Amsterdam is one of the most popular destinations for a good old fashioned European city break. The eccentric Dutch capital attracts millions of visitors each year, coming from each and every angle of the world. It’s common knowledge that the streets lining Amsterdam’s canals are jam-packed in the summer months, filled with eager tourists wanting to sample an ice cold Heineken in the blazing northern European sun. However, from personal experience, I know for a fact that Amsterdam is also a pretty amazing place to visit in winter. Okay, so it’s absolutely freezing cold, but there really is something so magical about wrapping up warm and taking a morning stroll beside the almost-frozen canals. Amsterdam is quite simply a winter paradise, and below are three reasons why visiting this one-of-a-kind tourist hotspot this winter will be one of the best things you’ve ever done.
December in AmsterdamWhy You Should Visit Amsterdam in Winter
Avoid The Crowds
As I said before, the summer season sees Amsterdam welcome millions of tourists, and it’s a period within the year that the majority of the locals don’t really look forward to all that much. If there’s nothing you hate more than visiting a city and being surrounded by crowds of people, then autumn or winter are the absolute best seasons to visit Holland’s teeny-tiny capital. If you’re travelling on a budget and want to avoid the sky-high air fares, then book your flight for either November or February, because that’s when the prices are at their absolute lowest.
Bicycle Bridge in Amsterdam: Photo jorgegaygago / CC 2.0
Experience A Proper European Christmas
Although Christmas in Amsterdam is still littered with lots of festive tourists, it really is a magical place to visit during the holidays. I visited Amsterdam the same week as Christmas Day back in 2013, and I’m so glad I did – the city was packed with magical ice rinks, and decorated with glittering Christmas lights on every corner. It definitely comes close to Bruges on the list of cities you must head to this Christmas. And, although I didn’t have chance to visit myself, I know for a fact that Amsterdam is renowned for its amazing Christmas markets, which you can see here. Definitely worth a trip just for the gorgeous souvenirs on offer!
Ice Skating in AmsterdamTake Advantage Of The Museums
If you’re a complete self-confessed historical nerd like I am, then you’ll be happy to know that Amsterdam has a wide range of interesting museums open to the public all year round. If you head to Amsterdam in the summer, you’ll be in a constant debate with yourself about whether you should spend all day exploring the museum, or outside enjoying the city sun. But in winter, what excuse do you have not to visit the museums? This historical capital city boasts all sorts of museums, from the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s most popular museum that’s dedicated to the arts and history of the city, the Anne Frank museum, which is the hideaway where Anne Frank and her family hid during World War II, and even Amsterdam Museum, which shows the public everything they need to know about the city in which they’re staying.
Amsterdam MuseumI hope I’ve done a good job in convincing you guys that Amsterdam is an awesome city to visit during the winter. Okay, so it’s not exactly a hot and sunny paradise, but it definitely is a winter wonderland, and boasts so many fun and exciting things to do when it’s freezing cold outside.