Mushrooms: banned
Psilocybin mushrooms have been illegal in the Netherlands since 2008. No shop in Amsterdam sells them, and anyone offering them is breaking the law.
Amsterdam
Magic mushrooms in Amsterdam
They are not legal here, and have not been since 2008. What is legal is something close to it, and that distinction is worth understanding before you go looking.
If you came to Amsterdam expecting to find magic mushrooms, the short answer is that you will not. They were banned across the Netherlands in 2008. Magic truffles were not, and that is what every shop and every provider here actually works with.
The two come from the same fungus and contain the same active substance, psilocybin. Mushrooms grow above ground; truffles are the underground growths. The effects are broadly comparable. The difference that matters here is legal, not botanical.
So when you see a ceremony or retreat advertised near Amsterdam, it is a truffle ceremony. Anyone offering you mushrooms is offering you something illegal, and that alone tells you something about how carefully they work.
What that means in practice
Truffles: legal
Magic truffles contain the same active substance, psilocybin, and fell outside that ban. They are sold openly and legally.
Buying is not the same as being guided
A smartshop sells you truffles and sends you on your way. What happens next is entirely yours to handle.
We are just outside the city
Our practice is in Vijfhuizen, between Amsterdam and Haarlem and a thirteen minute drive from Schiphol Airport. Not in Amsterdam itself.
A smartshop, or a guided day?
This is the real choice, and we would rather set it out honestly than pretend there is only one answer. A smartshop in Amsterdam sells you truffles over the counter. It is cheap, it is immediate, and plenty of people have a good experience that way.
What it does not include is anyone asking about your health or your medication, a dose matched to you rather than to the packet, a quiet room arranged for it, someone present if it becomes difficult, or a conversation afterwards.
We have had people come to us after doing it elsewhere or on their own in a way that was not responsible, and panic can set in. Then an experience that could have been meaningful turns into the opposite. That is the difference we are selling, and it is the only one.
What a day with us involves is set out under the ceremony, what it costs under pricing, and what truffles actually are under magic truffles explained.
Coming from outside the country?
Many of the people who find this page are travelling here precisely because a guided psilocybin ceremony is not possible where they live. There are a few practical things worth knowing before you book a flight, including why we run one-day ceremonies rather than multi-day retreats, how to get here from Schiphol and where to stay the night.
Read this first if you are travelling from abroadFrequently asked questions
Are magic mushrooms legal in Amsterdam?
No. Psilocybin mushrooms have been banned throughout the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, since 2008. Magic truffles were not covered by that ban and remain legal, which is why every shop and every provider here works with truffles rather than mushrooms.
What is the difference between magic mushrooms and magic truffles?
They come from the same fungus and contain the same active substance, psilocybin. Mushrooms are the part that grows above ground; truffles are the underground growths. The effects are broadly comparable. The difference that matters in the Netherlands is legal, not botanical.
Can I do a mushroom ceremony in Amsterdam?
Not with mushrooms, because those are illegal. A guided truffle ceremony is possible and is what providers here mean when they advertise one. Ours takes place in Vijfhuizen, a short drive west of Amsterdam, between the city and Haarlem.
Should I buy truffles in a smartshop or do a guided ceremony?
That depends on what you are after. A smartshop is cheaper and immediate. A ceremony adds a telephone screening beforehand, a dose matched to you, someone present the whole time and a conversation afterwards. Most of the people who arrive here having had a difficult experience elsewhere had taken truffles without any of that.
How far is your practice from Amsterdam?
We are at Vijfhuizerdijk 226 in Vijfhuizen, between Amsterdam and Haarlem, with free parking at the location. From Schiphol Airport it is roughly a thirteen minute drive.
Do I need to bring my own truffles?
No. The truffles are included in the ceremony, and so is the dose, which we match to your age, height, weight and previous experience. Bringing your own is not something we work with.
Thinking about doing this properly?
Every participant has a telephone intake first, so there is room for your questions before you decide anything. The calendar shows the upcoming group ceremonies.