If Amsterdam's sex- and drug-drug related attractions aren't your cup of tea, you can always visit one of the 150 art galleries. (Comstock)

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AMSTERDAM -- Outnumbered by singles, wide-eyed couples of all ages stroll hand in hand on streets overlooking famed canals, basking in a neon red glow.

Love is definitely in the air, but it's the intimacy behind the windows and curtains -- not a presumed romantic atmosphere -- that has drawn them to this attraction in Western Europe's other city of love.

This type of love is, many would say, immoral. It comes at a price in the oldest neighbourhood of the Netherlands' capital, which is possibly Europe's liveliest -- and free-spirited -- city.

Illegal in North America, prostitution is legal and regulated in the infamous red light districts -- a major tourist draw due to their brothels, live sex shows, and shops -- of Amsterdam and elsewhere in the country.

RED-LIGHT DISTRICTS

There are three red light districts in Amsterdam, the largest being De Wallen in the central part of the city.

Soft drug use is acceptable in licensed coffee shops that are allowed to sell them in small amounts. The scent of marijuana regularly smoke wafts into the air.

On this warm July night, streets and alleys of De Wallen are packed. Tourist groups, couples and rowdy singles stop to survey the scantily-clad women standing in tall windows, each one bordered by red or pink lights. The women call out and, in some cases, tug on potential customers' shirts to lure them inside.

Most of these window-shoppers aren't paying customers, however. They're simply passersby who've come here for curiosity's sake or the shock of it all. Some venture inside, paying 50 Euros or more for the services.

Canal in Amsterdam, Holland (Comstock)

No matter what you have heard about the 800-year-old red light district or what pre-formed opinion you have of it, you must see it to believe it and appreciate it for what it is.

But don't expect to see it through the lens of a camera. Picture-taking is forbidden, and the prostitutes don't hesitate to warn gawkers when their cameras are at the ready.

On top of the seediness, which is part of the lure, there is a criminal element that serves as a reminder to protect your camera, wallet, passport, and other belongings, and be aware of your surroundings. It is best to travel in groups of two or more, just to be safe.

Pick-pockets and drug dealers linger, but tourists outnumber them by more than 100-to-one at peak hours, and police maintain a visible presence. Travelling in a group of four, this writer did not feel unsafe.

Authorities believe mobsters and human traffickers lurk behind the scenes, using the brothels as a means to launder money and force women into prostitution to make money.

In 2006, authorities closed one-third of the brothels due to suspected links to organized crime.

Window prostitutes, the city says, are self-employed, pay taxes and rent their rooms for a nightly fee. Critics claim many of them are forced to sell their bodies.

The gruff exterior in this area gives way to a charm, however, that extends through the city due to its intricate network of 17th-century canals and pre-war buildings that lean, some so much they appear ready to topple.

TOLERANT, LIBERAL

Granted, the red light district is not for everyone, and it's certainly not the ideal way to experience Amsterdam and its friendly people, although it should not be ignored during a visit.

You must travel outside the tiny area to absorb a thriving city that is one of Europe's most tolerant and liberal. If it's a short journey from your hotel or hostel, the ideal -- and most common -- method of travel is the bicycle.

Van Gogh is counted as one of Amsterdam's most famous residents, and the arts community here is as vibrant as ever with about 150 galleries and 50 museums.

Among the most popular is the Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank wrote her diary while her family hid from the Nazis during the Second World War.

Van Gogh's artwork has its own museum, of course. And there is also the Madame Tussauds wax museum, a popular stop for tourists who want to browse figures of Brad Pitt, George Bush, and famous folk.

No visit to Amsterdam is complete without a pint of the Netherlands' most famous export -- Heineken beer. The stuff is nearly impossible to avoid as, it seems, every restaurant and pub serves the hometown brew.

The Heineken Experience, located next to the Heineken brewery and hotel, offers an interactive, 45-minute tour for 10 Euros.

There, you will learn of Heineken's past and current worldwide presence, and pass through two lounges for a couple of draughts on the house.

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IF YOU GO ...

- Round-trip flights booked through Air Canada's website cost about $1,500 before taxes and fees. Departing and returning flights include stops in a Canadian city, usually Toronto, and a European city, usually London, or Munich or Frankfurt in Germany.

- Currency: Euro

- Language: Dutch

- Member of European Union

- Canadian forces played a major role in the liberation of the Dutch during the Second World War

- Amsterdam's population: 738,763

- Greater Amsterdam population: 1.49 million

- Bicycles in Amsterdam: 600,000

- Canals: 165

- Museums: 51

- Overnight tourists: 8.3 million

- Day-trippers: 15.8 million

-- Source: The Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions