6x: Spring activities in Amsterdam

Visiting Amsterdam in spring? 6x bucket list activities

The tulips have started to bloom, people are catching every ray of sunshine and all the locals are hopping on the boats in the canal. Amsterdam is all year round great for holidays, business trips and remote working, but spring is actually the best time to visit the Dutch capital. To prepare for your trip to Amsterdam, here’s our bucket list of fun activities:

1. Visit amazing food festivals

Foodies and wine lovers, tune in. Amsterdam offers lots of finger-licking food festivals, especially in spring, including ‘Rollende Keukens’, ‘Het Bottelfeest’, ‘TAPT festival’, ‘Funky Vegan Festival’ and ‘Bacchus Wine Festival’. To make it easy for you, we’ve created the perfect ‘Food Festival list’ so you can visit them all.

2. Strolling through the ‘9-straatjes’

If it’s your first time visiting Amsterdam, you definitely have to go to the 9-straatjes. This district, located in the centre of Amsterdam, is filled with authentic stores, second-hand boutique shops, beautiful galleries and amazing spots for lunch and dinner. And for all ‘photography or Instagram fans’; it’s also a great location to capture your Amsterdam experience and to take beautiful pictures.

>>> Is the weather going to be a-ma-zing? These are the best sunny terraces in Amsterdam!

3. Discover hidden rooftop hotspots

Let’s elevate your trip with Amsterdam’s best rooftop hotspots (yes, beautiful view included!):

A’DAM Tower (Amsterdam-Noord)
Order a cocktail at the rooftop bar after you let the adrenaline flow through your body on the highest swing in Europe. Read more.

NEMO (city centre)
Go to an exhibition, visit the interactive museum or enjoy the sunshine on the huge rooftop terrace. Find out more.

Bar Bistro Bureau (Amsterdam-West)

Fancy a delicious lunch in the open air with a nice view? Then drop by Bar Bistro Bureau and enjoy the view. Read more.

GAPP (Amsterdam-Oost)
A beer garden above the city. In your left hand, you have a refreshing beer, while your right hand reaches for crispy nachos. Sounds good? Find out more.

4. Sunny weather? Vamos a la playa!

After all, you’ll arrive at the beach in no time! Take the train to Zandvoort (from Amsterdam Central Station you can be in Zandvoort aan Zee within half an hour!). Looking for great places for drinks and food? Go to Ubuntu, Happy Fish or Kayuca. You have to walk about 15 minutes after you’ve arrived in Zandvoort, but believe us: it's worth it!

5. Go all out with a picnic

Although Amsterdam has countless great places for lunch; a spontaneous picnic is always a good idea! Here are the best spots for your picnic in Amsterdam:

Amsterdam Centre: Sarphatipark. A popular city park in the ‘De Pijp’ district that is filled with young adults. Be aware that it can get crowded on sunny days.

Amsterdam-Oost: Flevopark and Oosterpark. Oosterpark is slightly more centrally located and is a popular place to BBQ. Flevopark is a little further away and is therefore also a lot quieter.

Amsterdam-West: Westerpark. Here you can find fine eateries, play halls, terraces and playgrounds for kids.

Amsterdam-Zuid: Vondelpark is one of Amsterdam's larger city parks. Have a picnic, do some roller skating and enjoy the nice weather. Another great experience is to go to the Amsterdamse Bos and admire the 400 cherry blossom trees that will bloom in spring.

Psssst! You didn't get it from us, but: if you forgot something at the supermarket, you could have a delivery service like Getir or Flink deliver your picnic order to the park.

6. Visit a farm (or zoo!)

Surround yourself with fuzzy, newborn bunnies, goats, lambs and chicks. Are you in an exotic mood? Head to the city zoo Artis! This zoo organizes all kinds of fun events, so keep a close eye on the website.