Tour de Bonton

Tour de BonTon is a roughly one-hour educational tour of BonTon, a high-end strip and sex club in an old canal house at Stadhouderskade 64-1, next to the Heineken Experience. A former sex worker hosts the visit. It’s 18+ only, reachable by stairs only, and all visits are now private tours that you book on request.

What Tour de BonTon is

Tour de BonTon is one of the more unusual things to do in Amsterdam. Most visitors see the sex industry only from the street in De Wallen. This tour takes you inside a working club instead, and it’s run as an education and destigmatization experience, not a show. It isn’t in the Red Light District. The club sits on Stadhouderskade on the edge of De Pijp, a short walk from the Rijksmuseum.

You might be wondering, “Is this really for me?” If you’re curious about how the industry works and you’re comfortable with frank conversation, it probably is. Even after living here for years, I learned a thing or two.

Detail	What to know
Address	Stadhouderskade 64-1, 1072 AD Amsterdam (entrance between the Van Beek Art Supplies shops)
Format	Private tours only, on request
Duration	About 1 hour
Host	A former sex worker
Minimum age	18
Accessibility	Stairs only, no elevator; not suitable for people with walking difficulties
Language	English; Dutch, French, German, and Spanish on request
Contact	+31 20 2503040 or [email protected] (sales team, weekdays 9:00 AM–5:00 PM)

What the tour covers

The club takes up the first to fifth floors of a traditional Amsterdam canal house, so you get a look at the city’s architecture along with its more risqué side. The tour is partly self-guided. You move through the building’s rooms, from the VIP rooms to the dressing rooms and even the bathrooms. On the first floor there’s the bar and strip area, and the private rooms are on the floors above.

The best part is talking to your host. You can ask a former sex worker about her own experiences, and reviewers regularly say the Q&A is the highlight. Don’t be shy if there’s something you’ve always wondered about. The questions people ask are a big part of why the visit runs close to an hour.

The history goes back to prostitution in Amsterdam from the 14th century. The tour itself concentrates on the period from the 1970s onward, which the operator considers the most interesting. Expect an honest conversation that covers the downsides of the work as well as the glamour. Some visitors also mention trying the dancer’s pole.

Please be respectful the whole way through. You’re in a real workplace, and the people who work in the industry are real people with real lives, not tourist attractions. If you like guided experiences with a local angle, also look at our guide to Amsterdam tour operators.

How booking works now

Tour de BonTon has changed its format. According to the operator, since 1 May it works by request only and every visit is fully private, whatever the size of your group. A private tour gets you exclusive access to the club and your own host. The official site describes opening hours as “on request” and tells you to check availability in the ticket shop.

Some pages still show the old walk-in schedule of Wednesday to Sunday, with the last tour starting at 6:30 PM, and per-person prices that start at €22.50. Treat those numbers as possibly out of date. Confirm the price, date, and time when you book. For group rates or a tailor-made visit, email [email protected] or call +31 20 2503040. You’ll find the current details on the official Plan your visit page.

When to go

Every tour is now private, so you don’t need to plan around crowds the way you would at most attractions. What counts is booking early. That matters most during busy periods such as King’s Day or Amsterdam Pride, when the city’s calendar fills up fast. Allow a few days for the booking to be confirmed, because requests go through the operator.

Amsterdam weather can be unpredictable, to put it mildly. The tour is indoors, which makes it a good rainy-day plan. I once ducked in to escape a sudden downpour, and it turned into one of the more interesting afternoons I’ve spent in the city. Under the current format you’d need to book ahead instead of just walking in.

How to get to Tour de BonTon

Tour de BonTon is at Stadhouderskade 64-1, 1072 AD Amsterdam. The entrance is easy to miss. Look for the door between the Van Beek Art Supplies shops. The club starts on the first floor and you can only get up by the stairs.

• Metro: Line 52 to Vijzelgracht (Vijzelgracht exit), then a short walk.
• Tram: Lines 1, 7, or 19 to Vijzelgracht, or line 24 to Marie Heinekenplein.
• Walking: About 10 minutes from the Rijksmuseum along Stadhouderskade, and right next to the Heineken Experience.
• Bike: You can usually find bike parking nearby. Use a good lock, because bike theft is common in the city.
• Car: Apcoa Parking Heinekenplein is about 300 meters away at Eerste van der Helststraat 6, 1072 NV Amsterdam. Public transport or walking is usually easier.

After years of using them, I can say Amsterdam’s trams are a reliable way to get around, and you’ll see a bit of the city along the way. If you’re pairing this with another stop, the Heineken Experience and Rijksmuseum are both close enough to fit into the same afternoon.

Frequently asked questions