Amsterdam is probably the gayest city in Europe, with something to offer everyone. Amsterdam offers almost 100 gay bars, discos, shops and cafes, some of the world’s best and weirdest museums, classic architecture, and 350 coffeeshops, all within walking distance from Central Station. Combine that with the unique spirit of tolerance and freedom of the Netherlands, and that’s why Mayor Schelto Patijn proudly calls Amsterdam "the gay way to Europe". While Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands, you don’t have to bother trying to learn the difficult language.
Amsterdam is a compact city, where you can easily walk from one gay area to the other. Most natives travel by bike. It’s healthy, cheap and the fastest way to get around. If you feel like going native and you think you can manoeuvre safely through the dense bicycle, auto, bus, tram and pedestrian traffic without getting killed, you can rent one. Make sure you lock up your bicycle well, using both the rear wheel lock and a nice thick chain.
There are several gay areas in Amsterdam, all of them not really far from each other. First of all you got the street with the unpronounceable name, Reguliersdwarsstraat, which is rather mainstream and 1990s style and very busy at weekend nights. The area around Kerkstraat is a bit quieter and has some gay hotels, bars and the two biggest saunas. Then there is Warmoesstraat with most of the gay leather and cruising bars in 1980s style. Finally the area around the Amstel street with its many gay bars, many of them in traditional Dutch style and atmosphere.