Psilocybin retreats in Netherlands
Fresh psilocybin truffles fall outside the Opium Act; mushrooms have been banned since 2008.
The law, in plain language
Fresh psilocybin truffles (sclerotia) are outside the Opium Act; mushrooms, fresh or dried, have been banned since December 2008.
Since 1 December 2008 List II of the Opium Act has covered psilocybin mushrooms, fresh and dried. Truffles, the underground sclerotia of some of the same species, are not on the list, and the Health Minister confirmed in 2011 that they fall outside the Act. The addiction service Jellinek says fresh truffles may be sold but dried truffles are treated as prohibited, so only fresh truffles have clear footing. A centre offering 'mushrooms' in the Netherlands is describing something the ban covers.
What the sources say
- The Decree of 17 November 2008 (Staatsblad 2008, 486), in force 1 December 2008, added hallucinogenic mushrooms to List II of the Opium Act. The explanatory note says freely available fresh mushrooms differ little in effects and risks from dried ones, which were already controlled after a 2002 Supreme Court ruling. [Staatsblad 2008, 486 - Besluit van 17 november 2008 ... plaatsing op lijst II van hallucinogene paddenstoelen, Overheid.nl Officiele bekendmakingen, 2008-11-17, read 28 September 2026]
- The current List II entry 'Paddo's' covers "paddenstoelen die van nature de stof psilocine of psilocybine bevatten" (mushrooms that naturally contain psilocine or psilocybine), followed by a list of named species. It does not mention sclerotia. [Opiumwet, Lijst II (version valid 1 January 2026), wetten.overheid.nl, 2026-01-01, read 28 September 2026]
- In an answer to parliamentary questions received on 28 December 2011, Health Minister Schippers wrote that psychedelic truffles or sclerotia do not fall under the Opium Act, and that this was known when 186 mushroom species were placed on List II on 1 December 2008. [Aanhangsel Handelingen II 2011-2012, nr. 1032 (Kamervragen), Overheid.nl Officiele bekendmakingen, 2011-12-28, read 28 September 2026]
- The Jellinek addiction service states that selling fresh sclerotia (truffles) is not prohibited, but dried truffles are treated as prohibited. [Truffels & paddo's en de wet, Jellinek, read 28 September 2026]
How the law got here
- 28 December 2011Answering parliamentary questions, Health Minister Schippers wrote that psychedelic truffles (sclerotia) do not fall under the Opium Act, and that this was known when mushrooms were placed on List II in 2008. [Aanhangsel Handelingen II 2011-2012, nr. 1032 (Kamervragen), Overheid.nl Officiele bekendmakingen, 2011-12-28]
- 1 December 2008The Decree of 17 November 2008 (Staatsblad 2008, 486) came into force, adding hallucinogenic mushrooms, fresh or dried, to List II of the Opium Act. Truffles (sclerotia) are not covered. [Staatsblad 2008, 486 - Besluit van 17 november 2008, Overheid.nl Officiele bekendmakingen, 2008-11-17]
Laws change. This is a summary of cited sources, not legal advice. Medical and legal disclaimer
What it costs
| Currency | Programmes | Centres | Lowest | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR | 5 | 5 | €1,750 | €2,650 | €3,750 |
| USD | 2 | 1 | $4,250 | $5,500 | $6,750 |
Published starting prices for whole programmes, as each centre listed them, read up to 28 September 2026. Each price links to its source on the centre's profile.
Programmes run from 2 to 5 nights (median 4, across 10 published programmes).
What to expect
Psilocybin retreat: the usual shape, drawn from operators' published schedules. Ask each centre for its own.
- Before arrivalIntake questionnaire and medical screening. Reputable operators ask about SSRIs, lithium, cardiac history and family history of psychosis, and decline people accordingly.
- Day 1Arrival, group meeting, intention setting, one-to-one time with facilitators.
- Dosing daysSessions typically run in daylight over 4 to 6 hours, with facilitators present throughout. Doses are often escalated across sessions rather than kept flat.
- Between sessionsGroup integration discussion, bodywork or beach time, and rest. The day after a session is deliberately unstructured.
- Final dayClosing integration session and onward planning.
- AfterAsk specifically what follow-up is included and for how long.
Getting there
Major airports near the listed centres:
- Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) [reference]
1 of 8 centres here list airport transfers among what is included. Check before you book a flight.
Centres in Netherlands
Legal or unscheduled. Featured centres first, then by name.
- Legal or unscheduled
Beckley Retreats (Netherlands)
De Hoorneboeg, Netherlands
From $4,250. 4 to 5 nights. Residential retreat.
- Legal or unscheduled
Evolute Institute
Lochem, Netherlands
Price not published. 3 nights. Residential retreat. group.
- Legal or unscheduled
Experiential Training Institute (ETI)
Amsterdam area, Netherlands
From €2,650. 2 nights. Residential retreat. group.
- Legal or unscheduled
Guided Tripping
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Price not published. Residential retreat. private.
- Legal or unscheduled
Inwardbound
Castricum area, Netherlands
From €3,500. 2 to 4 nights. Residential retreat. group.
- Legal or unscheduled
Tangerine Retreat
Loenen, Netherlands
From €1,990. 2 to 4 nights. Residential retreat.
- Legal or unscheduled
The Matter
Culemborg, Netherlands
From €1,750. 3 nights. Residential retreat. group.
We have not inspected this centre. A listing is information from public sources, not an endorsement or a safety rating. How we list
Questions people ask
- Is psilocybin legal in Netherlands?
- Fresh psilocybin truffles (sclerotia) are outside the Opium Act; mushrooms, fresh or dried, have been banned since December 2008.
- How many psilocybin centres are listed in Netherlands?
- 8 centres are listed here, read from public sources up to 28 September 2026.
- How much does a psilocybin retreat in Netherlands cost?
- Published starting prices for 5 programmes at 5 centres run from €1,750 to €3,750, with a median of €2,650. These are the centres' own published prices, read up to 28 September 2026.
- How long is a psilocybin retreat in Netherlands?
- Published programmes run from 2 to 5 nights, with a median of 4 nights across 10 programmes.