10 Best Things to Do in Amsterdam in 2026 [UPDATED]

Amsterdam in winter feels magical — misty canals, glowing cafés and quiet streets create a romantic atmosphere 🌫️✨. The city slows down, letting you explore culture, nightlife and hidden corners without crowds.

1. Have a Photoshoot at the Tulip Fields — Winter Edition 🌷❄️

Where: Lisse Greenhouses & Indoor Flower Exhibitions
Info: Winter flower photography experiences

In winter, tulips bloom inside heated greenhouses while frost covers the fields outside 🌿❄️. Soft winter light creates dreamy photos without spring tourists 📸. It’s calm, colourful and surprisingly cosy.
Even in winter, Dutch growers keep tulips alive inside climate-controlled halls 🌡️. You smell fresh flowers while outside the world is grey and cold, which makes the colours feel even brighter ✨.

• Indoor tulip displays 🌷
• Crowd-free photography 📸
• Heated greenhouse comfort 🔥
• Peaceful winter vibe 🌫️

2. Blend in with the Locals and Go for a Bike Ride — Winter Ride 🚲❄️

Where: Amsterdam city centre & canal routes
Info: Winter cycling with locals

Locals never stop cycling, even in cold winds 🌬️. Quiet canals, glowing street lamps and quick café breaks make winter biking unforgettable ☕✨.
Cycling in winter feels slower and more poetic, with mist hanging over the bridges 🌫️. Locals wrap scarves around their faces and glide past silently, giving the city a movie-like mood 🎬.

• True local lifestyle 🚲
• Quiet winter streets 🌫️
• Scenic frozen canals ❄️
• Café stop breaks ☕

3. Embrace Your Inner Hipster at Westergas — Cozy Winter Culture 🎶❄️

Where: Westergasfabriek, Westerpark
Info: Winter markets, art & cafés

This former factory complex shines in winter with art shows, markets and live music 🔥🎨. It’s the perfect warm escape from cold streets.
During winter the complex hosts indoor festivals, pop-up markets and small concerts 🎤. The cold pushes everyone inside, so the atmosphere becomes warm, social and lively 🔥.

• Industrial winter charm 🏭
• Indoor art events 🎨
• Warm cafés & bars ☕
• Trendy crowd vibes 😎

4. Dive into the Famous Amsterdam Nightlife — Winter Nights Out 🍸❄️

Where: Leidseplein & city centre clubs
Info: Year-round nightlife hotspot

When it’s freezing outside, clubs get hotter inside 🔥. Winter nights here are packed, loud and unforgettable 🎧💃.
Coats pile up at the club entrance and people escape the cold together 🧥. Winter nights feel more intense, with crowded dance floors and steamy windows 🌬️.

• Busy winter dance floors 💃
• Warm club interiors 🔥
• Late-night energy 🎶
• Endless party spots 🍾

5. Meet All Your Favourite Celebrities at Madame Tussauds — Winter Escape 🎭❄️

Where: Dam Square
Info: Indoor wax museum

Step into a heated world of famous faces while the cold stays outside 📸. Perfect for relaxed winter afternoons.
This is one of the best bad-weather attractions in Amsterdam 🌧️. Families and couples hide from winter storms here while laughing and taking silly photos 📸.

• Warm indoor attraction 🔥
• Realistic wax figures 🎭
• Winter-proof fun ❄️
• Instagram-ready 📸

6. Live Out Your Royal Dream and Visit a Castle — Winter Fairytale 🏰❄️

Where: Muiderslot, De Haar & Zuylen
Info: Dutch historic castles

Frozen moats, foggy towers and candle-lit halls make winter castle visits magical 🌫️🕯️. With fewer tourists, it feels like stepping into a fairytale.
Winter silence makes the sound of footsteps echo through the stone corridors 👣. You really feel how people lived here centuries ago 🕯️.

• Foggy castle towers 🌫️
• Frozen moats ❄️
• Quiet royal halls 🕯️
• Fairytale atmosphere ✨

7. Get Freaked Out at the Body Worlds Exhibition — Winter Thrill 🧠❄️

Where: Damrak
Info: Real human body exhibition

Stay warm indoors while exploring what’s beneath the skin 😬. Educational, shocking and unforgettable.
Outside it’s freezing, but inside you walk slowly through warm, quiet exhibition rooms 🔥. It feels strange, fascinating and slightly unreal 😳.

• Heated indoor museum 🔥
• Real human exhibits 🧠
• Educational & shocking 😳
• Great winter escape ❄️

8. Enjoy Real Dutch Beer by the Biggest Wooden Windmill — Winter Brewery 🍺❄️

Where: Brouwerij ’t IJ, Funenkade
Info: Craft brewery beside windmill

Steam from beer meets cold winter air 🍻🌬️. The giant windmill outside and cosy tables inside make this a perfect winter stop.
The contrast between icy air and a hot beer in your hands is unbeatable 🥶➡️🔥.

• Windmill backdrop 🌬️
• Fresh craft beer 🍺
• Cozy indoor tables 🔥
• Authentic Dutch vibe 🇳🇱

9. Get Lost in the Classics at a Museum — Winter Culture 🖼️❄️

Where: Museumplein
Info: Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum

Amsterdam museums are winter shelters filled with masterpieces 🎨. Calm mornings mean fewer crowds and more space to explore.
Cold days make museums feel like hidden sanctuaries 🏛️. You can spend hours wandering without noticing the weather outside 🌫️.

• World-class art 🎨
• Heated galleries 🔥
• Peaceful winter visits 🌫️
• Cultural escape 🖼️

10. Take It Easy at a Coffeeshop — Winter Chill Spot 🌿❄️

Where: City centre coffeeshops
Info: Relaxed cannabis cafés

Warm lights, soft music and hot drinks make coffeeshops the ultimate winter retreat 🧣☕.
Winter afternoons move slowly here, making it feel like a living room away from home 🛋️.

• Warm seating areas 🔥
• Calm winter atmosphere 🌫️
• Friendly local vibe 🌿
• Cold-weather comfort ☕

Bike Taxi – Winter City Rides 🚲❄️

Where: Amsterdam city centre & nearby attractions
Info: Private bike taxi with warm blankets

Let a local driver glide you through misty canals while you relax under warm blankets 🌫️✨. It feels like sightseeing from a moving sofa through winter Amsterdam ❄️.

• Heated blanket seating 🔥
• Door-to-door winter rides 🚪❄️
• Perfect for couples 💕
• Zero frozen fingers 🧤