11 Things to Do in Amsterdam in Spring

Spring is the best time to visit Amsterdam. It's a season that combines good weather, flowers, gastronomy and cultural events.

The Dutch capital's main events, celebrations and attractions are available in spring. What's more, during this season you'll 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 most popular activities is a cruise through the canals of Amsterdam. There are numerous options:

• Cruise along Amsterdam's canals in a glass-roofed boat, from €16, from which you can see the city's most popular monuments and places such as the Anne Frank House, the rich Golden Corner, the Red Light District or the narrow bridge, and you will have an audio guide at your disposal.
• Cruise along the 'Grachtengordel', from €18, also lasting one hour and with an audio guide, where you can sail along the canal belt, one of the most famous areas of the city.
• Night cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, from €24, where you can see the city's most emblematic sights, such as the Moulin Rouge, the Rijksmuseum and the Blauwbrug bridge, under the starlight on a 90-minute tour.

You can also purchase a combined ticket that includes the cruise and another activity such as:

• Admission to Madame Tussauds, from €37
• The experience of visiting the Amsterdam Ice Bar, from €39
• The Heineken Experience in Amsterdam, from €39
• The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, from €45

From flower markets to lush city gardens, there are many places to find tulips in Amsterdam. More than 1 million tourists come to Amsterdam in 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 paths, which will take you through vast seas of flowers. Just west of Lisse is Noordwijkerhout, home to the Flower Strip of Holland (Bollenstreek). I recommend exploring this stretch of tulip fields as you travel between Haarlem and Leiden. 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 taking a bus from Amsterdam. Buses leave every hour from Schiphol Airport to Lisse, so it's just a matter of knowing how to get around Amsterdam.

Another way to see the tulip fields and enjoy the spring atmosphere, while also visiting one of the city's most popular tourist attractions, is to book a trip from Amsterdam to Zaanse Schans, the famous windmill village, which offers one of the most admired Dutch landscapes.

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

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, some of which 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 why people visit Amsterdam in spring. If you appreciate nature, you've probably seen photos online of its flower gardens, a unique landscape.

To get there, you can opt for an excursion to Keukenhof with a cruise past the windmills. These trips are very frequent in spring. However, as this is one of the most popular spring attractions, you should get your tickets to Keukenhof well in advance** to ensure you can visit on the day you want.

In general, it is best to avoid the afternoons if you want a less crowded experience. I also strongly recommend avoiding going during the Easter weekend, as Keukenhof receives too many visitors at that time.

It's true that cycling in Amsterdam is an activity you can do all year round, but if there's a prime time to book a bike tour of Amsterdam, it would be in spring. This is because there are fewer tourists than in summer, but it is also a more reliable time of year for cycling than winter, when slippery ground and cold weather make this activity a health hazard.

I recommend bike tours of Amsterdam, as they are an excellent way to get to know Amsterdam and avoid traffic jams. Here are several options for you to consider:

• Amsterdam bike tour, from €28, where you won't miss any of Amsterdam's must-see sights on a two-and-a-half-hour tour.
• Historical bike tour of Amsterdam, from €23, where you'll discover must-see places such as Vondelpark and the Jordaan neighbourhood.
• Hidden Amsterdam bike tour, from €39, where you'll explore the hidden and less frequented places of the Dutch capital.

Above all, I recommend cycling through Amsterdam's parks.

The inhabitants of Amsterdam, along with the rest of the country, take to the streets on 27 April to celebrate Koningsdag (King's Day). Amsterdam residents transform the city into a sea of orange with their orange clothing, hats and wigs, an unmissable experience if you want to visit Amsterdam in April or during the spring season.

For family activities, Vondelpark is the ideal place. Meanwhile, 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'll see how the whole district is flooded with night-time street parties accompanied by music and celebrations.

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

Although the date of Easter varies each year, it always takes place in spring, so make the most of this holiday to find some of the best chocolate shops in the city. One of the best shops for the occasion is Van Soest on Utrechtsestraat, where you can find the most beautiful and delicious Easter eggs.

The most important part of Easter celebrations in the Netherlands is the delicious brunch, a combination of breakfast and lunch, which you can enjoy at various restaurants and eateries around the city.

One of the favourite exhibitions of the year begins 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 striking photos from Amsterdam that recount some of the most important events of the year. An incredible way to learn about what has happened through the art of photography.

Amsterdam is also fortunate to host the World Press Photo Festival, a festival related to the former, which takes place in April. The atmosphere here is more sociable, with many well-known micro-events. Both are unmissable if you are interested in photography or events in the city.

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

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

Whether you have children or not, visiting baby farm animals is a lovely springtime activity and a great way to escape the urban landscape for a few hours. I recommend the goat farm in Amsterdamse Bos and the petting farms in Amstelpark and Westerpark. There's even a small urban farm in De Pijp.

During spring 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, so it's worth exploring a few of them.

The Albert Cuyp Market and Westerstraat Market are the liveliest, but the Bloemenmarkt is a must-see in spring. This historic flower market is the best place to buy tulip bulbs in Amsterdam or purchase garden-themed souvenirs. If, on the other hand, you are looking for variety, the Saturday markets on Kinkerstraat, Noordermarkt and Lindengracht are the place to go.

While it is true that the Albert Cuyp daily market is the most popular, in spring it is often too crowded, so don't focus your entire visit on this one.

If you're travelling to Amsterdam in May, mark the date of 5 May in your diary, as this is when 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 Parties 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 lively 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 noticeable change. While winter is full of 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 experience a few rainy days in spring; however, this only 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. Interestingly, tourist numbers in spring follow a linear upward trend, with March being the least busy spring month and May the busiest.

Therefore, if tourist numbers are a major concern for you, I recommend visiting the city in mid-March, as, despite the abundant rainfall, you can still enjoy some glimpses of spring.

Although spring lasts a few months and each month is a world unto itself, if I had to choose just one, it would be April without a doubt. April in Amsterdam is when the tulips are in full bloom, and it is also the month with the most events.

In addition, the number of visitors is significantly lower than in Amsterdam in summer or in May. Although, to be honest, it will depend a little on what you want to see, so I recommend finding out what is special about each of the spring months (March, April and May) to get a much more complete idea.