December in Amsterdam at a glance
- The Light Festival lights up the canals every evening from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027.
- The Museumplein Christmas market (Christmas Village) runs from 3 to 27 December 2026, free to enter.
- Three ice rinks operate over the holidays: on Museumplein, at the Winterparadijs in the RAI and at the Jaap Eden IJsbaan.
- 25 and 26 December are both public holidays in the Netherlands (Eerste and Tweede Kerstdag): the major museums stay open, but some churches and many shops close or shorten their hours.
- The days are very short: the sun sets around 4:30pm, which leaves long evenings for the lights but little daylight for outdoor sightseeing.
Early December is still marked by the feast of Saint Nicholas on 5 December; it has its own guide, as does New Year's Eve on 31 December.
The Amsterdam Light Festival
The Amsterdam Light Festival is the big event of the winter. Its 15th edition runs from Thursday 26 November 2026 to Sunday 17 January 2027: the artworks are lit every evening from 4:30pm to 11pm, including 24, 25 and 26 December. The only exception over the holidays: on 31 December, the lights go out at 9pm.
The walking route is about 4.5 km long and free, in full or in sections; the map and background information are in the festival's official app. To see the artworks from the water, cruises of about 75 minutes start at €29.75 per adult (prices checked in October 2026). December evenings and weekends fill up fast: book your boat in advance.
The information points, including the one at Amstel 1, open Thursday to Sunday from 4:30pm to 9pm, and every day from 19 December to 3 January, except on 25 and 31 December when they are closed. To enjoy the canals themselves, with their lit bridges and merchants' house façades, walk along the Herengracht and the Amstel outside the official route.
Christmas markets
Amsterdam does not have the tradition of large German-style Christmas markets, but a few events come back every year.
Christmas Village on Museumplein
The city's main Christmas market sets up on Museumplein, between the Rijksmuseum and the Concertgebouw, from Thursday 3 to Sunday 27 December 2026. It opens from noon to 9pm from 3 to 24 December, with reduced hours on 25 and 26 December, then from noon to 6pm on 27 December. Entry is free. More than 50 stalls sell gifts, food and hot drinks. The Q-Park car park under the square is paid; it is better to come by tram or on foot.
The designer markets at Westergas
In the former gasworks of Westerpark, the Sunday Market brings together designers, vintage and food stalls, with free entry. The Westergas programme lists two editions in December 2026, on Sundays 6 and 20 December, from noon to 6pm. In 2025, the Christmas edition, called the Funky Xmas Market, took place on Sunday 21 December; its name and content for 2026 have not yet been announced.
The Winterparadijs at the RAI
Closer to a theme park than a market, Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs fills the RAI Amsterdam exhibition centre from 17 December 2026 to 2 January 2027: indoor and outdoor ice rinks, a Ferris wheel, sledging slopes, shows and hot drinks stalls. The ticket, with a price that varies by day and arrival time, covers all activities; it is cheaper early in the day, and free up to age 2. The attractions and outdoor area close at 10pm. The event is closed on 31 December.
Ice rinks
- Schaatsbaan Museumplein: the open-air rink on Museumplein, with the Rijksmuseum as a backdrop, runs from 24 October 2026 to 16 January 2027. Tickets start at €8; skates can be rented on site, and gloves are compulsory. Book your time slot online for weekends and the Christmas holidays.
- Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs (RAI): skating is included in the entry ticket, from 17 December 2026 to 2 January 2027.
- Jaap Eden IJsbaan: Amsterdam-Oost's 400-metre speed skating track (Radioweg 64, 1098 NJ Amsterdam) is open from 10 October 2026 to 21 March 2027. Over the holidays, public skating runs on 24 December from 11am to 4:45pm and on 25 and 26 December from 11am to 4:30pm. The indoor hall is open to the public only during the Christmas holidays. Skate rental on site.
Street lights and the Dam Square tree
Every year, a large Christmas tree goes up on Dam Square, opposite the Royal Palace. In 2025, its 40,000 lights were switched on on 16 December, later than usual because of a state visit; the 2026 date is not yet known. Right opposite, the De Bijenkorf department store dresses its façade in hundreds of thousands of LEDs, which form a backdrop to the tree. The Nieuwe Kerk, next to the palace, is open every day from 10am to 5pm, except on 25 December; until 4 April 2027 it shows the exhibition Queer Amsterdam, the Pink City (adults €20).
Several shopping streets put up garlands and decorated shop windows: Utrechtsestraat, which leads off the equally illuminated Rembrandtplein, as well as PC Hooftstraat, Spiegelgracht, Haarlemmerstraat, Albert Cuypstraat and the Nine Streets. In the evening, the Amstel and its bridges, including the Magere Brug, offer fine views over the water.
The flower market: Christmas trees and decorations
The flower market on the Singel, between Koningsplein and Muntplein, changes its look in December: alongside the tulip bulbs come Christmas trees, wreaths and decorations, bought mostly by local residents. The stalls generally open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5:30pm, with variable hours on Sunday. To take bulbs home outside the European Union, first check your country's import rules.
Christmas services and concerts
The large Protestant churches in the centre hold a Christmas Eve service on the evening of 24 December, open to all and often streamed online. In 2025, the Oude Kerk held its service at 10pm, the Noorderkerk at 8pm and 10pm, the Westerkerk late in the evening, and the Keizersgrachtkerk at 9pm; a service also took place at the Concertgebouw at 8pm. The 2026 times have not yet been published: check each church's website in early December and arrive early, as seats go quickly.
For sightseeing, the Oude Kerk closes at 5pm on 24 December and stays closed on 25 December; the rest of the year, it opens Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday from 1pm to 5:30pm (adults €14.50).
What is open on 24, 25 and 26 December
The Rijksmuseum opens every day of the year from 9am to 5pm, public holidays included: it is one of the safe bets for Christmas Day (adults €25, free up to age 18). The Anne Frank House normally opens from 9am to 10pm, but only from 9am to 5pm on 25 December; tickets, sold online only, are released every Tuesday at 10am for visits six weeks later. For a Christmas slot, log on from mid-November. For other museums, check the holiday hours on their website: they change from year to year.
On 25 and 26 December, some shops and supermarkets close or shorten their hours: do your shopping the day before. If you want to eat out on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, book your table in advance.
Public transport over the holidays
In 2025, the GVB transport company ran an adjusted timetable from 22 December to 2 January, and trams, metros, buses and ferries followed the Sunday timetable on 25 and 26 December. The 2026 timetable has not yet been published; check the GVB app before travelling, especially early in the morning and late in the evening.
Summary table
| Event or place | 2026-2027 dates | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam Light Festival | 26 November to 17 January | 4:30pm-11pm (9pm on 31 December) | Free on foot; cruise from €29.75 |
| Christmas Village (Museumplein) | 3 to 27 December | Noon-9pm until the 24th, reduced on 25 and 26 | Free |
| Sunday Market (Westergas) | 6 and 20 December | Noon-6pm | Free |
| Schaatsbaan Museumplein | 24 October to 16 January | Varies by day | From €8 |
| Het Amsterdamse Winterparadijs (RAI) | 17 December to 2 January | Attractions until 10pm; closed on 31 December | Price varies by time slot |
| Jaap Eden IJsbaan | 10 October to 21 March | 24 December 11am-4:45pm; 25 and 26 December 11am-4:30pm | See the online ticket shop |
| Rijksmuseum | All year | 9am-5pm, public holidays included | €25; free up to age 18 |
| Anne Frank House | All year | 9am-10pm; 9am-5pm on 25 December | €16.50 (fee included) |
| Nieuwe Kerk | All year | 10am-5pm; closed on 25 December | €20 |
Prices checked in October 2026. The dates for the Dam Square tree and the 2026 church service times have not yet been published.
Tips for Christmas in Amsterdam
- Book early for accommodation: late December is one of the most expensive periods of the year, especially in the run-up to New Year.
- Plan your days around the light: museums and ice skating by day, the Light Festival and street lights from 4:30pm.
- Dress for wind and damp: hat, gloves (essential on the ice) and a waterproof jacket, especially for a cruise on an open boat.
- Avoid peak times: for the Light Festival, weekday evenings, from 4:30pm or after 9pm, are the least busy; for the market and the ice rink, weekdays are quieter than weekends.
- Carry a bank card: many places, including the Nieuwe Kerk and the Oude Kerk, no longer accept cash.
Further reading
For the 5 December celebration and the saint's arrival by boat, read our guide to Sinterklaas in Amsterdam. For New Year's Eve and the fireworks, see New Year's Eve in Amsterdam. And if you are staying on after the holidays, our article Amsterdam in winter covers what to do in January and February.
