Leidseplein is Amsterdam's main square for a night out, on the south-west edge of the canal ring, at the end of the Leidsestraat. It takes its name from the Leiden Gate (Leidsepoort), built in the 17th century on the road to Leiden and demolished in 1862. The city theatre, the American Hotel, café terraces, cinemas and two well-known concert venues stand on the square or a few steps away. The square is open to everyone, at any hour and free of charge. By day it is a tram hub and a stopover between the centre and the Vondelpark or Museumplein; in the evening it becomes one of the city's two main nightlife areas.
Highlights
The Stadsschouwburg (Internationaal Theater Amsterdam)
The city theatre, Leidseplein 26, is a red-brick building opened in 1894, after the previous theatre burned down in 1890; it was designed by Jan Springer and A.L. van Gendt. It is now home to Internationaal Theater Amsterdam (ITA) and its ensemble. Performances are in Dutch, with some shows surtitled in English; the theatre also runs guided tours on the first Saturday of the month.
The American Hotel and Café Américain
On the corner of the square and the Singelgracht canal, the American Hotel, completed in 1902 to designs by Willem Kromhout, blends Art Nouveau with Dutch brickwork; it is a listed national monument. Its grand café, Café Américain, has kept its tall stained-glass windows and period lamps: you can drop in for a coffee without staying at the hotel.
The square's terraces
Cafés and restaurants set out their terraces on the pedestrian part of the square, under the trees. It is the place to watch trams, bikes and street performers go by. The neighbouring streets, starting with the Korte Leidsedwarsstraat, are lined with pubs, bars and restaurants popular with visitors; prices there are higher than in residential neighbourhoods.
Paradiso and Melkweg
Two leading concert venues are a few minutes' walk away: Melkweg, in a former dairy on the Lijnbaansgracht, just behind the theatre, and Paradiso, a former church on the other side of the Singelgracht. Programmes, membership and tickets are covered in our guide to concerts and shows in Amsterdam.
The Leidsestraat
This shopping street runs north from Leidseplein across the canal ring to the Koningsplein, near the flower market. Trams run along a narrow track among the pedestrians: stay on the pavements and look before you cross.
Max Euweplein and the cinemas
Through a nearby passage, Max Euweplein, named after the Dutch world chess champion, is home to Holland Casino Amsterdam Centrum (18 and over, ID required). The giant chessboard that stood there from 1996 has left the square; since March 2026 it has been on the Frederiksplein. On the Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen, a few metres from Leidseplein, the Pathé City cinema occupies a 1935 building: see our guide to Amsterdam's cinemas.
Infos pratiques
Tips
In the evening, street dealers sometimes approach passers-by: always say no, as their products are illegal and often fake. In the crowds, keep your bag and phone safe from pickpockets; our guide to scams and safety in Amsterdam explains the traps to avoid. To choose your bars and check closing times, see Amsterdam at night.
How to get there
Leidseplein, 1017 Amsterdam (city centre). GVB tram stop Leidseplein: lines 1, 5, 7 and 19; lines 2 and 24 from Central Station via the Leidsestraat (Prinsengracht stop just before the square). Tram 17, diverted via the Leidsestraat and Leidseplein during the works on the Rozengracht, also passes through until the end of February 2027. Bus 397 (Amsterdam Airport Express) links Leidseplein with Schiphol Airport in about thirty minutes. On foot, allow about 10 minutes from the Rijksmuseum and 25 minutes from Dam Square.
Opening hours
Nearby
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