Best time to visit Amsterdam

• “the best time to visit is mid-April, when there is less rain, more daylight, and the country's tulips are in full bloom” tripsavvy.com
• “the best times to visit are mid-April to May and mid-August to September” rd.com
• “For most travelers, late April through early June is the best time to visit Amsterdam.” saltandsuitcases.com

5 of the 10 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January43°F / 34°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Coldest and darkest month of the year, but festive, and travel is cheaper.Amsterdam Light Festival runs until about 20 January.Among the fewest tourists of the year.International Film Festival Rotterdam
2. February44°F / 34°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…Usually much less rain than January and March, but still chilly.Free lunchtime concerts at the Opera & Ballet (Tuesdays) and Concertgebouw (Wednesdays) help avoid wet weather.Cheapest time of year, with hotel prices down and attractions less crowded.
3. March50°F / 37°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Still relatively cool and rainy; pack layers and a waterproof.Keukenhof opens at the end of March.Temperatures between 4 and 11 degrees.Tulip season in Holland
4. Best timeApril58°F / 41°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Usually the least rainfall of the year, about 14 hours of daylight, and tulips in season, so flight and hotel prices can be higher.King's Day on April 27 turns the city orange with street parties and boat parties.Tulips have opened but not yet wilted; Amsterdam hosts a tulip festival.King's Day · Bollenstreek flower parade
5. Best timeMay64°F / 48°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Average temperature about 12C; a good month to avoid the summer crowds.Liberation Day on May 5; National Mill Day on the second weekend, when 950 mills open.Mild temperatures and blooming flowers with manageable crowds.
6. June69°F / 52°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Same 15C average as September, with slightly less rain and the most daylight, about 17 hours.Early summer with long daylight hours; tourist numbers increase.Luminosity Beach Festival and Aalsmeer Flower Festival.Holland Festival
7. July73°F / 56°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…Peak season: warm, lively and busy; book accommodation well ahead.Amsterdam Pride is held in July.Nijmegen Four Days Marches · Gentse Feesten
8. August72°F / 56°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Still busy; good for outdoor dining and canal cruising.Warmest weather of the year per one source, averaging 21C.Grachtenfestival
9. Best timeSeptember67°F / 52°F · 11 rainy daysChecking fares…One of the best months: warm enough for outdoors with noticeably fewer crowds.Temperatures range between 11 and 19 degrees.Amsterdam City Swim takes place.Prinsjesdag
10. October59°F / 46°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Crisp air, fall colors and cozy cafes, with more rain expected.Amsterdam Dance Event in the third week of October.Autumn holidays bring fewer tourists and quieter museums.Leidens Ontzet
11. November50°F / 40°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…Rainy and dreary, but cozy for cultural visits; low season with lower costs.Sinterklaas arrives in Amsterdam in November.Temperatures drop to 5 to 10 degrees.Sinterklaas arrival in Amsterdam · Valkenburg Christmas Market
12. December44°F / 35°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…Festive lights, Christmas markets and ice skating on Museumplein; cold and damp.December and early January are also very popular.Sinterklaas Eve is December 5.Gouda bij Kaarslicht · Amsterdam Christmas Markets

Weather: Amsterdam averages from Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (1991 to 2020 averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• International Film Festival RotterdamRotterdam, South HollandEvery January to February
• Tulip season in HollandKeukenhof and the Bollenstreek, NetherlandsEvery March to May
• King's DayAmsterdamEvery April
• Bollenstreek flower paradeNoordwijk to Haarlem, Bulb RegionEvery April
• Holland FestivalAmsterdam, North HollandEvery June
• Nijmegen Four Days MarchesNijmegenEvery July
• Gentse FeestenGhentEvery July
• Pride Amsterdam Canal ParadePrinsengracht, AmsterdamEvery July to August
• GrachtenfestivalAmsterdam, North HollandEvery August
• PrinsjesdagBinnenhof, The HagueEvery September
• Leidens OntzetLeidenEvery October
• Sinterklaas arrival in AmsterdamAmstel river and Maritime Museum, AmsterdamEvery November
• Valkenburg Christmas MarketValkenburg, LimburgEvery November to January
• Gouda bij KaarslichtMarkt, GoudaEvery December
• Amsterdam Christmas MarketsAmsterdam, North HollandEvery December

What is the busiest time of year in Amsterdam?

Summer (June to August) is peak season, and tulip season in spring is also busy.

How many days do you need to visit Amsterdam for the first time?

Four to five full days is enough for the main sights; a week allows day trips.

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