Amsterdam - spring or winter?

[TripTrapTripTrapOverTheBridge]

I'm planning on a break in Amsterdam (not sure whether alone or to invite friends yet) but cannot decide when to go. My choices are between spring when the tulips are out, the weather is nice etc or first week of December when the lights will be over the canals and the festivities will have begun.

So, if you've been, help me decide!!! Btw main interest there is the Van Gogh Museum, other museums and galleries and just generally the appeal of the appearance

All year Amsterdam has lots to offer, but if you are going for 'festivities' bare in mind that the Dutch are not into Christmas in the way the British are. New Year is far bigger and a bit crazy you can access Christmas markets etc but you will most probably have to travel to find them. Having said that do usually have a light art display in winter which is great by canal boat. They will also have outdoor ice rinks.

Springtime offers the tulips and probably better weather for visiting windmills etc.

Anytime if the year it may well rain.

I love NL in May...

If you go at Easter next year (mid April) you'll see the tulips at their best. I'd advise taking a trip out of the city to the nearby Keukenhof gardens (lots of coach trips available).

100% Spring. I'm an Amsterdam blogger - we live in London but my husband is Dutch and we go all the time. It's bitterly cold in Winter and even though I know what to expect sometimes I still struggle. This year was brutal and we got snowed in there the week before Xmas. Pretty as it made the canals I was too cold to enjoy it with sideways sleet in my face!.

As others have said it's not Austria or Germany so not a big Christmas market scene and NYE is frankly horrendous. Still lots to enjoy but I'd say Spring which is glorious

Check out this post on my blog which might be helpful. Loads of other reccos if you browse the whole site. Let me know if I can help with anything!

amsterdamwonderland.com/2016/10/19/amsterdam-by-season/

That's a great blog tracelab.

We still live there, but even after several years still missed some of what you've written about. I guess as a local(ish - we try!) you get lost in the routine of life and miss some of the things.

But Sail2020 - we're already telling people to book their tickets!

I shall book mark your post and come back to it for each season!!

@bikingintherain thanks so much!! I always say I could never blog about London. When you live somewhere you have such a different relationship with it. Amsterdam is small enough to cover pretty extensively and gives us a reason to try new things each time we visit. I adore it there and blog somewhat obsessively about it as people have vastly the wrong impression of the city and generally get herded to what I refer to as "the lowlights"

Yes. Desperate to experience Sail Amsterdam 2020! And just realised I need to update the canal skating dates with this year!

Spring is best. I visit once or twice a month for work and it is bitterly cold in the winter months.

Pebbles I expect winter to be cold though, not something that would put me off lol

Hmm, if there isn't much in the way of festivities then it looks like spring would be the best option. I'd love the light art display but, as the run up to Christmas is my busiest time of year, I'm not convinced it's worth squeezing a holiday in and rushing work around it for! I was told there were Christmas markets everywhere and the arrival of Sinterklaus is a big thing?

Sinterklas IS a big thing although really for kids and the 'Intocht' when he arrives from 'Spain' only happens on one day.

I'm afraid there really aren't Christmas markets everywhere. It's just not really a Dutch thing and the Dutch tend to head to Germany to experience them. There are Olliebollen trucks (kind of heavy doughnuts) and the light festival is pretty cool but as everyone has said you're still better off heading there in Spring.

If you want a real Christmassy experience you'd be better going to somewhere like Vienna at that time of year.

The light festival in Amsterdam goes on until the middle of January.