Koen & Cassandra
Things To Do
Kingsday Celebrations
Sunday April 27th Dresscode: ORANGE! If you are able to make it on time, don't miss out on the epic Kingsday celebrations throughout the country. You can choose to attend the festival (link attached), or just go to the city (Amsterdam) and join the various street/canal celebrations.
Liberation Day Celebrations
May 4th and 5th commemorates the Dutch liberation from German occupation during World War II. May 4th is Remembrance Day where ceremonies are held to commemorate all war casualties since the beginning of WWII. May 5th is Liberation Day where there will be lots of festivities throughout the country. Additionally, 2025 will be the 80th anniversary of the liberation.
Keukenhof (Lisse)
Opening times 21 March - 12 May 2024, 8 AM - 7:30 PM Make sure to look around on the website for tips and info. We strongly recommend going as early as possible as it can get extremely busy later in the day (entire tour busses). If you don't want the crowds at the park or pay the ticket price, but you still want to see tulips, you can also go to the various tulip fields surrounding Lisse and neighboring towns. Just be mindful that they are not as accessible. Also, be sure to respect the farmer and the fields by not trampling the flowers or trespassing.
Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)
The Rijksmuesum is the national museum of the Netherlands dedicated to Dutch arts and history. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the middle of Amsterdam and is close to the Van Gogh Museum. The museum is known for its collection of Rembrandt paintings, including "The Night Watch" and also houses a number of Van Gogh paintings as well. Touring the museum is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. Tickets can be bought in advance in the link below; we recommend booking several months in advance. You can opt for either a guided tour or download the app (just search Rijksmuseum in the app store) for an audio guide.
Van Gogh Museum (Amsterdam)
The Van Gogh Museum is a Dutch art museum dedicated to the works of Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. It has a fantastic collection of Van Gogh's artwork and is conveniently located near the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. Both museums can be toured in an afternoon if you spend just a couple of hours at each. Because tickets sell out extremely fast, be sure to book several months in advance. A link to purchase tickets is below.
Anne Frank House (Amsterdam)
For more than two years Anne Frank and her family lived in a hidden room of the building at Prinsengracht 263. It's possible still tour this house and see how Anne and her family lived during World War II. Because tickets sell out extremely fast, we recommend booking at least several months in advance (especially given that May is peak tourism season). Tickets can be booked at the link below.
Canal Tour of Haarlem
For those who want to explore Haarlem by boat, there is 50 minute boat tour that will take you by all the main sights in the city of Haarlem and tell you about the history of the city. Tickets are available for 20 euros a person and can be booked in the link below.
Tour Jopen Brewery (Haarlem)
Jopen Brewery offers daily tours and tastings at their brewery (which is located in an old church); feel free to check out the brewery for an afternoon snack or dinner.