The ten Issues To Do Through the Christmas Season in Amsterdam weblog submit was first revealed on Tradition Vacationer in December 2019 and up to date on 5 December 2025.
With its fairytale gabled homes, canals and beautiful Christmas traditions, Amsterdam is considered one of my favorite locations in the course of the vacation season. There are such a lot of locations to see and occasions to go to throughout that point of the yr. To take advantage of out of it, right here is my Amsterdam vacation information with 10 issues to do in the course of the Christmas season in Amsterdam.
Christmas in Amsterdam
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Though lovely at any time of yr, Amsterdam turns into particularly magical in the course of the Christmas season. It seems much more historic, virtually as in case you’ve stepped into some previous time. Snow and frozen canals may not be that frequent anymore, however the Christmas lights create an ideal setting for the festive time in Amsterdam.
In case you are visiting the Dutch capital in December and had been questioning what to do in the course of the Christmas time in Amsterdam, carry on studying for my suggestions.
⤷ Learn extra: Christmas Traditions in Europe
1 – Go to the Amsterdam Gentle Competition
Gentle Competition is an annual occasion in Amsterdam held from mid-November to mid-January. Artists from all around the globe create gentle installations which might be scattered alongside Amsterdam canals in the course of the two months. One of the simplest ways to see them is on one of many particular Amsterdam Gentle Competition canal cruise boats or by taking a stroll alongside the canals.
⤷ 2025 Replace: This yr, Amsterdam Gentle Competition is going down between 27 November 2025 and 18 January 2026. Try this hyperlink for the varied choices of the ALF canal cruises.
2 – Be a part of the Sinterklaas celebration
The vacation season in Amsterdam begins with the arrival of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) on the third Sunday in November. Every year, an enormous celebration is organised in Amsterdam and different Dutch cities. And you may make sure you’ll go away it together with your pockets crammed with small conventional Dutch cookies, pepernoten. It’s one of the beloved Dutch holidays and Amsterdam’s festive celebrations.
⤷ Learn extra: Christmas Presents From or Impressed by Amsterdam
3 – Strive some oliebollen
If snowdrops are the primary indicators of spring, then vans promoting oliebollen are the early indicators of the Christmas season in Amsterdam. Oliebollen are just like doughnuts; the one distinction is that they’re made within the form of a boll. They’re typically flavoured with apple filling or served with a bunch of powdered sugar.
They style like heaven, however watch out as a result of they’re fairly excessive in energy. Nevertheless, remember to attempt them a minimum of as soon as in the course of the Christmas season in Amsterdam.
4 – Go ice skating throughout Christmas time in Amsterdam
In December, Amsterdam turns into dwelling to a number of ice skating rinks. Probably the most lovely one is part of ICE* Village, positioned on Museumplein near a number of the most well-known Amsterdam museums, just like the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum and Stedelijk Museum. It opens to guests already on the finish of November. After ice skating, you may take pleasure in a cup of mulled wine or scorching chocolate at an open-air cafe subsequent to it.
One of many largest ice skating rinks in Amsterdam is Jaap Eden, with an outside 400-metre rink. It’s a bit outdoors town centre, but it surely’s price visiting to take pleasure in ice skating and placing your self in a Christmas temper in Amsterdam.
5 – Get pleasure from lovely Christmas lights in Amsterdam
Every year, Amsterdam turns into increasingly illuminated in the course of the vacation season. You could find a number of the most lovely Christmas lights at Damrak, Dam Sq. and Museumplein.
“Activate the lights” occasion at De Bijenkorf division retailer on the Dam Sq. symbolically marks the start of the vacation season in Amsterdam. Though it nonetheless can not compete with the ornament of department shops in Paris or London, it’s undoubtedly getting nearer to them annually. So remember to stroll subsequent to De Bijenkorf one night and benefit from the Christmas decorations there, too.
6 – Go to Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs 2025
RAI in Amsterdam is remodeled right into a magical winter fairytale over the past two weeks of the yr. With actual snow and a winter panorama, it turns into top-of-the-line locations for Christmas actions in Amsterdam. It additionally turns into dwelling to the Netherlands’ largest ice skating rink.
In addition to music occasions and winter actions, it additionally hosts a Ferris wheel from which you’ll be able to take pleasure in a implausible view of Amsterdam.
⤷ 2025 Replace: Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs is open between 13 December 2025 and three January 2026 this yr. For those who’re planning to go to it, purchase your on-line ticket prematurely.
7 – Get pleasure from a cup of heat chocolate with whipped cream
A heat chocolate with whipped cream served in a festive cup is an Amsterdam Christmas traditional. Discover a cosy cafe, get some heat chocolate, take heed to the Christmas music and benefit from the view of a embellished metropolis. It may well’t get higher than that in relation to spending the Christmas holidays in Amsterdam.
⤷ Learn extra: Christmas in Artwork – The Most Stunning Christmas-Themed Artworks
8 – Go to Amsterdam Christmas Markets
Throughout December, Amsterdam turns into dwelling to a number of Christmas markets.
On Sunday, 14 December 2025, a particular version of Museum Market is organised at Museumplein. Designers and artists from everywhere in the Netherlands promote their artworks there. It’s an awesome place to purchase Christmas decorations or presents made by native producers. You’ll discover extra information about it right here.
The Christmas version of the Pure Markt shall be held on Sunday, 21 December 2025, at Park Frankendael. You’ll discover wonderful meals from around the globe there, home made jams and different yummy dishes. Stands promoting lovely garments, jewelry and toys shall be there, as properly. For more information about Winter Pure Markt, have a look right here!
A particular version of Sunday Market known as Funky Xmas Market is held at Westergasfabriek on Sunday, 21 December 2025. For more information about it, have a look right here!
Positioned subsequent to the Stadshart shopping center, the Christmas market in Amstelveen is held between 29 November 2025 and 4 January 2026. It’s dwelling to a 400 m2 ice skating rink, scrumptious scorching chocolate with whipped cream, and visits by Pieten and Disney princesses. For more information about Winter Village in Amstelveen, have a look right here.
⤷ Learn extra: Christmas Markets within the Netherlands with 2024 Agenda
9 – Be a part of considered one of my guided excursions on the Rijksmuseum in the course of the Christmas holidays
Museums are particularly festive in the course of the vacation season. With a lovely Christmas tree and decorations, the Rijksmuseum is considered one of my favorite locations to go. For those who’re in Amsterdam throughout Christmas time, remember to costume up and pay a go to to the Rijksmuseum on 24 or 26 December.
The go to will put you in a stunning vacation spirit. Watch my Rijksmuseum video earlier than your go to to study extra about a number of the implausible Rijksmuseum highlights.
For those who’d prefer to make your go to particularly festive, be part of considered one of my Rijksmuseum excursions throughout December 2025. You possibly can examine right here a number of the Tradition Vacationer personal museum excursions. Or, e-book a spot on considered one of my small group Rijksmuseum excursions right here.
⤷ Learn extra: 10 stuff you didn’t know concerning the Rijksmuseum
10 – Purchase Christmas playing cards impressed by Amsterdam
For those who’d prefer to share the Christmas spirit of Amsterdam together with your family members, ship some Christmas playing cards impressed by Amsterdam to your family and friends. These Christmas playing cards are particular as a result of you may color them and regulate them to your style. I made them and printed them within the Netherlands, so that you’re additionally getting a novel native product.
You possibly can learn extra concerning the Tradition Vacationer’s Christmas playing cards right here.
⤷ TIP: Would you want to go to another Dutch cities which might be particularly lovely in the course of the Christmas time? Go to Haarlem, Maastricht or Rotterdam.
With this listing of issues to do in the course of the Christmas season in Amsterdam, you’re all arrange for spending a stunning festive vacation within the Dutch capital. The one factor we should always nonetheless hope for is a few snow to have an ideal white Christmas.
Have you ever ever been to Amsterdam in the course of the Christmas season? What are a few of your favorite issues to see and do there throughout essentially the most great time of the yr?
