Winter suits Amsterdam. The trees are bare, so the canal houses stand in full view. The afternoon light is low and golden, and by half past four the bridges begin to glow.
Here are ten things we love to do in the city between November and February. On the water, and on land.
A heated private canal cruise on a classic wooden boat
All winter · day, sunset or evening
Start where Amsterdam began: on the water. Venice is our classic wooden Venetian water taxi from 1971, the timeless Italian boat you may know from Venice and Lake Como. She is fully electric, so she glides without a sound.
In winter the cabin is heated and the boat can be fully covered. Prefer the open air? Sit outside under a soft blanket. On a sunny winter day, we open her to the sky.
The boat is entirely yours, with your own captain and a bar on board. We depart from our own harbour at the Apollo Hotel, or collect you at your hotel or anywhere along the canals. Your favourite champagne, roses, a cake for a birthday: tell us, and we arrange it. One call is enough.
From €495From 2 hours · up to 10 guests · entirely private
The Amsterdam Light Festival, seen from the water
26 November 2026 – 17 January 2027 · every evening
For its fifteenth edition, the Amsterdam Light Festival fills the canals with light art by artists from around the world. Many works are made to be seen from the water.
Arrive by private boat and you see them as intended: slowly, with a glass in hand and the heating on. Read more about our private Light Festival cruise.
Ice skating on Museumplein
24 October 2026 – 16 January 2027
Each winter an ice rink appears on Museumplein, with the Rijksmuseum as its backdrop. Skates can be rented on site. Go in the late afternoon, when the museum's facade lights up behind you.
Willem de Kooning at the Rijksmuseum
9 October 2026 – 17 January 2027
Winter is museum weather. The Rijksmuseum shows Willem de Kooning at work, a major exhibition of the Rotterdam-born painter: around 120 works, mostly drawings, alongside paintings and sculpture. Rembrandt's Night Watch is never far away.
Christmas markets in December
December
In December the city gathers around mulled wine and strings of light. Look for the Christmas village on Museumplein, next to the ice rink, and the design markets at the Westergasfabriek. Dates change each year, so check before you go.
A long afternoon in a brown café
Every neighbourhood has its brown café: dark wood, candlelight, conversation. Order a hot chocolate with whipped cream, or a warm slice of Dutch apple pie. Winkel 43 in the Jordaan is known for its pie, and rightly so.
A winter walk through the Jordaan and the Nine Streets
With the leaves gone, the gables, hoisting beams and old shopfronts are on full display. Wander from the Jordaan into the Nine Streets for small boutiques, and cross the Prinsengracht as the lamps come on.
Afternoon tea along the Amstel
The grand hotels of Amsterdam do winter well: a fire, a pot of tea, a view of the water. Book a table along the Amstel and let the afternoon go slowly.
The World Christmas Circus at Carré
Christmas season
Every Christmas season, Royal Theatre Carré on the Amstel hosts the World Christmas Circus, a long-standing Amsterdam tradition. A fine plan with children, or for anyone who misses the circus.
Sinterklaas and oliebollen
Mid-November · New Year
In mid-November, Sinterklaas arrives in Amsterdam by boat, and the whole city comes out to greet him. Around New Year, stalls appear selling oliebollen: warm Dutch doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar. Eat one on the street, the Dutch way.
The warmest seat on the canals
Whatever you plan for your days, keep one evening for the water. We arrange the rest.
Amsterdam in winter, briefly
Is Amsterdam worth visiting in winter?
Yes. The canal houses are in full view behind the bare trees, the Amsterdam Light Festival runs from late November to mid-January, and the museums, ice rink and Christmas markets give every day a plan.
Can you take a canal cruise in winter?
Yes. Our classic wooden boat is heated and can be fully covered, so a private cruise is comfortable in any weather. Prefer to sit outside? We have blankets on board.
What to do in Amsterdam on a rainy winter day?
Visit the Rijksmuseum, take afternoon tea along the Amstel, or see the city from a heated, covered boat. Rain on the cabin roof is part of the charm.
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