Amsterdam Smart Shop Tour with APRA, Sunday 20 September
For the second time, the Amsterdam Psychedelic Research Association and myself (Thys Roes) will hold a tour past a collection of Amsterdam smart shops. From tourist traps to well hidden gems.
Smartshops are pretty much never mentioned when Amsterdam is listed for it's 'deviant' side, Amsterdam's tolerance towards cannabis and prostitution always taking the crown. Yet Amsterdam's (and the Netherlands') relatively novel acceptance of actually psychedelic substances in stores, is one of the most unique things the country has going for it.
In a tour visiting and passing by many smartshops in central Amsterdam, I will expand on how this came to be. From the limited acceptance of radical thought in the 1600s to the limited acceptance of radical substances in the 21st century.
Expect me to guide us through multiple decades of mind-boggling policy, 400 years of Dutch ‘tolerance’, and plenty of drama surrounding novel substances and old myths. Along the way, we will learn about the fascinating history of smartshops, visit a few unique staple shops and meet some people from the field to ask questions to.
- Sunday 20 September 2026, 15:00 to around 17:30.
- Starts at a meeting point in the centre of Amsterdam. Ticket holders get the exact spot by email a few days before. The tour ends at Kokopelli Smartshop.
- Tickets are €14.99 and places are limited. APRA members get a discount code by email.
Book your place on the APRA website.
From the APRA announcement.
