✈️ What to do in Amsterdam in winter: light festival, ice rink and high tea

In winter, Amsterdam gets dark early, but it also switches on at full power. From late November, dozens of light installations line the canals, and an ice rink opens on Museumplein with a view of the Rijksmuseum. Then the city's second life begins: the Christmas market, oliebollen from street stalls, and tiered tea stands in cafes.

The challenge is the short winter day. In a couple of daylight hours you won't manage both a museum and a walk through Noord, and by December the lines grow faster than the temperature drops. So the editorial team has organized winter ideas by time of day and weather.

Below you'll find the light festival dates, the ice rink schedule, High Tea prices, and three cinemas with a proven atmosphere. Prices, dates, and hours were checked on 09/12/2026 on official websites.

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Winter Amsterdam: 12 ideas for December and January

💡 In short:

Plan your trip for late November or January: in December the city is packed.
Amsterdam Light Festival runs for the 15th time from 11/26/2026 to 01/17/2027.
Book High Tea and the ice rink in advance: on weekends slots sell out several days ahead.
Dates, prices, and hours: checked on 09/12/2026 on the festival's official website.

What to do	Best time	Where
Light festival	November and January, after sunset	canal belt in the center
Ice skating	November and December	Museumplein
Christmas market	December, day and evening	Museumplein
High Tea	in rain and frost	center and Westerpark
Shopping and gifts	weekday morning	Kalverstraat, Negen Straatjes
New Year's Eve	December 31	center and Jordaan

1. Amsterdam Light Festival in the center

The light festival has been running on the canals for the 15th time, from November 26, 2026 to January 17, 2027 (as of 09/2026, official website). Artists from different countries exhibit light objects along a route in the center, and in the evening the city turns into an open-air gallery.

The installations are best viewed from the water. From a boat, the light reflects in the canals, and you see the objects from the side they were designed for. The walking option also works: most of the works stand on the water and along the embankments, so you don't need a ticket.

Take the first evening slot. Later, the line at the docks grows, and the frost gets stronger, so standing on deck becomes uncomfortable. On a weekday there are noticeably fewer people; on weekends the bridges are crowded.

The festival route changes every year, and in the 15th season the organizers promise a new line along the canals (as of 09/2026, festival website). Boats depart from several docks in the center, and tickets for a specific hour are sold in advance. If you're traveling with children, take an early slot: by late evening the little ones struggle.

2. A walk through winter Amsterdam with a guide

If you don't want to search for the installations on your own, take a walking tour of the center. The two-hour route goes through the historic core, the Jordaan district, and the Negen Straatjes streets, and at the end you get mulled wine and a local snack.

This format is convenient on your first day. In two hours you'll get oriented with the neighborhoods, hear where locals eat, and then walk around the city on your own. Amsterdam tours on GetYourGuide also include evening canal cruises.

3. Ice rink on Museumplein

Amsterdam's main winter address: Museumplein. The rink is set up right in front of the Rijksmuseum, and in the dark you skate against the backdrop of the illuminated facade.

Rinks are also set up in other parts of the city. On Rembrandtplein, the rink opens in the middle of the square, so you can skate without leaving the center. Skates are provided on site, no need to bring your own.

On Museumplein, the rink has its own attraction. A bridge shaped like an Amsterdam drawbridge was built over the ice, and it's worth climbing up: from above you can see the whole rink and the skaters.

Next to the rink there's a bar where you can get hot chocolate with whipped cream after skating. During the day the square is lit, in the evening the string lights come on, and photos turn out best after sunset.

Where: Museumplein, in front of the Rijksmuseum (on the map)
When: mid-November 2026 to early February 2027 (as of 09/2026, official website)
Ticket: paid entry, skate rental is usually included in the price, check the exact amount on the rink's website
Who it's for: families and first-time skaters

4. Christmas market at Museumplein

Next to the rink in December, a small Christmas market called Ice Village opens. Wooden stalls sell waffles, hot drinks, designer goods, and Christmas ornaments, and in the evening it's all lit up with string lights.

The market pairs well with skating. First a lap on the ice, then a waffle and mulled wine at the stall, and if you're cold, you step into the bar by the rink. Come on a weekday afternoon if you want to take photos without the crowd.

The selection is typical for a Dutch fair: fresh waffles, hot chocolate, warm hats, home decor, and Christmas tree ornaments. In scale, the market is smaller than the fair in Maastricht, but it's in the center, and you can walk there from the rink in a couple of minutes.

5. Oliebollen from a street stall

Oliebollen are Dutch street pastries, the closest relative of the Berliner. A yeast dough donut is deep-fried and dusted with powdered sugar, with or without raisins. Stalls open a few days before New Year's Eve.

Street stall selling donuts by a canal in winter

AIIllustrative image: AI-generated

The process is simple. You buy a paper bag from a stall, walk to the nearest bridge overlooking the canals, and eat while it's hot. A cooled-down oliebollen loses half its flavor, so don't save it for the evening.

6. High tea: where to warm up with a pot of tea

In winter, Amsterdam offers not only the British but also the Dutch version of afternoon tea. You get a tiered stand with sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, pastries and pralines, plus a teapot with several types of tea on top.

Three-tier stand with pastries and sweets

The classic set looks like this: sandwiches with cheese and fish, scones with clotted cream and jam, small pastries and chocolate pralines. Portions are large, so don't plan a heavy dinner right after afternoon tea. Below are two places that serve it every day.

Cafe	Address	Reservation	Price
De Drie Graefjes	Rokin 130	2 days ahead	35 € (as of 09/2026, dedriegraefjes.nl)
Koffie ende Koeck	Haarlemmerweg 175	1 day ahead	32.50 € (as of 09/2026, koffieendekoeck.nl)

High tea at De Drie Graefjes

The cafe is located in the center, at Rokin 130, inside the Rokin Bakery. You need to book a table for high tea at least two days in advance, otherwise the slot you want won't show up in the system. The vegetarian version is ordered at the time of booking, in the comments.

Amsterdam canal with houses and bare trees

This set fills you up so much by evening that you won't need dinner.

Not for: those who need a fully gluten-free or vegan table: they don't offer that kind of high tea here (according to the official website)

Vegan afternoon tea at Koffie ende Koeck

The cafe is in Amsterdam West, right across from Westergasfabriek, at Haarlemmerweg 175. They make a vegan afternoon tea here, and it tastes no different from the regular one: sandwiches, baked goods and sweets with no animal products.

Book at least one day in advance, with two time slots: 11:30 to 13:45 and 14:00 to 17:00 (as of 09/2026, official website).

Who it's for: vegans and those walking around Westerpark and Noord

7. Christmas shopping on illuminated streets

In December, gifts are easiest to buy in two formats. The first is the big shopping streets Kalverstraat and Nieuwendijk with Dutch and international brand stores: it's faster, cheaper, and has a wider range of sizes. The second is the boutiques of Negen Straatjes: a small district in the center with fewer people and more interesting window displays. In December, both parts of the city are lit up, so shopping turns into an evening stroll.

Night street with Christmas lights and shops

Another street worth knowing is Utrechtse Straat. Here you'll find jewelry, unusual clothing, decor, and delicacies: chocolate, pastries, and coffee. During the Christmas weeks, the street is illuminated, and an evening walk along it becomes its own item on the itinerary.

Corner restaurant with a wreath on Prinsengracht

If you arrive in January, you get a second bonus: sales. Discounts reach up to half price, but sizes get picked over by the end of the month, so it's better not to put off shopping until the last day.

8. Tony's Chocolonely chocolate wall

The Dutch brand Tony's Chocolonely is sold in Albert Heijn and Jumbo supermarkets, but the brand store in the center has an advantage. It's located near Beurs van Berlage, and inside you'll see a wall with all the chocolate varieties.

Wall of colored Tony's Chocolonely chocolate bars

It works like a vending machine with levers. You pull the handle next to the bar you want, take it, and move on. The store carries seasonal winter flavors and chocolate letters you won't find in the supermarket, so it's a convenient place to stock up on gifts.

Bars cost a few euros, so even a small set won't break the bank. The store is open daily; check the hours on site, as the schedule changes during the holidays.

9. Cafes with an open fireplace

In Amsterdam cafes, people appreciate a live fire in winter. The editorial team highlights two tried-and-true spots. Pllek sits on the north bank, where a free ferry from Central Station takes you, and from there you get a view of the water across a small beach.

AIIllustrative image: AI-generated

The ferry ride takes just a few minutes, and in winter it's a pleasure in itself: from the water you can see the entire city center. At both places, order the local items: Koffie Verkeerd (coffee with lots of milk) and warm apple pie, served here with whipped cream.

The second spot is Hannekes Boom, not far from Central Station, right by the water. The fireplace here is inside the main room, so in freezing weather you sit around the fire with a portion of nachos and local beer. From the windows you can see the canal and the NEMO museum on the other bank.

10. Movies on a winter evening

Amsterdam cinemas show films in the original language with Dutch subtitles, so English works fine. Three theaters worth visiting for more than just the film are listed in the table.

Cinema	What makes it interesting	Neighborhood
Pathé Tuschinski	art deco interiors and lobby	center
The Movies	you can combine a ticket with dinner at the restaurant	Jordaan
Filmtheater De Uitkijk	small theater, balcony seating	center

Pathé Tuschinski is worth a look even without a film: the lobby evokes the lavish cinemas of the past century. At The Movies, you book dinner together with your screening and spend the whole evening in the theater. At De Uitkijk, everything feels homey: you sit on the balcony, and drinks are brought to your table.

Go for an evening screening: in rain and frost the theater fills up, and weekend tickets are best bought in advance. Check the program on the cinemas' websites; the schedule changes every week. If the film doesn't matter to you, come to Tuschinski just for the lobby: the ticket is inexpensive, and you can take in the interiors like you would in a museum.

11. Breweries and bruin cafés

Amsterdam's beer scene extends well beyond a single district. Dozens of breweries operate in the city, and the editorial team puts two at the top: Oedipus Brewery and Brouwerij 't IJ. Both brew unusual styles and welcome guests in their taprooms.

Brewery with a bar counter and customers

Order a proefbord. It's a set of several small glasses that lets you taste the difference between styles and pick your favorite. After that, look for a bruin café, the local name for old brown pubs: they pour local beer and never rush their guests.

12. New Year's Eve in Amsterdam

For December 31, restaurant tables are booked in advance, sometimes months ahead. If you want dinner in the center, contact the restaurant right after buying your tickets, otherwise only late slots or places far from the center will be left.

The second option is a ready-made program with a guide. Organizers assemble groups and take them through bars, clubs, and late-night venues, with entry and drinks included in the ticket. New Year's pub crawl tickets on GetYourGuide include VIP club entry, shots, and a guide.

New Year's fireworks are launched in different parts of the city, and in the center it stays loud until morning that night. If you want a quiet evening, choose a hotel away from Dam Square.

Day trip by train from Cologne

If you have one day and no overnight stay, the train is easier than driving. The Sparpreis Europa fare is tied to a specific train, and on the Cologne-Amsterdam route the quota sells out quickly: the earlier you book, the lower the price (timetable and fares on bahn.de).

Choose an early train from Cologne and a late one back. That way you can walk around the center, sit in a cafe, and get home the same day. Train tickets on Trip.com show the timetable and prices for your date.

All winter ideas on the Amsterdam map

The addresses in this article start at Museumplein: Open on the map. After that, you add the points yourself, because the cafes and cinemas are scattered around the center and Noord.

Tours and tickets in Amsterdam

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and activities — most offers can be cancelled free of charge.

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More Amsterdam ideas

The editorial team has plenty of material on Amsterdam: parking in the center, restaurants, hotels, and walks in other seasons. Winter Amsterdam is its own genre, but summer and fall ideas will also come in handy if you are planning a second trip.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Amsterdam in winter?

Ideally from late November through the first half of January, when the light festival is on. In December the city is at its most festive, but also at its most expensive: hotels raise prices, and the ice rink has long lines. January is quieter, cheaper, and good for sales.

Do I need a ticket for the Amsterdam Light Festival?

From the water, yes: canal cruises are sold in advance, and weekend slots get booked up. On foot, it is free, because the installations stand on the water and along the embankments, and the route through the center is open to everyone.

How much does High Tea cost in Amsterdam, and do I need a reservation?

At De Drie Graefjes, afternoon tea costs 35 € per person, and you need to book at least two days ahead (as of 09/2026, official website). At Koffie ende Koeck, the vegan version costs 32.50 €, book a day ahead, slots from 11:30 and from 14:00 (as of 09/2026, official cafe websites).

Where can I go ice skating in Amsterdam?

The main rink is on Museumplein in front of the Rijksmuseum. Skates are provided on site, so you do not need to bring your own.

What to do in Amsterdam in the rain?

Head to a cafe for High Tea, to one of the three cinemas, or to the shops on Kalverstraat. If you want warmth and a view of the water, take the ferry to Noord and go to Pllek: there is a fireplace, and the terrace looks out over the canal.

How do I get to Amsterdam from Germany?

The fastest way is by train, for example from Cologne. Buy your ticket in advance: the Sparpreis Europa fare gets cheaper the earlier you book, and the quota on this route sells out quickly. Check the timetable and prices on the Deutsche Bahn website.

In short: what to book

If you have two days in December: the ice rink and the market by day, the light festival in the evening. If you want it quieter and cheaper, move your trip to the second half of January. If you are traveling with kids, put the ice rink first and leave time for oliebollen.

Book the ice rink for weekends, a High Tea table, and a restaurant for New Year's Eve in advance. The ice rink, cruises, and New Year's programs sell out fastest in December, so do not leave booking until the last week.

For your trip, you will find Amsterdam hotels on Trip.com and museum tickets on Tiqets useful.

If you want a guided program, check out tours and cruises on GetYourGuide.

Winter Amsterdam: light festival, ice rink and 12 places to stay warm