Wat er het hele jaar speelt in Amsterdam, Nederland

Rustig — de rustige maand volgens de redactie, New Year's Eve

• Regel

  Timed tickets at the big museums

  1 jan – 31 decBoek vroeg

  The Anne Frank House sells online only, in time slots released roughly six weeks ahead, and the Van Gogh Museum works the same way. Turning up on the day is not a plan between March and October. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Amsterdam Light Festival (26 nov – 17 jan), New Year's Eve (28 dec – 2 jan)

Rustig — de rustige maand volgens de redactie, Voorjaarsvakantie (February) holidays in Nederland

In februari begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec)

Druk — tussen de pieken in, Tulip season

• Natuur

  Tulip season

  19 mrt – 10 mei · meestalWilde bloemen & bloeiDruk

  The bulb fields around Lisse run from late March to the second week of May and usually look their best in the second half of April. Keukenhof is the ticketed version; the fields either side of the road are free and, on a bike, better. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec)

Topdrukte — de drukste maand volgens de redactie, Tulip season

• Festival

  King's Day

  27 aprNationale feestdagDruk

  The king's birthday turns the whole city into a street market and a boat party, and the centre closes to traffic. Rooms are booked and priced months out; the trains in are full from breakfast. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec), Tulip season (19 mrt – 10 mei (meestal))

Druk — tussen de pieken in, Tulip season

• Feestdag

  Remembrance and Liberation Day

  4–5 meiNationale feestdagDruk

  Two minutes of national silence at eight on the evening of the 4th, trams and all, then free festivals across the city on the 5th. The quiet is the part visitors remember. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec), Tulip season (19 mrt – 10 mei (meestal))

Topdrukte — de drukste maand volgens de redactie, schoolvakanties in 4 van de markten die de plek vullen

• Festival

  Vondelpark open-air theatre

  1 jun – 31 aug · meestalKunstenfestival

  Free weekend concerts, cabaret and children's theatre in the park from June to the end of August. It is a picnic with a stage rather than a festival, and it is the reason the Vondelpark is unusable on a warm Sunday. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec)

Topdrukte — de drukste maand volgens de redactie, Pride Canal Parade

• Festival

  Pride Canal Parade

  25 jul – 8 augDrukBoek vroeg

  The boat parade takes over the Prinsengracht on the first Saturday of August, at the end of a week of street parties. Amsterdam hosts WorldPride in 2026, so the 2026 edition runs longer and larger than usual. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec), Vondelpark open-air theatre (1 jun – 31 aug (meestal))

Topdrukte — de drukste maand volgens de redactie, Pride Canal Parade

In augustus begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec), Vondelpark open-air theatre (1 jun – 31 aug (meestal)), Pride Canal Parade (25 jul – 8 aug)

Tussenseizoen — tussen de pieken in, schoolvakanties in 3 van de markten die de plek vullen

In september begint er niets nieuws.

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec)

Rustig — de rustige maand volgens de redactie, Amsterdam Dance Event

• Festival

  Amsterdam Dance Event

  20–26 okt · meestalMuziekfestivalDrukBoek vroeg

  Five days in October when a thousand-odd events fill the clubs and every hotel room in the ring at the same time. Book before the line-up is announced or pay for the privilege. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec)

Rustig — de rustige maand volgens de redactie, schoolvakanties in 2 van de markten die de plek vullen

• Festival

  Sinterklaas

  14 nov – 5 decGroot festival

  Sinterklaas arrives by boat in mid-November and the country spends three weeks on the run-up to the evening of 5 December, which is the real Dutch gift night. Children's event, but the whole city plays along. Bron ↗

• Festival

  Amsterdam Light Festival

  26 nov – 17 janLicht & vuur

  Light installations along the canals through the darkest eight weeks of the year, free to walk and ticketed by boat. It is the one thing that gives the December and January evenings a reason to be outdoors. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec)

Rustig — de rustige maand volgens de redactie, New Year's Eve

• Feestdag

  New Year's Eve

  28 dec – 2 janKerst & nieuwjaarDrukSluitingen

  The national ban on consumer fireworks took effect in August 2026, so the loudest night of the Dutch year is now sparklers and licensed displays rather than the old free-for-all. Rooms are at their December peak and the 1st is a shutdown. Bron ↗

Nog steeds bezig: Timed tickets at the big museums (1 jan – 31 dec), Sinterklaas (14 nov – 5 dec), Amsterdam Light Festival (26 nov – 17 jan)