Amsterdam in January

By Robert Heaney
Snowed-over bicycle leaning against the railings of an Amsterdam canal

If you’re looking to satisfy your winter wanderlust in a city known the world over for its cultural and historical value, then a trip to Amsterdam in January could be just the ticket. So long as you can brave the European winter chill, January offers the perfect opportunity to experience the capital of Dutch delights during one of its quietest and therefore most genuine periods.

Visiting Amsterdam in January

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Average Temperature: 33 - 39°F • Average Rainfall: 8 days/month • Average Sunshine: 2 hours/day

January serves as somewhat of a renewal of Amsterdam’s low-season. With most of the festive celebrations of December now long wrapped up, the beginning of the new year sees tourism rates enter a seasonal lull which will last into the coming months.

While the Dutch capital is still alive and kicking in this period, you’ll have the chance to experience it during one of its most quiet periods. While the city never truly sleeps due to its multifaceted appeal, you’re likely to find yourself fighting much less with crowds at popular attractions. If that wasn’t enough, visiting in this period will also likely give you the benefit of off-season accommodation rates and airfare.

With winter now in full swing, you can expect January to be a month to wrap up well for. Alongside average temperatures flirting just above freezing, you’re also likely to experience at least one day of rain per week. Warm, waterproof clothing is therefore a must, particularly if you plan on exploring the city’s iconic open squares and winter festivities.

Things to do in January

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Given the average weather of Amsterdam in January, you’d be forgiven for wanting to forego exploring’s famous canals and architecture in place of more indoor activities. If you’re looking to stay toasty, then January could be a fantastic time to fit in more of the city’s renowned cultural and historical hubs.

Having been home to many celebrated artists both past and present, Amsterdam is unsurprisingly filled to the brim with some of Europe’s best art galleries. Leading the charge is the Rijksmuseum, home to the Netherlands’ largest collection of artworks and historical artifacts. Among this collection are over 20 pieces by Rembrandt, including the prized ‘Night Watch’, and four by Vermeer, such as ‘The Milkmaid’ and ‘Woman Reading a Letter’.

Second only to the Rijksmuseum is the Van Gogh Museum, home to the world’s most complete collection of the late post-Impressionist painter’s works. Just down the road is also the MOCO Museum, standing as a celebration of such popular contemporary artists as Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons.

For your fill of Dutch history, you’ll want to make your way to the likes of the Amsterdam Museum and the Maritime Museum, each offering key insights into the respective histories of Amsterdam as a whole and the nautical pursuits of the Netherlands. Also popular is the Anne Frank House, where a biographical museum now stands in memory of the Jewish wartime diarist.

If you happen to be visiting Amsterdam in early January, you’ll see the tail end of the Ice*Amsterdam festival. Hard to miss due to its huge presence on the busy Museumplein, this winter celebration comprises a central ice-skating rink complemented by market stalls, food stands and winter bars where you can warm up with a hearty cup of hot chocolate milk.

Events in January

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New Year’s Day

If you’re visiting Amsterdam over New Year’s Eve and find yourself still buzzing from a night of celebration, then you can join thousands of locals and visitors alike for the New Year Swim. On January 1, many flock to take a simultaneous dip in the North Sea as a symbolic way of washing off the previous year and starting the new one afresh.

And fresh is the operative word here because the North Sea will be cold. This isn’t a tradition for the faint of heart, but it’s a must-do if you really want an authentic Dutch New Year experience. After a brief dip in the sea, you can join your fellow revelers on the beach and continue the festivities with high spirits and a hot cup of pea soup to warm your chilled bones.

As you might expect, New Year’s Day is a public holiday in the Netherlands, meaning many stores and services will be closed for the day. This makes it a perfect time to rest after a night of festivity. Just make sure to grab any provisions and hangover cures ahead of time!

Amsterdam Light Festival

Running alongside the holiday season, the Amsterdam Light Festival illuminates the Dutch capital with impressive light displays by designers, artists and architects from around the world. Taking place throughout December and January, the festival typically showcases around 30 unique art installations, bringing an even more magical touch to an already festive city.

One of the most popular activities of the Light Festival is to take a canal cruise in the evening. These boat tours offer a chance for visitors and locals alike to see the city from a different perspective, offering unique insights into the history of prominent neighborhoods while also exploring the artworks lining the banks of the canals.

National Tulip Day

The third Saturday in January marks the official start of tulip season in the Netherlands with National Tulip Day. On this day, Amsterdam's Dam Square makes way for a garden of around 200,000 tulips, grown carefully over the preceding months in controlled, indoor environments. Thousands of visitors flock to this garden each January to pick their own free bunch of tulips, and many florists from this point forward will begin promoting the new tulip season.

IMPRO Amsterdam

For roughly a week in late January, a handful of Amsterdam’s key theatres become host to the IMPRO festival. Celebrating all facets of improvisational theatre, the festival attracts high caliber players from around the world to come together in a series of shows held throughout the week. The festival’s extensive program of events also includes open workshops for visitors of all backgrounds and capabilities to try their hand at improv.

Robert Heaney
Go City Travel Expert

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Van Gogh Museum vs Rembrandthuis Museum Comparison Amsterdam

Ask anyone to name all the Dutch painters they’ve ever heard of and you can guarantee the first two out of their mouths will be Rembrandt and Van Gogh; one the leading artist of the Dutch Golden Age, the other the OG ‘tortured artist’ of Post-Impressionism who, in death, became one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of western art. Unsurprisingly, given their incalculable contribution to Dutch and European art and culture, both have been honored with their own dedicated museums in the Netherlands’ capital. But which of these essential Amsterdam attractions is best? Read on for the lowdown as we pit the Van Gogh Museum vs the Rembrandthuis (aka the Rembrandt House Museum)...  Van Gogh Museum vs Rembrandthuis Museum: Vital Statistics Size: Compared to Amsterdam’s main art museums – the Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk among them – both Rembrandt’s House and the Van Gogh Museum are relatively small, requiring only 1-2 hours of your time to get a real feel for the life and work of these visual virtuosos. Age: The Rembrandt House Museum opened in 1911, welcoming the Netherland’s Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Hendrik as its very first visitors; the Van Gogh Museum opened at Amsterdam’s Museumplein in 1973. Artworks: The collections are quite different, in that – as the name suggests – the Rembrandt House Museum is Rembrandt’s actual former home, where he lived with his family (and various lovers) from 1639 until bankruptcy forced him to give it up in 1658. Inside, you can experience the house roughly as it would have looked in Rembrandt’s day, the furniture having been carefully sourced and replaced, based on a 1656 auction inventory of its art, furnishings and various other household items.  There’s also a near-complete collection of Rembrandt etchings here (260 of the approximate 290 he created in his lifetime), plus paintings by his students, teacher and contemporaries, as well as a pair of pots used to mix quartz and clay for canvas preparation by Rembrandt himself. The Van Gogh Museum on the other hand, is a straightforward gallery of the Post-Impressionist prodigy’s work. There’s nothing ordinary about the collection here though, which comprises some 1,300 Van Gogh paintings, drawings and letters, including iconic works like The Potato Eaters and Sunflowers. Alongside this, the largest collection of Van Gogh pieces on the planet, the museum also showcases notable works by his Impressionist and Post-Impressionist contemporaries, among them paintings by Monet, Gauguin and Toulouse-Lautrec, and sculptures by Rodin. Annual visitors: The Van Gogh Museum outflanks most of the local competition here, pulling in around 2.2 million visitors every year to Rembrandt’s 250,000. The Van Gogh Museum vs Rembrandt House: Highlights We’re talking about two of the greatest all-time wizards of western art here, so your expectations are likely to be high, and the Van Gogh Museum does not disappoint. Here’s where you can view some 200 of the maestro’s paintings, among them his beautiful Almond Blossom which – if you like it – is also available to purchase in a gazillion different formats in the museum’s gift shop. Then there’s his Sunflowers, his Irises, his Wheat Field with Crows, his Self Portrait with Pipe, and the challenging masterpiece that is The Potato Eaters, Van Gogh’s depiction of 18th-century Dutch peasants at dinner. Add to this some 400 drawings and 700 letters, and Van Gogh votaries will be in clover. The Rembrandt House Museum is more of an immersive experience, one in which you can step into the Golden Age master’s former home and experience the living quarters and studio roughly as Rembrandt and his family would have done in the 17th Century. Authentic contemporary furnishings and artworks adorn the rooms, including pieces by Rembrand’s teacher Pieter Lastman, and his students Ferdinand Bol and Govert Flinck. Rembrandt’s etchings were far better-known than his paintings during his lifetime (due to the relative ease of mass reproduction), and are considered some of the greatest examples of the art form to this day. The museum owns the vast majority of these, and some of them can be viewed here, alongside relics including pots used by the artist, as well as his funeral medallion. If it’s an insight into Rembrandt’s life you’re after, this is very much the place for you. If, however, you want to ogle some of the artist’s most celebrated works up close, you’ll need to hit up the nearby Rijksmuseum, home of The Night Watch pictured above), Self Portrait with Disheveled Hair and other world-famous Rembrandt masterpieces. Van Gogh Museum vs Rembrandt House: Which is Better? Well, it’s less a question of which is better and more a case of whether you have a particular fondness for the (very different) work of Rembrandt or Van Gogh. Of course, you could kill two birds with one stone and see works by both of them (and many many more) at the Rijksmuseum, but if you’re looking for a deep dive into the life and works of these Dutch masters in particular, you’ll find no better place on the planet than the Van Gogh Museum and Rembrandt House in Amsterdam. Rembrandt House and the Van Gogh Museum: Fun Facts Did you know? In 1656, Rembrandt’s spiraling debts led to him petitioning for bankruptcy. The contents of his house were meticulously cataloged for sale, making it much simpler, 250 years later, for the house to be restored to its original state before opening as a museum in 1911. Did you know? Van Gogh is one of the original selfie takers, painting some 36 self-portraits across his brief 10-year career. His tally is topped only by – you guessed it – Rembrandt, who racked up around 100 paintings, etchings and drawings of his own fair phizog, but over a much longer period. Save on Tours, Attractions and Activities in Amsterdam Save on admission to Amsterdam attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
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Stuart Bak
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Amsterdam in August

You’d be hard pressed to find the Dutch capital thriving more than it does in August. Seeing its largest annual throughput of tourists, the city brims with life in every way, from its bustling nightlife scene to its busy squares and huge selection of events and festivals. If you can put up with busier attractions during this time, then you’re bound to find a trip to Amsterdam in August beyond rewarding. Visiting Amsterdam in August Average Temperature: 54 - 70°F • Average Rainfall: 11 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 6 hours/day There are few periods busier for Amsterdam than summer, and August truly takes the cake. At the height of peak season, you can expect the city to be packed with families and summer vacationers, resulting in busy attractions and high accommodation prices. However, that also means you’ll get to experience the Dutch capital at its best, with its veritably electric summertime atmosphere. Upholding the seasonal climate established in July, Amsterdam typically experiences bright, mild days throughout August. While you shouldn’t expect the heatwaves of more southern European destinations, you’re likely to spend some very pleasant days in August, ideal for exploring its iconic streets, squares and open spaces. That being said, it’s always smart to pack an umbrella, as rainfall is never unlikely in the Netherlands. Things to Do in August No matter the time of year, any trip to Amsterdam would be incomplete without discovering at least some of its famous cultural hubs. Taking precedence is the emblematic Rijksmuseum towering over the Museumplein, housing a vast collection of renowned artworks and historical artifacts. Where historical insight is concerned, the Anne Frank House stands as the most potent recounting of life in the Netherlands during the Second World War. As a city with more bicycles than people, there are few better ways to explore Amsterdam than on your very own pair of wheels. Over 470 miles of cycle paths make up the Amsterdam Bicycle Network, making for a fantastic excuse to take a more physically active approach to exploring the capital. Many bike rental stores offer daily rates somewhere in the region of €10. There’s no better time than summer to make the most of Amsterdam’s many sprawling green spaces. The weather in August offers a perfect opportunity to take a stroll among Vondelpark’s ancient trees and stunning lakes, and grab a seat at one of its many charming park cafés. Equally, why not have a picnic in Westerpark, make the most of its live summertime events and shows, or even catch a viewing at its very own arthouse cinema? Second only to cycling, Amsterdam’s emblematic waterways offer a uniquely alternative means of seeing the city. You can choose from a large variety of tour operators offering their own canal boat excursions, often including tours of the capital’s key landmarks accompanied by local insights into their cultural and historical significance. Amsterdam’s nightlife scene is never better than in summer, when you can expect most bars and clubs to be brimming with life. Popular venues can be found throughout the city, but as a general rule of thumb, the old area of Jordaan is typically very popular with young people for its trendy bars. Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are particularly popular for their club offerings, while the street of Nes often attracts more of an intellectual theater crowd. Events in August Pluk de Nacht Film Festival Mid-August is prime time for sultry evenings beneath the stars, and the Pluk de Nacht (‘Seize the Night’) film festival aims to deliver just that. This event consists of an open-air cinema premiering acclaimed independent films never before released in the Netherlands. Film lovers can grab a lazy beach chair and enjoy an evening of cinema accompanied by warm blankets and cocktails. Grachtenfestival Amsterdam’s Grachtenfestival, or Canal Festival, is considered one of the country’s most charming cultural events. The event brings together talented classical musicians from both around the country and abroad to perform in a 10-day classical music marathon on the city’s world-renowned canal belt. Throughout the event, over 150 unique stages open up across private gardens, rooftop terraces, canal houses, cruise ships, hotel suites and tube tunnels. Visitors can enjoy classical music, jazz and world music concerts from international names, with many performances offered at very affordable prices or even free of charge. Amsterdam Pride As the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, nobody knows how to celebrate Pride more than the Netherlands. Now a multi-day festival, Amsterdam’s Pride Festival typically attracts around half a million visitors each year in late July in celebration of equality, diversity and personal identity. Should you happen to visit around this time, you’ll find local bars and clubs veritably thriving with festivity. Various street parties and events bring together thousands of revelers dressed in the full color spectrum to enjoy live music performances and Amsterdam’s famous Canal Parade, during which over 80 official vessels celebrate the past, present and future of the LGBT community. Uitmarkt Late August marks the opening of the Netherlands’ cultural season, with Uitmarkt standing as its opening act. The largest cultural festival in the country, Uitmarkt draws in over half a million visitors each year to appreciate a huge selection of performances taking place throughout the city. Over 2,000 of the Netherlands’ best performers, musicians, actors, orchestras and filmmakers come together to perform across more than 30 venues. The full program of events is offered free of charge to the public and includes everything from classical music performances to dance demonstrations and everything in between in a show of the country’s vast cultural wealth. De Parade Touring the country’s five largest cities, De Parade is a traveling theater festival that transforms the open spaces of its host cities into festival venues filled with colorful carnival tents, live entertainment acts, a carousel and a variety of family activities and food stands. Beginning in Eindhoven, the event also travels to Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht before arriving at its final destination in Amsterdam. The festival typically arrives in Amsterdam in August and offers locals and visitors alike the chance to revel in fun-filled performances and the jovial carnival atmosphere. Whether you’re a fan of theater and the circus or simply want to spend an evening exploring the event grounds accompanied by live music and delicious local delicacies, De Parade is well worth a visit.
Robert Heaney

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