Amsterdam in March

By Robert Heaney
Published: July 18, 2024
Line of iconic Amsterdam canal houses

If you’re looking to visit the Netherlands outside of the peak season, then a trip to Amsterdam in March might be just the ticket. Offering all of the gems of the Dutch capital without quite so many crowds and with slightly better weather conditions than the preceding winter months, March is a fantastic time to see the city at one of its most authentic times.

Visiting Amsterdam in March

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Average Temperature: 36 - 46°F • Average Rainfall: 9 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 4 hours/day

Seeing in the spring season, March is about as transitional a month as you can get in Amsterdam. While the trends of winter are still largely present – cold weather, high rainfall and short days – signs of the coming change are ever present. Running parallel to the changes in weather is the larger-scale changes in tourism rates, with March very much in the trough of off-season travel.

Throughout this period, tourism rates will still very much be experiencing a lull. While Amsterdam is never truly empty, this is among one of the quietest times to visit the city. There’ll still be enough visitors to give the Dutch capital a buzz, but you’ll be able to benefit from smaller queues for top attractions and low-season accommodation rates and airfare.

While the city is clearly beginning to warm up, it’s still very much worth wrapping up for Amsterdam in March. At the same time, an umbrella and some waterproofs will likely also go a long way, as you can expect at least one day of rain per week. On the literal bright side, you can also look forward to more sunshine on average, allowing for better photo opportunities and better conditions to explore the city’s iconic streets.

Things to Do in March

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A trip to Amsterdam in March is likely to be a cold and often wet one. As such, you may find yourself drawn more toward exploring the city’s inner world of history and culture, leaving its emblematic streets and canals for a warmer day.

For your fill of Dutch history, make your way to the Amsterdam Museum, where you’ll be able to explore a vast collection of art and historical artifacts chronicling the city’s history from medieval times to present. Follow that up with a visit to the Maritime Museum to discover the Netherlands’ impressive history of nautical endeavors and the part it played in the Age of Exploration.

Romanticized somewhat by its throughput of renowned artists, Amsterdam is also home to a wealth of art galleries. At the forefront is of course the Rijksmuseum, home to the Netherlands’ largest collection of artworks and historical artifacts. Following close behind is the Van Gogh Museum, where you can explore the biggest public collection of the famous Dutch painter’s works.

If there’s anything you’re likely to notice on your trip to the Netherlands, it’s the huge prominence of bicycles. With more bikes than people, one of the best ways to see Amsterdam is on your own pair of wheels. Those interested in a more active approach to their visit will find a plethora of bike rental stores scattered throughout the city, typically offering day rates in the region of €10/day.

With weather on a general upcurve from this point onward, you might find March a perfect time to take a canal boat tour to see the city from a brand new perspective. These tours are likely to be quieter now than around peak-season, so if you’re willing to brave the likely chill, you’ll be rewarded with some unique views of the Dutch capital along with expert insights into the surrounding history.

Events in March

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Cinedans Fest

Over the course of roughly a week in March, Amsterdam hosts the world’s largest and most diverse dance-related film festival in the world. Cinedans serves as a celebration of the medium of dance, showcasing developments in the dance world and looking toward the future of such artistic expression.

The festival is spread across an impressive program of feature-length dance film screenings, short films and documentaries, expert lectures, debates and workshops for those looking to explore the world of dance theatre. Hosted within the EYE Film Museum, the festival also offers various interactive installations throughout the week.

Kaboom Animation Festival

Held in late March, the Kaboom Animation Festival is the amalgamation of two similar festivals, the KLIK Amsterdam Animation Festival and the Holland Animation Film Festival. For roughly a week, cinemas in Amsterdam and Utrecht become the home of the many unique animated feature films and shorts showcased by the festival.

The event serves to bring together fans and industry professionals to share in their passion for the animated arts and showcase the works of established and upcoming animators. Celebrating the Dutch animation industry in particular, the festival encourages animators to submit their work to be judged by experts for the chance to win one of a plethora of prestigious awards covering various genres, mediums and themes.

The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF)

Held in Maastricht, just a couple hours’ train ride from Amsterdam, TEFAF serves as one of Europe’s biggest art fairs and is widely considered to be the premier hub for fine art, antiques and design. The event is a platform from which to gather an international community of collectors, dealers and vendors from all areas of the art world.

Featuring over 280 prestigious dealers from around the world, the exhibition focuses largely on the classics and traditional Old Master paintings and antiques. However, the event also maintains a policy of diversity and modernity, showcasing contemporary artworks, photography exhibits and jewelry alongside many of its classic pieces.

Taking place over roughly one week, the event also offers a diverse cultural program which serves to provide insights into key aspects of the industry across various disciplines and genres. Visitors are welcome to attend lectures by industry professionals and experts and engage in debates into ongoing issues throughout the art world.

Robert Heaney
Go City Travel Expert

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The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam
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Rijksmuseum Vs the Van Gogh Museum Comparison Amsterdam

Amsterdam is home to some of the finest Dutch art on the planet. Understandable, perhaps, given it’s the Dutch capital. But the sheer quantity and variety of national art you can ogle here is frankly mind-boggling. We’re talking Van Gogh, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Hieronymus Bosch and Willem de Kooning, to name just a few. We compared the collections of two of the most famous galleries – that’s the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum – to help you decide which you should visit on your Amsterdam vacation. Read on for our Rijksmuseum vs Van Gogh Museum comparison. First up… The Rijksmuseum Name: The Rijskmuseum’s name translates roughly as ‘state’ or ‘national’ museum, and is pronounced ‘rikes’. Age: The Rijsmuseum originally opened in The Hague in 1798 with an exhibition of around 200 paintings and historical artifacts, before moving to Amsterdam in 1808. It's been in its current location, a grand purpose-built gothic and renaissance confection designed by celebrated Dutch architect Pierre Cuypers, since 1885. The Rijskmuseum in brief: The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of the Netherlands, and the country’s largest, housing an epic collection of Dutch and international art (but mostly Dutch) that spans a period of some 800 years, from the 13th Century to the late 20th. What really sets it apart, and puts it up there with the likes of the Louvre, the British Museum and St Petersburg’s State Hermitage, is the quality of its collection; world-famous pieces here include Rembrandt’s The Night Watch (pictured above), Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, and The Merry Drinker by Frans Hals. Other European artists including El Greco, Rubens and Tintoretto also feature, and there’s a small collection of Asian art housed in the Asian Pavilion. The Rijksmuseum in Numbers: Size: It’s the largest museum in the Netherlands, with four levels and around 1.5 kilometers of walking required if you want to explore all the galleries. Number of artworks: There’s an absolutely whopping one million pieces in the Rijksmuseum collection, with around 8,000 on display at one time. Visitors: Around 2.2 million annual visitors make the Rijksmuseum one of the most visited in the Netherlands. Three Unmissable Rijksmuseum Highlights Rembrandt’s masterpiece of the Dutch Golden Age, The Night Watch, is considered so important that it has a gallery all to itself. This is also partially due to its popularity (and size: a whopping 12 by 14 feet.) Don’t miss Rembrandt’s iconic (and much smaller) Self Portrait with Disheveled Hair, also on display at the Rijksmuseum. Johannes Vermeer’s The Milkmaid, depicting domestic country life in 17th-century Netherlands, is his most celebrated work. Judith Leyster is one of just a handful of female artists whose work hangs in the Rijksmuseum. Attributed to Frans Hals for 250 years, The Serenade’s masterful use of light makes it one of her very best. Entry to the Rijksmuseum is included with an Amsterdam attraction pass from Go City, which can save you money if you plan to do several popular tours, activities and attractions while you’re in town. Get more information and buy your Amsterdam pass here. Next up… The Van Gogh Museum Name: The Van Gogh Museum is of course named after (and dedicated to the work of) the Netherlands’ most famous son. Age: The Van Gogh Museum opened at Amsterdam’s Museumplein in 1973, close to the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum and Concertgebouw concert hall. The Van Gogh Museum in Brief: It’s the world’s only museum dedicated entirely to the works of the Dutch maestro, and boy is it a doozy. We’re talking the largest collection of Van Gogh pieces on the planet, comprising some 1,300 paintings, drawings and letters, including iconic pieces like Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters. There’s also a decent smattering of notable works from Van Gogh’s Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pals to ogle here, among them sculptures by Rodin and paintings by Manet, Monet and Toulouse-Lautrec. The Van Gogh Museum in Numbers Size: significantly smaller vs the Rijksmuseum. You can ‘do’ the Van Gogh Museum in around two hours, whereas you’ll need more like five to fully explore the Rijksmuseum. Number of artworks: There are around 200 paintings, 400 drawings and 700 letters charting the development of Van Gogh’s work throughout his life. Visitors: The Van Gogh Museum packs a solid punch, attracting as many annual visitors as the much larger Rijksmuseum: around 2.2 million. Three Unmissable Van Gogh Museum Highlights Van Gogh created only five paintings for his celebrated Sunflowers series, and one of them hangs proudly here in the Van Gogh Museum. If you only see one painting while in Amsterdam, you might want to make it this one. Almond Blossom – branches and pale blossoms against a clear blue sky – is a fine example of one of Van Gogh’s favorite subjects. We guarantee you’ll leave the museum shop with this in at least one format: prints, postcards, playing cards and porcelain cups are all available. Dark, coarse and challenging, The Potato Eaters is considered a Van Gogh masterpiece for its realistic depiction of peasants gathered around a plain meal of potatoes. The Rijksmuseum or Van Gogh Museum: Which is Better? These are two very different museums, one charting the entire history of Dutch art; the other focusing primarily on one absolute master of his craft. So which of the Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum should you visit? Well, if you want to really get under the skin of Netherlands art and culture the answer is… both. The Rijksmuseum is going to tick a lot of boxes for you: old masters of the Dutch Golden Age, the Hague School, and 20th-century abstract modernism among them. But the one artist who is under-represented here (for perhaps obvious reasons) is Vincent Van Gogh (although, to be fair, the Rijksmuseum does contain his iconic Self-Portrait with Grey Felt Hat). So, if you love the Dutch legend’s colorful, choppy brush strokes, you’ll definitely want to take in the Van Gogh Museum too. 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. Grab an Amsterdam pass and see it all while you save!
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
shopping amsterdam
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Shopping in Amsterdam Guide

Vacationing in Amsterdam and have some extra cash you want to burn through? You'll need a guide to shopping in Amsterdam. But where will you find one that you can trust? Here, of course. Just scroll down and see what an authentic guide to shopping in Amsterdam really looks like! Including: De Bijenkorf Magna Plaza Nine Little Streets Haarlemmerstraat Albert Cuyp Market and more! Image courtesy of Travel-Fr/Shutterstock Where the labels lie Let's kick off our guide to shopping in Amsterdam with the big guns. If you're the sort to drip yourself in nothing but the biggest names and designer labels, spend your money more wisely! Just kidding, no judgment here. The good news is that Amsterdam more than caters to your opulent lifestyle choices thanks to De Bijenkorf, a chain of high-end department stores. They have stores all over the Netherlands, but you'll find their massive Amsterdam branch looming over Dam Square like a wealthy obelisk. Step inside its inviting revolving doors, and you'll be blown away by the number of floors on offer. Brands carve out their own territory here, defending it fiercely from neighboring competitors. Many, like Gucci, are so 'exclusive' that you'll have to wait by a rope cordon to be let in. Like a club, but no one's dancing or having fun. Still, if it's designer brands you want, it's designer brands you'll get, with countless big names calling this mausoleum to untethered consumerism home. A massive plaza Another structure that towers over Dam Square is the appropriately titled Magna Plaza, which roughly translates to Really Massive Place. Maybe. This grandiose building mirrors London's Parliament buildings, which was by design. Inside, you'll find a more rounded shopping experience, with food stores and restaurants cohabiting with fashion brands, cosmetics shops, and jewelry boutiques. And all of that sweet, sweet shopping is backed by the Magna Plaza's stunning interiors, which give every trip a sense of regality. Your bank account will feel pretty regal, too, because shopping is addictive, and you may have a problem. If you sit in Dam Square and squint hard enough, you can pretend that Magna Plaza and De Bijenkorf are facing off against one another, determined to be the best shopping complex on the block. Don't worry; they can't hurt you. Nine streets for nine treats Away from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam Central, you'll comfortably find some of the best shopping in the city. And better yet, given the city's size, you can easily walk there from Centraal Station in about 15 minutes. The Negen Straatjes, or 'Nine Little Streets' are, well, nine streets that emanate from Amsterdam's canal ring - colloquially called 'the ring'. Walk along these revered streets, and you'll find a wealth of unique boutiques, smaller designer shops from all over the world, as well as cafes, bars, and restaurants where you can rest your burdened feet. The perfect answer to the busyness of the aforementioned department stores, these streets are as much residential zones and daytime hangout spots as they are shopping destinations. So, head there, shop to your heart's content, and breathe in all that space and calm. Nice. Image courtesy of Harry Beugelink/Shutterstock Sound the Haarlem! Just a stone's throw from Centraal Station to the west, you'll find a quirky, calm, and clean shopping paradise to rival Nine Little Lanes! It's called Haarlemmerstraat, and along with its brother Haarlemmerdijk, it's one of the city's often overlooked gems. With a whole host of boutique shops, salons, and an underrated bar scene, it's a great place to spend your day, do some shopping, eat some food, and then experience the nightlife. Plus, you're so close to the water you might as well have a wander to Amsterdam's shores - you'll find even more bars, cafes, and restaurants there! Image courtesy of AsiaTravel/Shutterstock On the cuysp of greatness Of course, department stores and packed high streets aren't the only places for you to flex your plastic. You forgot about markets, silly. No self-professed guide to shopping in Amsterdam would be worth a thing without mentioning the city's brilliant market scene. And arguably, the jewel in its market crown is the Albert Cuypmarkt. Located in trendy De Pijp, it's one of Europe's biggest open-air markets, offering visitors and would-be shoppers a whole host of foods, clothes, accessories, and even flowers. If you're staying in an Airbnb, it's the perfect place to buy fresh groceries to cook up your own delights. Or, if the hotel is taking care of all that for you, go try some of the freshly cooked foods on offer! You'll find many uniquely Dutch treats available, including stroopwafels - the country's best. Image courtesy of Tupungato/Shutterstock Hoof it up the street Fashion seekers, beware. Some of Amsterdam's best shopping can be found at PC Hooftstraat, a short walk from the city's museum district. Arguably Amsterdam's most affluent shopping district, you'll find a wealthy world of designer brands from across the globe. Need some Mulberry in your life? Jonesing for some Chanel? PC Hooftstraat's got you covered. Plus, its location is a massive bonus if you want to combine your shopping shenanigans with a little culture. The Rijksmuseum, Moco Museum, and the Van Gogh Museum are right around the corner. And let's be honest, after all that swiping, you might require some calm and inspiring sights. Image courtesy of Harry Beugelink/Shutterstock Kalvern Klien? Kinda Another of Amsterdam's famous shopping streets, Kalverstraat is a more modest shopping experience. You'll find its beginning at the foot of Dam Square, because of course you will. Dam Square - the hub of many shopping opportunities. This one is arguably the busiest on the list, so strap in for some shambling. Unlike some of the others on this list, Kalverstraat is a more typical high street affair, with sneaker shops, affordable clothing stores, and well-known cosmetic spots. Nike, Lush, and Zara are just some of the many global brands you'll find on this list. While you could spend the whole day here, we'd recommend you know where you're going, get in, and get out - it simply draws too big a crowd to be considered a fun day out. Waterloo, baby We'll end this list on a bit of an oddity. Unlike Albert Cuypmarkt, Waterloopleinmarkt is a bit of a free-for-all. This flea market lets anyone come and set up a stall to flog their undesirables, so expect garage sale energy. However, anyone who's dared enter the realm of the garage sale knows this is no sleight. In fact, you'll find things at Waterloopleinmarkt you may not find anywhere else. Bargain hunt for rare toys, antiques, furniture, and other unwanted (and unvalued) items, snap them up in a pinch, and then sell them on to become a multi-billionaire. Chin up - anything is possible. And that's our guide to shopping in Amsterdam!
Dom Bewley
car park amsterdam
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Parking in Amsterdam - Advice on Best Car Parks

Car parks are a simple fact of life in today's vehicular society. So, if you're renting a vehicle or simply a car-owning resident, you may want some advice about the best car parks in Amsterdam? Well, never fear, we're here with our guide to parking in Amsterdam. Our aim? To answer one simple question - which are the city's best car parks? And that's our advice on the best car parks in Amsterdam. Parking might not be fun, but it is necessary! But what is fun is Amsterdam and all the things to do there! See them all with an Amsterdam pass, and find things to do between every park space!
Dom Bewley

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