The 27th of April is an epic day in the Netherlands! Everybody and everything stops working to celebrate “Koningsdag” – a national holiday. Amsterdam’s population doubles when an extra 700,000 visitors come to join the city party. This takes place the night before the festivities and the whole city turns into a big showdown. One must blend in with fellow Amsterdammers by wearing something orange and join in on the fun along the dam canals, which will be packed with lively boats and Amsterdammers!
What is King’s Day Anyway (formerly Queen’s Day)?
The first King’s Day (Koningsdag) was called Queen’s Day (Koninginnedag). The first royal celebrations go back to 1885, when Princess Wilhelmina turned 5. As she was the sole heir to the monarchy, she got a day called Princess’s Day. It transformed into a national holiday, Queen’s Day, when Wilhelmina became Queen of the Netherlands in 1890.
Wilhelmina’s daughter Juliana continued the tradition in 1949 and Queen’s Day was moved to 30 April. Juliana’s daughter Beatrix did the same but kept 30 April. Sources say that is because her own birthday is in January, which marks brutal cold weather in the Netherlands. Finally, Willem-Alexander ascended to the throne and Queen’s Day became King’s Day, celebrated on 27 April.
Party Till You Drop
Local street artists, flea markets, shows, concerts, art fairs and more, this is what one should expect during the day. Of course, beer kegs, stands, open bars and more are going to be huge as well as everyone knows that alcohol is the ultimate accessory during King’s Day. The most popular activity during King’s Day is the vrijmarkt (free market). A lot of vendors huddle around in large parks like Vondelpark, Westerpark and a lot more vendors are out and about in the Jordaan and Zuid neighbourhoods. Usually selling belongings on the streets is illegal, but King´s day is the exception and people really do take advantage of that. Take out some cash from the piggy bank and be sure to thrift for some knick-knacks all over Amsterdam. If you ever wondered what a big block party that goes throughout the city is like, this is your opportunity to find out.
Ajax Game
Only coming for one illustrious day is fun, however, imagine making it a King’s Day trip! We suggest you elongate your stay for more than one day and visit a renowned Ajax game while in the city of orange, beer and tulips. Ajax plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. Ajax tickets? We suggest using the help of FootballTravel for that issue!
The website helps you find tickets, hotels and flights all in one package for your desired match day. Hassle free and guaranteed! Imagine, getting a front and back flight ticket, hotel and a match day guaranteed ticket, an all-inclusive trip for 4 nights for as low as £700! It does sound too good to be true, but it’s not, it’s an opportunity one click away to make your spring exciting!
Dig deeper into Amsterdam’s football culture by doing the Ajax Stadium Tour. You’ll have a behind the scenes look of Ajax’s spectacular arena while admiring the team’s trophy cabinet, featuring four Champions League titles!
Practical Tips for King’s Day in Amsterdam
Here are some practical tips and tricks gathered from locals all around the web for your convenience:
- Although Amsterdam is one of the world’s most cashless cities, that notion goes out the window on King’s Day! Bring cash for the street markets, not too much but definitely a few small bills.
- Bathrooms become a huge issue on King’s Day! However some Amsterdammers will let you use their private bathroom if you pay €1 or €2.
- Early bird gets the worm! If you are a big thrifter, then definitely go out on the town in the morning so you can get some goods before others snatch them up.
- Beware of pickpockets! Although Amsterdam is super safe with small time crime, the 27th of April is heaven for pickpockets, so be careful!
- Anxious or claustrophobic? Avoid small canal belts and small streets around and instead enjoy the more park-based events.
- Public transport becomes a hassle so always check if your transportation is coming and if not what the alternatives are. We suggest you download the 9292 App.