Netherlands, Europe
Amsterdam in April
Tulip peak and King's Day on April 27. Glorious, and the year's most crowded, priciest stretch. Book months out.
The straight answer
April is one of the best months of the year to visit Amsterdam. Tulip peak and King's Day on April 27. Glorious, and the year's most crowded, priciest stretch. Book months out.
- Weather
- Cool spring, highs near 55F (13C), changeable
- Crowds
- 5 of 5
- Prices
- 5 of 5
What April is like in Amsterdam
April is peak tulip season and the city's most crowded, most expensive month. Days are cool and changeable, with highs near 55F (13C), sunshine one hour and a shower the next. Keukenhof and the bulb fields are usually at their best around mid month. On April 27 the whole city turns orange for King's Day, and museums and most shops close for the party.
Come now if flowers or a huge street party are the reason for your trip, and book rooms and tickets months ahead. If you want calm sightseeing, avoid King's Day week and consider May or September instead, when the city is easier to move through and cheaper.
Make the most of April
What is especially good about Amsterdam this month.
Tulip peak
Mid April is usually the high point in Keukenhof and the striped fields around it. The exact week shifts with the weather each year.
King's Day
On April 27 the city fills with orange clothes, flea markets on every sidewalk, and boats packed with partygoers. It is loud and fun, and not a museum day.
Bike through the bulb fields
Renting a bike near the gardens and riding past the fields has no lines and no tickets, and it is often the best part of the day.
What to pack for April
- A light waterproof jacket for sudden showers
- Something orange if you are here for King's Day
- Comfortable shoes for long days on your feet
- A warm layer for breezy bike rides in the fields
Our timing tip
Go to Keukenhof at opening time on a weekday, and book your Anne Frank House slot the moment tickets release six weeks before your visit.
Book Amsterdam for April.
Sponsored links to Expedia and Vrbo. We may earn a commission; it never changes a verdict.
- Hotels for April
Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in AmsterdamOpens a hotel search for Amsterdam in April, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
- Rentals on Vrbo
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in AmsterdamWhole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
- Tours and tickets
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in AmsterdamTimed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Amsterdam for April. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
What's on in April
King's Day (Koningsdag)
April 27 every year, moved to April 26 when the 27th falls on a Sunday, with King's Night parties the evening before
The whole country turns orange for a nationwide street market and the biggest party of Amsterdam's year.
Tulip season
Late March through mid May, peaking in mid April most years
Keukenhof's gardens and the surrounding bulb fields draw the world. Book everything early for April.
King's Day (Koningsdag)
April 27 every year
The national birthday party: the whole city in orange, citywide street markets, and boats packed gunwale to gunwale. Sleep is optional; booking early is not.
Things to do in Amsterdam
Rijksmuseum
Book a morning slot and head straight for the Gallery of Honour: Rembrandt's Night Watch with breathing room is worth the early start.
Van Gogh Museum
Timed tickets only and they do sell out; book at least a week ahead in season. Late-afternoon slots run calmer.
Anne Frank House
Tickets are released online six weeks ahead and vanish fast in every season. Set a reminder; there is no meaningful walk-up option.
A canal cruise or rented boat
The city reads differently from the water. Small open boats and evening cruises beat the big glass-roof barges.
The Jordaan
The prettiest wandering neighborhood: hofjes (hidden courtyards), Saturday's Noordermarkt, and brown cafes made for a rainy hour.
Vondelpark by bike
Rent wheels and do the classic loop, then keep going: the free ferries behind Centraal Station reach the post-industrial cool of Noord in ten minutes.
Beat the crowds
- Book the big three ahead in every season: Anne Frank House the moment tickets release six weeks out, Van Gogh at least a week out, Rijksmuseum for the first morning slot.
- The crowds concentrate on a few corridors: Damrak, the Red Light District, and the Museumplein approaches. Two streets over in the Jordaan or the Nine Streets, density drops by half.
- For tulips, go at Keukenhof's opening hour on a weekday, or skip the gardens for a bike ride through the bulb fields, which have no lines at all.
- King's Day week is a decision, not an accident: come for the party and book months ahead, or shift your trip a week either side and enjoy near-peak spring at lower intensity.
Know before you go
- Amsterdam works year-round, full stop. No vacation shutdown month, no seasonal closure wave: the museums, restaurants, and canal cruises run at full strength from January through December.
- The one hard seasonal gate is Keukenhof: open only from roughly late March to mid May. Miss the window and the famous gardens are simply closed, though the city's flower market runs all year.
- King's Day (April 27) closes museums and most shops while the street party takes over; the days around it run normally but at maximum occupancy.
- December 25 and January 1 close most museums and shops; the Light Festival and the city's restaurants carry the holiday week.
Amsterdam in April, quick answers
Is April a good time to visit Amsterdam?
April is one of the best months of the year to visit Amsterdam. Tulip peak and King's Day on April 27. Glorious, and the year's most crowded, priciest stretch. Book months out.
What is the weather like in Amsterdam in April?
Cool spring, highs near 55F (13C), changeable.
Is Amsterdam crowded in April?
April is peak crowd season in Amsterdam; expect lines at the headline sights.
What is happening in Amsterdam in April?
Tulip season (late march through mid may, peaking in mid april most years); King's Day (Koningsdag) (april 27 every year).
Keep planning Amsterdam.
The months either side, and the best one if this is not it.
Also at their best in April
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