How to Organise a Hen Party Abroad - Amsterdam

If you’re organising a hen party abroad, look no further than Amsterdam. Fun, entertaining and only a short flight away; the Dutch capital city is celebrated for its broad-minded attitude and perfectly legal activities.

Amsterdam hen parties revolve around microbreweries, sex shows, coffee shops, and shocking window displays. The club scene is amazing and there’s a variety of red light tours, canal booze cruises, and other things for your hens to enjoy during your time here.

To help you pick out the very best for your Amsterdam hen party, we’ve put together this list of top Dutch venues and activities to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

For an eye-opening hen do that your soon-to-be-bride is never going to forget; go Amsterdam for your hen party abroad.

Clubs

Do what you want during the day, but after sunset, you need to hit the city’s club scene. One of the biggest locations in the world for dance music, Amsterdam hen parties are made in Amsterdam nightclubs.

AIR is a legendary venue at the heart of the city. This state-of-the-art club has some of the best staging, lighting and sound technology, with LED flashing walls and amazing acoustics to add to your experience. You get a good mix of underground and world-famous DJs here — including Jazzy Jeff and Tiësto — as well as laid-back lounge areas to relax with your hens after hours of dancing. You even get a locker to store your valuables, which we think is a nice touch.  

Next is Jimmy Woo — a luxurious nightclub with an unforgettably unique sound and decor. When you walk in, you find a low ceiling completely covered with more than 10,000 light bulbs flashing to the music. This classy venue revolves around giving you time to unwind in its deluxe Asian-themed lounge bar, before letting loose on the energetic dance floor. Quite intimate, it’s a good idea to reserve a table for your hens.

Entertainment

Amsterdam hen parties are all about soaking up as much of the city’s famous hedonism as you can. Why go for a hen party abroad if you aren’t going to throw yourselves into it?

You’ve probably already marked this down as a definite excursion, but we can’t stress enough the importance of seeing a live sex show during your Amsterdam hen party. Basically, this does exactly what it says on the tin: you pay for a ticket, head inside, take a seat, and watch strangers/real-life couples having a great time on stage. The sheer normality of it — squeeze it in at 10am if you like — is bound to raise shock, laughs and eyebrows. You sit unbelievably close to the action in some places and shows offer anything from male strip teases and acts with candles and bananas, to carefully-placed fruit and the chance to lick cream off your performer on stage.

Strolls sprinkled with pot and prostitutes, a Red Light Tour is ideal entertainment for hen parties in Amsterdam. There are several tour groups to choose from, but most offer the same famous haunts. Keep your eye out for window-framed hookers, cannabis and ertoica shops, the world’s first condom shop, and some stunning Dutch architecture. Usually, tours take about an hour and half, which is perfect for rounding off your day before the hen do night begins.

Adventure

You might not immediately think of party boats when you imagine an Amsterdam hen party, but the city is actually really popular for its Canal Booze Cruises. See liberal Amsterdam from the water while enjoying beer and wine with your hens. There are a few different packages to go for — including ones with a barbecue or a stripper thrown in — so have a chat about it first before you choose your cruise. You could even go in fancy dress to really bring the party spirit.

If water’s not for you, hop on a Prosecco Bike instead. The transport of dreams, a Prosecco Bike is a great, time-saving way to drink, chat and sightsee during a short hen party abroad. Let your driver steer you and your hens around the best attractions, as you sit facing each other around a long bar with a glass of prosecco in hand.  

Bars

As far as hen parties abroad go, Amsterdam is a top one for bars.

It was hard to choose just two, but Vesper was a definite “Yes” from us for hen dos. Vesper is a cocktail paradise with a welcoming, but classy, feel that’s ideal for lively groups looking for something different. The cocktail workshop here is excellent, or you can simply pop in for the famous Urban Cocktail High Tea where elegant afternoon tea meets strong and creative alcoholic concoctions.

Next in line is Brouwerij ‘t IJ. We love that this small brewery not only serves its own delicious beer, but also sits right next to a traditional windmill for a true Dutch experience on your hen party abroad. Sitting on the outdoor terrace while chatting and laughing as loud as you like makes Brouwerij ‘t IJ a great spot for daytime drinking during your Amsterdam hen party.

Restaurants

Even when you’re eating, you want to make sure you pack as much of Amsterdam as you can into your hen party abroad. And nowhere does this better than Getto — a restaurant where each Diva Burger is named after a drag queen who performs here as you eat. Not only is the entertainment and atmosphere fun and tongue-in-cheek, but pretty much everyone who goes here raves about the tasty, hangover-busting dishes, too.

Italian food is a safe bet for group dining and there’s nowhere that fuses tasty pasta and pizza dishes with an intimate entertainment schedule quite like Pasta e Basta. Step inside, take your seat and receive dedicated service from friendly waiting staff who just can't get enough a cappella performing as they serve. Think Pitch Perfect meets Olive Garden and you get an idea of how memorable an evening you and the hens will have here. The all-singing staff have even waited on Sting, Mariah Carey, Jerry Springer, and David Hasselhoff!  

(It goes without saying that your Amsterdam hen party should include a pit-stop at one of the city’s many cafes for a coffee and a special cake, too).

Cocktails

There are beers, wines, spirits, and cocktails galore on an Amsterdam hen party. But after much research, we reckon the ‘Pistachio’ from Vesper is a must-sip. Made from gin, lime, blueberry puree, and pistachio syrup; it’s an unusual drink made by expert mixologists.

Alternatively, why not head to Door 74 a speakeasy-style cocktail bar with a tin ceiling and cosy atmosphere. When you’re here, make sure to order the ‘Searching for Black Matter’ cocktail, which mixes Botran Solera rum and Marzipan syrup with dried pineapple bitters for a quirky, fruity taste we’re sure you’ve never had before.

That’s all the basic must-see,-do, and-drinks of your Amsterdam hen party. So, just print out our checklist below, tick off each box, and have an amazing time in the world’s most legally-naughty city. Check out our ranges of personalised sashes and hen party accessories to take along with you, too.