‹ Holidays · The Amsterdam food guide
Thanksgiving to New Year's · 2026-27
The holidays in Amsterdam
The Light Festival on the canals, skating on Museumplein, oliebollen from a stall in the cold, a long Christmas with two days off, and a New Year's Eve that, from this year, moves to Museumplein.
Photo: Alf van Beem, public domainThe dates to know
- Oct 24 to Jan 16 · On nowIce rink on MuseumpleinListed dates, check before you go · From Ultimate Christmas Markets
- Nov 26 to Jan 17Amsterdam Light Festival on the canals (dates subject to change)Listed dates, check before you go · From iamsterdam, Wego
- Dec 17 to Jan 2Winter Paradise at the RAI (another source says from Dec 12)Listed dates, check before you go · From Amsterdam Tips, Ultimate Christmas Markets
- Fri, Dec 25First Christmas Day: kerststol for breakfast, a long dinner
- Sat, Dec 26Second Christmas Day: also a holiday
- Thu, Dec 31Oudejaarsavond: oliebollen all day, and Museumplein at midnight
The Christmas markets
Where to drink something hot and buy something you can eat on the walk.
1A photo like it
Museumplein Christmas village
Get: Glühwein by the rink and something fried from a chalet.
Skating in front of the Rijksmuseum is the Amsterdam picture of December.
Book rink slots online on weekends.
From Amsterdam Tourism, Ultimate Christmas Markets · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: DALIBRI, CC BY-SA 4.0
2A photo like it
Winter Paradise
Get: Snacks between the ice rink and the snow slope.
An indoor winter fair, not a traditional market: the rainy-day plan with kids.
Tickets are for a time slot, from about €22.50.
From Winter Paradise, Amsterdam Tips · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: DALIBRI, CC BY-SA 4.0
The lights
The lights worth leaving dinner for, in walking order.
The lights walk
From the rink on Museumplein through the canal ring to the Light Festival at the Magere Brug. About 35 minutes.
Walk it in Google Maps3
Amsterdam Light Festival
Look for: The light artworks along the canals, on foot or from a boat.
The city's winter festival: artists' installations over the water.
Walk the route for free, or book a canal boat; tickets went on sale October 1.
From iamsterdam, Stromma · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo: Alf van Beem, public domain
The holiday sweets
Where to get the oliebollen, hot from the fryer. The stands open in late November and the lines are longest on December 31.
4A photo like it
De Amsterdamse Oliebollenkraam
Get: Oliebollen, plain with powdered sugar, and an appelflap.
Named the best oliebollen stall in North Holland in last year's tasting.
Go before the 31st; on the day the line is long.
From Rodi, iamsterdam · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Andy Li, CC0
5A photo like it
Oma Coby's Oliebollenbar
Get: Oma Coby's family-recipe oliebollen.
A grandmother and her grandson bake them to fund parties for lonely older people.
Order online and pick up; check its page for this year's spots.
From iamsterdam, FavorFlav · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Andy Li, CC0
New Year's Eve
Fireworks are banned in most of the center from this year: the party is on Museumplein.
6A photo like it
New Year's Eve on Museumplein
Get: A bag of oliebollen, bought on the way.
With fireworks banned in most of the center from 2026, this is where the city counts down.
Arrive by 9pm for a view. Check the city's plan nearer the day.
From Amsterdam Tourism · checked Nov 8, 2026
Photo like it: Alf van Beem, public domain
On the map
Plan your holiday trip
Tell Chef your dates and where you're staying. He puts the markets, the lights and the dinners you save into your Trips and fills the days around them. Free, no password.
More for your trip
The holidays somewhere else
JJonahJackalope17 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in New York
From the tree going up on November 7 to the ball dropping on New Year's Eve.
Jean-Pierre Dalbéra from Paris17 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Paris
The Champs-Élysées lit from late November, the Christmas market by Notre-Dame, the bûches de Noël from the great pâtissiers, the réveillon dinners on the 24th, the Saint-Sylvestre on the 31st, and the galette des rois in January..
Les Hull15 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in London
The West End lit from early November, Winter Wonderland and the river markets, the mince pies worth crossing town for, who's serving Christmas Day (the Tube doesn't run), and the New Year's Eve dinners. With our own holiday Almanac..
Nicholas Gemini15 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Rome
Rome does Christmas around the table.
Daniel X. O'Neil from USA13 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Chicago
The tree goes up in Millennium Park on November 20 and the German market opens the same night. Here's the lights weekend, the Walnut Room under its tree, stollen from the old German bakeries, who's open Christmas Eve, and where to eat on New Year's Eve..
Kstipek13 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Vienna
The Christkindlmarkt in front of the Rathaus, Punsch at Spittelberg, the chandeliers over the Graben, Vanillekipferl from Demel, carp and a long dinner on the 24th, and the whole Innere Stadt out on the Silvesterpfad on the 31st..
Jordiferrer8 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Barcelona
The Santa Llúcia fair in front of the cathedral, the lights up Passeig de Gràcia, turrón from the old shops on Portal de l'Àngel, a long Christmas lunch on the 25th, canelons on Sant Esteve, and grapes at midnight on the 31st..
Luis García (Zaqarbal)10 picks · markets, lights, sweets
The holidays in Madrid
The market in the Plaza Mayor, the lights down Gran Vía and Alcalá, turrón from Casa Mira, Lhardy's consommé on Christmas Eve, twelve grapes under the clock at Sol, churros at dawn, and the roscón for the Three Kings on January 6..
Good to know
What are the best Christmas markets in Amsterdam?
Museumplein Christmas village (Museumplein, Zuid, December, dates not confirmed; the ice rink runs October 24 to January 16); Winter Paradise (RAI Amsterdam, Zuid, About December 17 to January 2, 9am to 11pm).
Where are the best Christmas lights in Amsterdam?
The lights walk: Museumplein Christmas village, then Amsterdam Light Festival. From the rink on Museumplein through the canal ring to the Light Festival at the Magere Brug. About 35 minutes.
Where can you buy the oliebollen in Amsterdam?
De Amsterdamse Oliebollenkraam: Oliebollen, plain with powdered sugar, and an appelflap. Oma Coby's Oliebollenbar: Oma Coby's family-recipe oliebollen.
Where to eat on New Year's Eve in Amsterdam?
New Year's Eve on Museumplein (Museumplein, Zuid): A bag of oliebollen, bought on the way.
Every pick was checked on November 8, 2026 and says where Chef found it. Market dates, holiday hours and menus change, and some places haven't posted 2026 yet (each card says which year it's from): check before you go. Photos marked "a photo like it" aren't of that place. Chef Amazing isn't paid by any place here. Something wrong or missing? hello@chefamazing.com.
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