10 Things to Do in Amsterdam in Spring

Spring is the best time to visit Amsterdam. It is a season when good weather, flowers, gastronomy and cultural events come together.

The main events, celebrations and attractions of the Dutch capital are available in spring. In addition, during this season you will be greeted by an explosion of tulip fields, unique festivals and one of the most famous Dutch celebrations: King's Day.

With the arrival of spring, one of the plans that becomes more relevant in taking a cruise on the canals of Amsterdam. There are numerous options:

• Amsterdam canal cruise on a glass-roofed boat, from $20, from which you can see the most popular monuments and places of the city such as the Anne Frank House, the rich Golden Curve, the Red Light District or the narrow bridge, and you will have an audio guide at your disposal.
• Grachtengordel' cruise, from $23, also one hour long and with audio guide in which you can navigate through the canal belt, one of the most recognized areas of the city.
• Night cruise along the canals of Amsterdam, from $27 €, where you can see the most emblematic places of the city as Moulin Rouge, Rijksmuseum or Blauwbrug bridge under the starlight in a tour of an hour and a half.

In addition, you can buy a combined ticket that includes the cruise and another activity such as:

• Madame Tussauds ticket, from $43.
• The experience of visiting the Amsterdam Ice Bar, from $42.
• Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, from $39.
• The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, from ** $45**.

From flower markets to lush city gardens, there are plenty of places to find tulips in Amsterdam. Over 1 million tourists come to Amsterdam in the spring with the intention of seeing these tulip fields and enjoying their beauty.

The best way to experience the tulip fields of Lisse is to book a bike tour of Amsterdam and ride along the various marked trails, which will take you through vast seas of flowers. Just west of Lisse is Noordwijkerhout, home to the Dutch Flower Strip (Bollenstreek). I recommend touring this stretch of tulip fields as you travel between Haarlem and Leidan. However, it is also possible to visit part of the strip if you travel west from Lisse and then south along Leidsevaart.

You also have the option of going by bus through Amsterdam. Buses leave every hour from Schipol Airport to Lisse, it's all a matter of knowing your way around Amsterdam.

Another way to see the tulip fields and springtime atmosphere while enjoying one of the city's most touristy villages is to book an excursion from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans, the famous windmill village, which features one of the most admired Dutch landscapes.

There are many ways to get to Zaanse Schans from Amsterdam, including an organized tour. Entrance to Zaanse Schans is free with the I amsterdam City Card, one of Amsterdam's best tourist passes.

However, if you don't have much time and don't want to spend a day outside Amsterdam, don't worry! Amsterdam is home to eight windmills and some of them are very easy to access, such as the windmill at Brouwerij 't IJ.

Keukenhof is one of the largest gardens in the world and the main reason people visit Amsterdam in the spring. If nature is something you appreciate, you've probably seen photos online of its flower gardens, a unique landscape.

To get there, you can opt for a Keukenhof tour with windmill cruise. These trips are very frequent in spring. However, as this is one of the most popular spring attractions, you should get tickets to Keukenhofl well in advance** to make sure you can visit it on the day you want.

In general, it's best to avoid the afternoons if you want a less crowded experience. Also, I strongly recommend you avoid going during the Easter weekend, as Keukenhof gets too many visitors on those dates.

It's true that cycling in Amsterdam is a year-round activity to do; however, if there is a prime time to book an Amsterdam bike tour, that time would be in spring. This is because there are fewer tourists than in summer, but it is also a more reliable time of the year to cycle than winter where the slippery ground and cold weather make this activity a health risk.

I recommend Amsterdam bike tours, these are a great way to get to know Amsterdam and avoid traffic jams. Here are several options for you to consider:

• Amsterdam Bike Tour, from $29, in which you will not miss any of Amsterdam's must-see sites in a two and a half hour tour.
• Historical bike tour of Amsterdam, from ** $36**, in which you will discover essential places such as the Vondelpark or the Jordaan district.
• Bicycle tour of the hidden Amsterdam, from ** $41** €, in which you will enter the hidden and less frequented places of the Dutch capital.

Of course, above all, I recommend cycling through the parks of Amsterdam.

The people of Amsterdam, along with the rest of the country, take to the streets on April 27 to celebrate Koningsdag (King's Day). Amsterdam residents transform the city into a sea of orange with colorful costumes, hats and wigs, an experience not to be missed if you want to visit Amsterdam in April or in the spring season.

For family activities, Vondelpark is the ideal place. While, if you're looking for a bit of nightlife, the King's Night celebrations (on the eve of King's Day) are for you; these take place in the Jordaan district. You will see how the whole district is flooded with nightly street parties accompanied by music and celebrations.

Join the locals as they celebrate Easter in Amsterdam, particularly on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Sample delicious cakes and cookies from Amsterdam' s bakeries and enjoy traditional Dutch Easter foods at the city's markets.

While the date of Easter varies from year to year, some of it always happens in the spring, so make the most of the holiday to find some of the best chocolate stores in the city. One of the best stores for the occasion is Van Soest in Utrechtsestraat, here you can find the most beautiful and tasty Easter eggs.

The highlight of the Easter celebration in Holland is the rich brunch, a mix of breakfast and lunch and you can enjoy it in several restaurants and food places in the city.

One of the favorite exhibitions of the year starts in spring, usually from April to June, and takes place in one of Amsterdam's oldest churches, Nieuwe Kerk.

The World Press Photo Exhibit is an exhibition of stunning photos of Amsterdam and chronicles some of the most important events of the year. An incredible way to learn about what happened from the photographic art.

Amsterdam is also fortunate to host the World Press Photo Festival, a related festival that takes place in April. In this one the atmosphere is more sociable and there are many micro-events of a certain fame. Both are not to be missed if you are interested in photography or events in the city.

One of the most typical springtime events in Amsterdam is feeding the baby animals, a time-honored tradition that has become a tourist attraction. Spring is traditionally the time of year when baby animals are born.

And you don't need to leave the city to witness this adorable spectacle. Just head to one of Amsterdam's many zoos or pet ting farms to surround yourself with baby goats, lambs, rabbits, piglets and more. The city of Amsterdam has dozens of spaces to care for animals.

Whether you have kids or not, going to see baby farm animals is a beautiful springtime activity and a great way to escape the cityscape for a few hours. I recommend the goat farm at Amsterdamse Bos, and the pet farms at Amstelpark and Westerpark. There is even a small urban farm in De Pijp.

During springtime in Amsterdam, all the street markets are filled with vendors selling fresh flowers, various types of food and small trinkets. There are several interesting street markets at this time of year, hence some of them are worth exploring.

The Albert Cuyp market and the Westerstraat market are the most atmospheric; however, the Bloemenmarkt is a must-see in spring. This historic flower market is the best place to buy tulip bulbs in Amsterdam or shop for garden-themed souvenirs. If, on the other hand, you're looking for variety, the Saturday markets on Kinkerstraat, Noordermarkt and Lindengracht are the choice.

While Albert Cuyp's daily market is the top market, it's usually too crowded in spring, so don't focus your entire visit on this one.

If you travel to Amsterdam in the month of May, tattoo the date May 5, as on this day Amsterdam and the Netherlands pause to celebrate the country's liberation from German troops. To celebrate the country's social freedoms, the city comes alive with a selection of festivals, concerts and special events, including public banquets known as Freedom Festivals and a large floating concert on the Amstel River, attended by the King and Queen.

Not only that, but it is also one of the best days to visit Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter, as it is very atmospheric and in tune with the celebrations.

For more information about Remembrance and Liberation Day in Amsterdam visit this website.

During the spring months, the weather in Amsterdam undergoes a remarkable change. While winter is filled with rainy days that are cold and somewhat miserable, the spring months bring cool weather and bright skies.

From mid-March to the end of May, Amsterdam is filled with clear blue skies, sunshine and mild temperatures. Daytime temperatures range from a low of 10 °C to around 20 °C on a good day.

You may have a few rainy days in spring; however, this just makes the grass look greener and the flowers bloom more.

Spring is one of the most beautiful seasons to enjoy the city; however, it is also the second most visited season in Amsterdam. The curious thing is that the tourist influx in spring follows an increasing linear trend, with March being the least crowded spring month and May the most crowded.

Therefore, if the influx of tourists is a detail that worries you a lot, I recommend visiting the city in mid-March, since, despite the abundant rainfall, if you can see some glimpses of spring.

Although spring lasts a few months and every month is a whole world, if I have to stick to just one, it would be April without a doubt. April in Amsterdam is when the tulips are in their best bloom, and it is also the month with the most events.

Also, the number of visitors is quite a bit less than Amsterdam in the summer or in the month of May. Although to be frank, it will depend a bit on what you want to see, so I recommend you to know what is special in each of the spring months (March, April and May) to get a much more complete idea.