Visit Amsterdam During Winter

Written by Menswear Style
in
Travel

on the

21st January 2025

During the winter, Brits flock to cities across Europe in search of snowfall, traditional Christmas markets, and fewer crowds. Some of the best winter city break destinations include European hotspots such as Amsterdam, Berlin, Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Paris, and Prague.

With the range of walking tours in Amsterdam and canal cruises taking you past snowy cobble streets, sparkling festive lights, traditional Christmas markets, and entertaining ice rinks, the Netherlands capital is magical when winter comes around.

This article will explore five places to go and things to see in Amsterdam during the winter.

One of the most wonderful winter activities is, without a doubt, ice skating. Luckily, Amsterdam is home to a few outdoor ice rinks throughout the winter in popular locations, such as: 

– Museumplein. An ice rink is located on the Museumplein, just in front of the famous Rijksmuseum, and is fully decorated with Christmas trees, lights, and a replica of Amsterdam’s Skinny Bridge. 

– Rembrandtplein. An ice rink is located on Rembrandtplein, a famous square in the centre of Amsterdam, and is decorated for a winter theme. 

– Leidseplein. An ice rink is located on Leidseplein, another famous square in the centre of Amsterdam. 

– RAI Convention Centre. Amsterdam RAI hosts Winter Paradise, a winter theme park boasting activities like ice skating, snow slides, and a ferris wheel.

Many Christmas markets pop up around the city in mid-November and run until early January, allowing tourists to enjoy sweet treats, mulled wine, rides, craft stalls, and more.

Amsterdam Winter Paradise takes place each year at the RAI Convention Centre. It is similar to London’s famous Hyde Park Winter Wonderland with its ticketed entry system and abundance of things to do, such as ice skating, ice-curling, and karaoke. There is also an Apres Ski village and rides such as a ferris wheel, big swing, and merry-go-round.

Christmas Village opens up to the public each year for free. The Museumplein becomes full of market stalls, crafts, live entertainment, roaming choirs, and plenty of festive food and drink options.

Funky Xmas Market is a monthly Sunday market which showcases the work of local artists, fashion designers, and creatives. However, in mid-December, the market boasts festive handmade art and accessories to help visitors get into the Christmas spirit. 

The annual Amsterdam Light Festival usually takes place between the end of November and the end of January. You will see magical light installations and displays decorating the streets, canals, and main landmarks of the Netherlands capital.

The dates and theme for 2025/26 are yet to be released, but the 2024/25 theme was the World of Rituals, and it featured 27 artworks created by 22 different artists.

The best way to enjoy the Amsterdam Light Festival is to hop on board a canal cruise, some of which includes meals or open bars. 

During the winter months, particularly in December and early January, you will find oliebollen stalls all over the city and in the Christmas markets.

Oliebollen are a traditional New Year’s Eve snack for the Dutch, similar to doughnuts and served best with powdered sugar on top.

Just because you are visiting in winter and Christmas markets are spread across the city, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy the famous museums and galleries that Amsterdam has to offer. This is actually a great way to spend some time indoors and warm up during the winter.

The Netherlands’ capital city is less crowded during winter, so you can visit the top attractions without worrying about crowds, long queues, or sold-out tickets.

Here are some of the famous museums and galleries we recommend in Amsterdam: 

– Anne Frank House. This museum is dedicated to Jewish wartime diarist Anne Frank. It is located in the building that housed her father’s business. Tickets range from €1 to €16. 

– Van Gogh Museum. This museum is dedicated to the artworks of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. Tickets range from €11 to €24 but are free for children. 

– Rijksmuseum. This is the national museum of the Netherlands, and it is dedicated to Dutch arts and history. Tickets range from €12.50 to €25 but are free for children. 

– Rembrandt House Museum. This museum is dedicated to the work and life of Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn, and it is located in his former house and art studio. Tickets range from €8 to €21 but are free for children under the age of 5. 

– Moco Museum. This independent museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary art and aims to make art accessible to the public. Tickets range from €13.95 to €21.95 but are free for children under the age of 6. 

– National Maritime Museum. This museum is dedicated to maritime history, and its collections contain paintings, scale models, weapons, and world maps. Tickets range from €8.50 to €18.50 but are free for children under the age of 12. 

In addition, Amsterdam’s annual Museum Night happens in the winter. Every November, for one night only, over 50 museums in the city stay open until 2am to host live DJs, special events, food and drink parties, and more. The next Museum Night will take place on the 1st of November 2025. 

De Bijenkorf is a luxury department store chain in the Netherlands, with one of its stores just around the corner from Amsterdam’s Royal Palace.

Similarly to London’s Harrods, De Bijenkorf celebrates the festive season with an array of impressive Christmas displays and decorations that you can see for free. 

Amsterdam is a great city to explore all year round, with its canals, ‘coffee shops’, fascinating history, and friendly locals.

However, we hope this article convinced more tourists to take advantage of the winter months in Amsterdam. Not only are the streets filled with dazzling lights and well-decorated trees, but there are a plethora of seasonal activities to enjoy, such as Christmas markets, ice rinks, The Light Festival, and Museum Night.