Why You Should Visit Amsterdam in Winter (Really!)

We’ve only visited Amsterdam in winter, so I can’t tell you what the city is like when the summer crowds descend or when everyone is sitting along the canals in the sunshine. But I can tell you that a winter visit has plenty going for it.

Yeah, it’s cold. The days are short. And you might need to pack rain gear AND long underwear. But Amsterdam has a certain charm in the colder months, and its world-class museums are way less busy (I hear) in the cold months.

Seeing one of the most visited cities in Europe in the low season was a simple pleasure, I gotta say.

If you’re considering a winter city break but haven’t thought about Amsterdam, be brave! There are plenty of reasons to give the Dutch capital a chance during the colder months. Here’s why I think Amsterdam in winter deserves a spot on your travel list.

Amsterdam in winter has fewer crowds.

Amsterdam is one of Europe’s most popular city break destinations, which means it gets pretty damn busy. 

While I can’t compare our January visit with a summer trip, I can tell you that we appreciated seeing the city without feeling like we were fighting through crowds. That’s not my favorite thing, and I sense that it might not be yours, either.

The canals were still pretty, the historic streets were still charming despite the cold, and we could actually enjoy all of the stuff we’d come to see.

Now, winter doesn’t mean you’ll have Amsterdam entirely to yourself. The holiday season in particular gets busy, and popular attractions still require planning.

If you’re looking for a city break in Amsterdam that’s less intense, though, winter is worth a shot.

You can go to the Amsterdam Light Festival.

One of the biggest reasons to visit Amsterdam in winter is the Amsterdam Light Festival, which turns the city’s canals into an outdoor art exhibition. This year, it’ll be happening from Nov. 26, 2026-Jan. 17, 2027, and it’s free to walk around. 

Note: To tackle the festival in a more official way, there’s an app you can download for a fee. I did, just because I wanted the stories behind some of what we were looking at. You’ll also get routes of all the installations on there, and an audio guide if you’re that sort of learner. 

The installations get…weird. I mean that as a compliment, though. Sometimes I get weird. Part of the fun was wandering around and trying to figure out what the artists were going for with some of the installations. 

Because you’re looking at illuminated artwork, you’ll be doing this at night, so yeah, it was cold. I was very grateful for my thermals when we went out to see the lights, and you’ll want to make sure you’re dressed for the weather. 

You can explore the installations on foot, take a boat tour through the canals, or book a food and drink tour that takes you along the route. It’s all on the festival website.

Amsterdam has an excellent museum scene.

Amsterdam has SUCH a good museum scene, and winter is a great time to explore its offerings. You won’t feel FOMO over missing out on outdoor stuff while you’re learning indoors because it’s friggin’ cold. Hanging out in galleries is expected this time of year.

When the weather sucks, you can spend a few hours indoors learning about Dutch art, history, and culture. If you’re as lucky as we were, you might even find yourself in a spot with hardly anyone else around.

We visited the Our Lord in the Attic Museum, and there were hardly any other people inside. As a lapsed Catholic, I was fascinated by the stories of hidden churches that cropped up when Catholics could no longer worship openly in public. 

We also visited the Anne Frank House. Even in winter, you’ll need to book tickets in advance, but we didn’t find it particularly difficult to get tickets for our visit. This one is essential no matter when you’re in Amsterdam.

Here are a few more museums we thought were a good time during our winter trip:

• Van Gogh Museum: This one is a must for anyone interested in the life and work of Vincent van Gogh.
• Rijksmuseum: This art museum is home to an impressive collection of Dutch art and history, including works by Rembrandt and Vermeer.
• Amsterdam Tulip Museum: This small museum is dedicated to the history of tulips in the Netherlands.
• Amsterdam Cheese Museum: Yes, there’s a cheese museum. And yes, we took a giant wheel of cheese home. It didn’t last that long, and I’m proud of that.
• Houseboat Museum: Take advantage of a chance to see what life is like aboard a houseboat on one of Amsterdam’s canals. The ceilings are LOW.

Basically, other than seeing the lights and eating our way around the city, museums were a big part of what we did in Amsterdam, and I was delighted. If you’re not visiting museums in a new destination, by the way, what the heck are you doing?

READ MORE: Love a cheesy good time? You’ll want to plan a trip to see the Alkmaar cheese market, a historic event in North Holland.

You can warm up in Amsterdam’s cozy cafés and brown bars.

When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing quite like finding a cozy café or traditional Dutch brown bar to warm up in. That’s because it’s cold outside, duh…and it’s warm inside.

Amsterdam’s bruine cafés, or brown cafés, are known for their cozy interiors, dark wood, and relaxed vibes. This is where you can settle in for a drink for a bit and take a break from sightseeing.

We had a particularly fun time at In ‘t Aepjen. This historic bar has lots of character, and there’s something to be said about drinking a beer under the watchful eye of a screeching monkey sculpture in a Santa hat. I loved it.

Fun fact: The bar is housed in one of Amsterdam’s oldest surviving wooden buildings, and its name translates to “In the Little Monkeys.” According to local legend, sailors once paid their bar bills with monkeys they’d brought home from overseas voyages. There’s no proof that this actually happened, but I believe.

If you’re visiting Amsterdam in winter, make time to duck into a few of these cafés and bars. You don’t need to have a big plan. Just find somewhere that looks inviting, order a drink, and enjoy being indoors for a bit to let all your fingers and toes thaw out.

The holiday season in Amsterdam is quite festive.

We visited Amsterdam after Christmas, but the holiday lights were still twinkling throughout the city. I have to say, they added a lovely little something to the already-pretty canals and historic streets.

I imagine Amsterdam is even lovelier right around Santa time, when the city is in full holiday mode and the Christmas markets are open.

Note: This year, the main Christmas Village runs from Dec. 3-27, 2026, but there are a few markets happening around the city at that time.

If you’re visiting in December, get yourself wrapped up in the festive decor and other holiday activities. Don’t Grinch out on me.

Just keep in mind that this is a popular time to visit, so you might not find the same low-season quiet that you’d experience in January or February.

READ MORE: Oh, you’re into Christmas?? You’ll want to visit Strasbourg at some point. That’s the Capital of Christmas!

If you’re interested in a guided holiday-themed experience, check out some highly-rated options below:

Dutch food is even better when it’s chilly out.

I’ll admit that Dutch food isn’t my favorite. I can talk smack about it because Brian agrees, and his grandma was Dutch. She’d probably agree, too.

It’s quite heavy, not always super seasoned (c’mon, white people!), and…mushy? A lot of it seems mushy.

I do think it’s at its best, though, when it’s chilly outside. Suddenly, those hearty Dutch dishes maybe don’t sound so bad. 

Amsterdam has plenty of places to try traditional Dutch food like bitterballen, stamppot, pea soup, and stuff best enjoyed when the sleet is coming down.

We had a meal at The Pantry, which serves classic Dutch food. The bitterballen came with little Netherlands flags on them, which I appreciated. Hollands Hap Hmm Restaurant and Moeders are two more popular options.

If you’re more interested in sweets, make a stop at Lanskroon Bakery for stroopwafels. Brian thinks they’re generally mid, but I’ve never kicked one out of bed.

If you don’t want to go Dutch, Amsterdam is a great eating city.

Eat Dutch food once, and then move on. That’s what we usually do. Amsterdam has a fantastic food scene, with plenty of options for whatever you’re into.

Cannibale Royale Lange Niezel is a popular spot for meat lovers with a menu full of burgers, steaks, and other hearty dishes perfect for adding a layer to your body. 

Chun Café is known for its stuffed toast and matcha. I wanted to hate it because of how “Instagram” it felt, but loved it. It was delicious.

If you have room for dessert, as Brian always does, Van Stapele Koekmakerij makes some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. Seriously.

You’re getting their signature chocolate cookie with a white chocolate center…not because it’s their best one, but because it’s their only one. That’s what you’re getting, and you’ll like it.

The Heineken Experience is indoors.

Call me a tourist, but the Heineken Experience was so fun!

If you’re looking for something to do indoors when the weather isn’t cooperating, this is a good option. The experience takes you through the history of Heineken, naturally, with interactive exhibits and, of course, beer at the end.

I’m not going to pretend this is some deep cultural experience. It’s a brewery tour, and it’s a very entertaining one.

If you’re a beer fan, or even if you’re just looking for a fun way to spend a few hours indoors that isn’t one of the city’s admittedly stellar museums, give it a go. We booked in advance, but you don’t need much notice for this during slow months.

The shorter days mean better photo opportunities.

Shorter days might seem like a negative, but hear me out.

While you won’t get as many hours of daylight for sightseeing, you do get that lovely golden-hour light at much more reasonable times of day.

You don’t have to drag yourself out of bed at some ungodly hour to catch the morning light, and you don’t have to stay up ridiculously late to see the sun start to set. The light is softer later in the morning and earlier in the evening.

Amsterdam is a pretty photogenic city to begin with, but it’s a fun little bonus if you like pretty pictures.

You might find better deals on Amsterdam accommodations.

Amsterdam isn’t a cheap destination by any means. Accommodations can be particularly expensive, especially if you’re visiting during peak travel periods.

Coming in winter could lend itself to some deals, especially if you avoid Christmastime and the days right around New Year’s. The light festival didn’t seem to have any negative effect for us when we booked.

If you’re flexible with your travel dates, it’s worth comparing prices across a few different weeks, especially across January and February.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express – Amsterdam City Hall for its location, but had no complaints otherwise. It was nicely priced, comfortable, and had a hot breakfast with every booking.

To browse hotels in Amsterdam, use the map below:

How cold does it get in Amsterdam in winter?

OK, so when we went out at night to check out the Amsterdam Light Festival, I was pretty grateful that I had my thermals on.

It was apparently extra chilly that January. While I don’t remember the exact temperatures, I do remember being very happy that I’d dressed for the occasion.

During our visit, we didn’t get snow. Just low temperatures. Even so, it wasn’t cold enough for people to ice skate on the canals. 

Fun fact: Amsterdam’s canals have occasionally frozen solid enough for people to skate on them, but it’s rare these days. The last time the canals froze sufficiently for widespread skating was in February 2021, and before that, in 2018. I see this as a fun recommendation in Amsterdam winter guides ALL THE TIME, but it’s important to keep expectations real around here!

Despite the cold, the locals were still biking, so they didn’t think it was that bad.

Honestly, I can’t imagine how busy the streets get with bikes in the warmer months. The cycling infrastructure is impressive, and a little threatening to pedestrians like me, and Amsterdam’s cyclists don’t stop just because the temperature has dropped.

Anyway, expect cold temperatures, short days, and the possibility of rain. It’s not necessarily the kind of winter destination where you’ll be building snowmen, but you’ll want to dress warmly and be prepared for changing conditions.

What to Pack for Amsterdam in Winter

If you’re visiting Amsterdam in winter, packing for the weather is pretty important.

You’ll want to be comfortable walking around the city, but you’ll also want to be prepared for cold temperatures, wind, and rain. If you’re planning to see the Amsterdam Light Festival, you’ll be spending time outdoors after dark.

Here’s what I’d recommend packing:

• A warm winter coat: Ideally, you want something that will keep you warm when you’re outside for extended periods. I like what’s called “sleeping bag coats.”
• Thermal layers: I was very happy to have my thermals when we went out to see the light festival. Men, embrace the long underwear.
• A waterproof jacket: It might be more wet than cold, and feeling damp sucks. Helly Hansen is our favorite. We have three of their jackets!
• Waterproof walking shoes: You’ll be doing plenty of walking, and wet feet are no fun. I love these rain booties from Aigle.
• A warm hat, gloves, and scarf: These are essential if you’re visiting in January or February.
• Warm socks: Your piggies will thank you.

The biggest thing I’d recommend is dressing in layers. You might be freezing outside, but once you step into a museum, café, or restaurant, you’ll probably want to take a few of them off.

Is Amsterdam worth visiting in winter?

Absolutely!

I can’t tell you how Amsterdam compares with the city in summer because we haven’t been, but I can tell you that we had a great time visiting in winter. 

We have visited other Dutch cities like Utrecht in the spring, and they were pretty busy. I can only imagine Amsterdam gets even thicker with tourists!

On our January trip to Amsterdam, we explored museums without feeling rushed, wandered the canals without bumping elbows, and ate well without reservations. We also loved checking out the weird and wonderful light festival.

Yes, it was cold, and the days were short, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the city.

If you’re looking for a winter city break in Europe, Amsterdam is worth considering. Just pack your thermals and embrace the chilly weather. You’ve got this!

Planning a road trip in the region? Read these next:

• How to Spend Your Day in Maastricht
• Things to Do (and Eat) on Trips to The Hague
• Explore the Best of Underrated Rotterdam
• How to Plan a Trip to Antwerp, Belgium
• A Guide to the Best of Brussels, Belgium

More destinations to consider in the winter months:

• Why Visit Tenerife in the Winter Months
• How to Spend Two Fun Days in Barcelona
• A First-Timer’s Guide to Incredible Malta
• An Itinerary From a Winter Trip to Venice
• Tips for Getting Around Busy Rome

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