less time walking, more time meeting people. Another big draw? The mix of folks. Dutch locals, expats, tourists, and Erasmus students all blend together in places like the Red Light District or Jordaan. This crowd brings every crawl a wild, energetic vibe.

Here’s a quick snapshot of why Amsterdam’s pub crawls rock:

• Super walkable and bike-friendly – no need for expensive taxis.
• Bars welcome groups (sometimes with drink discounts), so you never feel awkward rolling in with new friends.
• Packed events almost every night — especially in Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein.
• The relaxed Dutch drinking culture means fewer strict dress codes or bouncers compared to other European cities.

Karlijn Visser, manager at Café Belgique (a cult favorite for locals), summed it up perfectly:

"Amsterdam has always been about freedom — not just in our laws, but in the way people hang out. Pub crawls grew so fast because you can just be yourself, meet a bunch of strangers, and feel at home everywhere."

Let’s back it up with some quick numbers. The following table shows how the number of organized pub crawls and bar events has jumped over the past few years:

Clearly, crawling around Amsterdam’s bars isn’t some passing phase. With the mix of accessibility, easy-going bar culture, and new faces showing up every week, it’s easy to see why this tradition exploded so fast.

Bar Diversity: Amsterdam’s Secret Sauce

If you want to understand why pub crawls pack out every week in Amsterdam, it’s all about the bar hop. Within a few tram stops, you can sip old-school Dutch beers in a bruin café like Café Hoppe or Café de Dokter (the city’s oldest, if you want bragging rights). Walk two minutes, and you’re suddenly in a sleek craft beer bar like Brouwerij 't IJ, pouring local IPAs in a windmill.

The Amsterdam bar scene has something for everybody. Karaoke junkie? Hit up The End on Nieuwezijds Kolk. Want to dance but not deal with clubs? Try the upstairs of Bourbon Street for live rhythm and blues. Prefer a quieter night? Pubs in De Jordaan, like Café Chris, keep things laid-back and friendly with candlelit tables and classic Dutch snacks.

You get the drift: no other city offers this kind of mix-up in such a small area. Even beer prices jump around—order a Heineken at an old brown bar and it might set you back €3, but it’s double at tourist-heavy hotspots. Here’s a snapshot of the typical cost for a pint in different Amsterdam districts:

Don’t be surprised if you end up in a place where the bartender only speaks Dutch, or the next stop feels set up for international crowds. Even the drink menus swing wildly: expect Dutch gin (jenever), Belgian beers, and natural wines to show up.

• If you’re looking for variety, plan a crawl that mixes Rembrandtplein’s party bars with smaller places along Utrechtsestraat.
• Always check opening and closing hours online—Amsterdam bars don’t all keep the same late-night schedule, especially outside the center.
• And a tip: look out for yearly events like Amsterdam Cocktail Week or the local Bokbier season in autumn—these transform everyday bars into real destinations.

Tips for Surviving (and Thriving) on the Crawl

If you want to actually enjoy your Amsterdam pub crawl—and remember most of it—there’s a bit more to it than ‘just have fun’. The best nights out in the city don’t happen by accident. Here’s how to keep up and not be that guy who gets left behind on Warmoesstraat.

• Wear the right shoes. Amsterdam streets aren’t smooth—they’re cobbled, slick along canals, and sometimes crowded. Skip heels or slippery soles. Simple trainers or boots with grip will save your feet.
• Eat before you start. Grab a full meal beforehand. Dutch fries from Manneken Pis or a broodje at FEBO are better choices than heading out on an empty stomach.
• Bring ID, but go light. Bars often check IDs, especially in hotspots like Leidseplein. Most places accept digital IDs too, but a physical one is safest. Don’t lug a heavy bag—lose it, and your night’s shot.
• Go cashless when you can. Tons of bars, especially smaller ones, are card-only now. Contactless or Apple Pay is your friend. No need to stand in line at the ATM.
• Stay hydrated. Beer’s cheap but water isn’t always free. But ask at the bar—Dutch law means every venue must give you tap water if you order alcohol. Do it every other round.
• Use public transport apps. NS and GVB apps show night tram and metro schedules. If you can't cycle home, or don't want to, know when your last ride leaves. Save your route in advance.
• Stick together. It’s easy to get split up after pub number four. Set meeting spots, share phone locations, or just stick with a buddy—especially in busy areas like the Red Light District.

If you’re wondering which night is busiest, check this:

Finally, if someone in your group gets a bit too excited with the shots at Café Hoppe or Coco’s Outback, there are always free public toilets (look for ‘UriLift’ or ‘plaskrul’) dotted around. Nobody wants to pay a 50-cent fee in the middle of a crawl. Plus, bike or walk your way if you can—you’ll see way more of the city after dark and avoid a taxi surcharge if you go past midnight.

Unexpected Perks and New Traditions

You wouldn’t expect to find a trivia contest breaking out during a pub crawl in Amsterdam, but that’s exactly what’s been popping up lately. Many crawls now throw in quirky games between stops—think Dutch drinking bingo, street karaoke near Dam Square, or a scavenger hunt that has you snapping photos with café cats (yes, Amsterdam bars actually have famous cats). This isn’t just for fun—it actually gets everyone talking way faster, even if they started the night as total strangers.

Another thing: regulars have turned certain crawls into mini traditions. There’s the Red Light District dress-up night, where you’ll spot plenty of folks in outrageous wigs and feather boas hopping between classic bars like Café Remember and ‘t Mandje. Or the chilled-out brown café meetups, where Amsterdammers share secret gin spots and swap recommendations for local brews on tap, like Oedipus and Brouwerij 't IJ.

Free shots on arrival aren’t a myth, but here you’ll sometimes get Dutch treats—stroopwafels, salty licorice, or bitterballen—thrown into the deal at places like The Waterhole. Some crawls even strike deals for drink discounts or special Dutch beer flights, so you get to sample local flavors without burning through your wallet.

With the city’s no-nonsense attitude, new traditions keep surfacing. If you’re in town, watch out for themed crawls on King’s Day, where the entire city center goes orange and bars serve up Oranjebitter. On quieter nights, pub crawl groups sometimes wind down along the canals with take-out friet from Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx or pop into a late-night FEBO for a croquette snack straight from the wall. These little rituals turn a simple night out into something you’ll want to brag about the next day.