Best time to visit The Netherlands
Best time of year to visit The Netherlands
Mid-March to mid-May with a bit chilly weather and moderate prices is the best time to visit Netherlands. It's a period of the country coming to life: Keukenhof is bloomed with colourful tulips and the Hollandse Nieuwe Herring is the freshest. June through August boasts balm weather, fun events like Fierljeppen and tastes of Alkmaar cheese market but also shows tourist crowds and steep prices. Autumn off-peak season brings generous discounts to many hotels around the Netherlands. Winter will infatuate you with traditional Christmas treats and absence of tourist crowds at major sights. But whenever you get there, remember to pack an umbrella as the weather in the Netherlands is quite unpredictable.
16 THINGS TO DO IN THE NETHERLANDS (MAY 03 - MAY 12)
Keukenhof (Garden of Europe)
Witness seven million flowers blooming around you!
Tulp Festival (Amsterdam Tulip Festival)
Discover the most beautiful tulips during an amazingly bright event
Strawberry Season
The Netherlands have probably the best strawberries in the world!
Dutch Countryside & Windmills
Explore the scenic rural surroundings around Amsterdam: its windmill villages, fishing harbours, and local family farms
Tulip Season
These spring flowers transform the Netherlands into a large colourful carpet
Smoked Eel
Once a staple food, gerookte paling now became a delicacy and a must try
Hollandse Nieuwe Herring
Not every herring can be called Hollandse Nieuwe. Check the reason why this one gets the special name!
Red Light District
Marijuana, prostitutes, erotic shops, and even theatres—the place is able to satisfy any unspoken desires or mere curiosity. And though most think so, the district is not only about sex and stuff
Sailing and Cruising Season
The Netherlands are made for sailing! Sail the beautiful rivers and channels to admire this beautiful country
Whirling Elm Seeds
Natural confetti all around Amsterdam!
Rijksmuseum
Explore the best classic art by the masters of Dutch Golden Age
Dunes at Texel
The natural phenomenon of continuous sand drifting dunes at Texel National Park is a site for everyone to enjoy
Fierljeppen
Watch the traditional Dutch sport and try it yourself
Eastern Scheldt Lobster
The pride of Zeeland province, this lobster is like no other!
Orchids at Lauwersmeer
Lauwersmeer park is a beautiful area at any time, but when the orchids bloom it turns into magic
Birdwatching at Lauwersmeer
Lauswersmer National Park is one of the top birdwatching destinations in Europe!
54 THINGS TO DO OUT OF SELECTED DATE RANGE
Redhead Days (Roodharigendag)
out of rangeA celebration of everything about red hair and redheads
Alkmaar Cheese Market
out of rangeNo country is as famous with its cheese as the Netherlands is! Don't miss your chance to try out all the different cheeses available regionally in one place now
Amsterdam Light Festival
out of rangeEverything is illuminated around you. This is a period of Amsterdam beautifully transforming into a city from a fairy tale
Sail Amsterdam
out of rangeOne of the rarest and most remarkable events in Amsterdam!
King’s Day (Koningsdag)
out of rangeCarnival, dancing, singing and as much fun as you can ever imagine take place on the King's day (Dutch: Koningsdag), known before 2013 as Queensday, throughout the Netherlands
Scheveningen New Year’s Dive—Nieuwjaarsduik
out of rangeA typical Dutch tradition with a chilly turn!
Magical Maastricht Christmas Market & Light Route
out of rangeThe city of Maastricht is famous for its beautiful Christmas market and holiday lights
Amsterdam Dance Event
out of rangeOne of the biggest dancing events in Europe attracts 350,000 visitors from around the world yearly
Rotterdam Carnival Zomercarnaval
out of rangeRotterdam summer sparks with the vibrant and colourful carnival
Dutch Carnival—Vastelaovend
out of rangeEven though Carnival is more of a southern tradition, it's being widely celebrated in Catholic provinces of the Netherlands
Open Garden Days of Amsterdam
out of rangeA unique yearly event opens the hidden gardens of Amsterdam
National Tulip Day
out of rangeThere can be no excuse to miss the National Day of one of the Dutch symbols—the tulip
Deer at Zandvoort aan Zee
out of rangeVisit National Park Zuid-Kennemerland now to witness some macho behaviour of deers
Awakenings Festival
out of rangeSearching for a power-packed European techno event? Here you go!
North Sea Jazz Festival
out of rangeAnother biggie on European summer circuit is the North Sea Jazz Festival in the port city of Rotterdam
Schiermonnikoog Island
out of rangeA great summer retreat spot to enjoy walks, hikes, and picnics
Football Orange Fever
out of rangeThe Dutch are crazy about two things: football and orange colour
Gouda by Candlelight
out of rangeThe city of Gouda is not only famous for cheese, but also for its annual Christmas candle event
Ice Sculpture Festival in Zwolle
out of rangeAround 250,000 kilos of ice is yearly used to turn Zwolle's city centre into a majestic winter wonderland
Zeeland Mussels
out of rangeZeeland is famous for two things - lobsters and mussels. Now is the time for mussels!
The Four Days Marches Nijmegen
out of rangeThe greatest walking event in the world attracts crowds of 40,000 people to Nijmegen
Rollende Keukens (Rolling Kitchens)
out of rangeEnjoy the best meals from trucks in the middle of the city
Christmas Markets in the Netherlands
out of rangeThe Netherlands Christmas markets are about to impress you with the variety of festive stalls and dazzling lights
Bloemencorso Bollenstreek
out of rangeSpring brings lots of colors to Holland and is celebrated with the annual flower parade
Gay Pride Canal Parade
out of rangeOne of the most colourful and fun festivals on the canals of Amsterdam
Cherry Blossom
out of rangeAmsterdam is just as good at cherry blossoms as it is at tulip festivals
Easter Fires
out of rangeOne of the most spectacular celebrations of Easter happens in the Netherlands!
Mysteryland
out of rangeThe leading electronic music festival in the Netherlands
Skûtsjesilen Championships
out of rangeThe championship of the typical Frisian ships is a highlight of the region
Dauwtrappen: Kicking the Dew
out of rangeThe healthy yet odd custom fourty days after Easter
TCS Amsterdam Marathon
out of rangeA running event as a great occasion to visit the capital of Netherlands
Twente Ballooning
out of rangeOne of the most popular ballooning events in the Netherlands
National Mill Day
out of rangeWindmills and water mills open doors for all the fans
Valkenburg Christmas Markets
out of rangeFeel the genuine spirit of the holidays in the prime Christmas town of the Netherlands
Oliebollen
out of rangeA New Year culinary habit, attractive to most foreigners
Friese Ballonfeesten
out of rangeEnjoy one of the Netherland's biggest balloon festivals in Joure, the Balloon City
Chocoladeletters
out of rangeWe already know that Sinterklaas is the biggest holiday, but we haven't yet told you anything about these special treats!
Sinterklaаs
out of rangeOne of the most beloved traditional characters of the Christmas season in the Netherlands
Amsterdam New Year's Eve (Oud en Nieuw)
out of rangeThe party capital of the Netherlands is a perfect place for a New Year bash
Balloon Fiesta Barneveld
out of rangeA popular summer ballooning event in the Dutch province of Gelderland
Marathon Rotterdam
out of rangeOne of Europe's most popular running events
Cranberries at Terschelling and Vlieland
out of rangeThe island of cranberries is a true cranberry lovers destination now!
Sinterklaas Arrival Parade in Amsterdam
out of rangeMeet Dutch Santa Claus and his vigorous helpers
Oosterschelde National Park
out of rangeDo you want to see seals sunbathing? Visit Oosterschelde!
Best Kept Secret Festival
out of rangeGreat music in a unique and intimate environment
Flag Day Scheveningen
out of rangeMore of a national day it is a celebration of all things Dutch, including the "new" herring!
Snert
out of rangeA thick Dutch version of split pea soup is particularly good during winter
Pinkpop Festival
out of rangeThe oldest continuous pop festival in the Netherlands
Speculaas
out of rangeA popular Dutch Christmas treat
Relief of Leiden
out of rangeThe commemoration of the defeat of the Spanish siege in 1574 makes up a special celebration in Leiden
Venison
out of rangeWith the grand opening of hunting season, all meat lovers prepare their forks and knives!
Surfana Festival
out of rangeThe best weekend for all surf-minded people spiced up with music, food, and arts
Hutspot
out of rangeTraditionally eaten for the Relief of Leiden day, the hot stew is a nice filling dish
Winter Fun at Hoge Veluwe
out of rangeBeautiful snowy fairy tale exists!
