Season guide · Amsterdam · Netherlands
Amsterdam in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Bulb season, King's Day and Liberation Day, with mild, changeable weather and the year's highest prices in late April. Expect highs up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 27 rainy days across March–May. April–May are among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 3°C (37°F) to 17°C (63°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 10°C (50°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 10 | 11.7 h | 3/5 |
| April | 14°C (57°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 8 | 13.8 h | 5/5 |
| May | 17°C (63°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 9 | 15.7 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 14°C (57°F) against a yearly 14°C (57°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 125 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Keukenhof gardens open (usually from mid-to-late March)
- April: King's Day — citywide street party and flea markets (27 April, or 26 April when the 27th is a Sunday)
- April: Tulip fields in bloom around Lisse (usually mid-to-late April)
- April: National Museum Weekend (usually April)
- May: Remembrance Day two-minute silence (4 May) and Liberation Day festivals (5 May)
Good choices for spring
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Museum · Museum Quarter
Rijksmuseum
The Dutch national museum's Gallery of Honour leads to Rembrandt's The Night Watch, with Vermeer's The Milkmaid, Frans Hals portraits and Delftware nearby.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Museum Quarter
Van Gogh Museum
Book the earliest or latest slot of the day, when the galleries are quietest.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
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Museum · Canal Ring
Anne Frank House
In the canal house at Prinsengracht 263, Anne Frank, her family and four others hid from the Nazis for two years in the Secret Annex behind a movable bookcase.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Gallery · Museum Quarter
Stedelijk Museum
Pair it with the Van Gogh Museum next door; the Stedelijk is usually much quieter.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Palace · Old Centre
Royal Palace Amsterdam
Built in the 17th century as the city hall, the Royal Palace on Dam Square is still used by the Dutch royal family for state occasions.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Day trips in spring
- Haarlem (About 15 minutes by train) — A smaller, calmer Amsterdam with canals, almshouse courtyards and the Grote Markt dominated by St Bavo's Church, whose organ Mozart played as a boy.
- Zaanse Schans (About 20 minutes by train plus a short walk) — A collection of working 18th-century windmills, green wooden houses, a clog workshop and a cheese farm along the Zaan river.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit Amsterdam?
Yes: April–May are among the best months. Bulb season, King's Day and Liberation Day, with mild, changeable weather and the year's highest prices in late April.
+What is the weather like in Amsterdam in spring?
Highs of up to 17°C (63°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.