~ This post was written by Luca F, founder and editor at AmsterdamTips.com, who since 2007 has published insider info guides about the city of Amsterdam and the Netherlands.
At midday on the 1st of January 2025, up to 10,000 hardy souls braved the cool Dutch weather to ring in the new year by taking a dip into the North Sea.
The New Year’s Dive (Nieuwjaarsduik) is an annual event that has been held on the wide sandy beach at Scheveningen, near The Hague, since the 1960s. This annual tradition celebrates the beginning of a new chapter in the peak of winter, in the most quintessentially Dutch way.
However, if you don’t fancy donning your swimwear and joining the throng – here are ten ideas for things you can do around the Netherlands in January.
1. Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans is a picturesque Dutch village park on the river Zaan about 15km north of Amsterdam. It is renowned for its beautiful windmills and traditional houses. Set up in 1963 as an open-air reserve, the Zaanse Schans is freely accessible to wander around. The site includes a number of windmill museums and traditional workshops – each charging a small fee for entry.
For further insight, you should also try and visit the main Zaans Museum (on-site) which gives a broad overview of the region’s history. You will see many of the buildings are painted in a distinctive dark green colour – this copper pigmented paint was thought to have good weather-proofing properties against the harsh Dutch elements.
2. Madurodam
Madurodam is a miniature park in The Hague (Den Haag) which showcases some of the most famous landmarks and buildings in the Netherlands. In a few short steps you can glimpse at Amsterdam’s Dam Square, Utrecht’s Dom tower, Rotterdam’s harbour and Amsterdam Schiphol airport. With children’s playgrounds, a variety of indoor experiences such as The Dutch Masters and plenty of hands-on activities it is a fun trip out for all the family.
Pro tip: Take the Rotterdam, Delft & The Hague: Guided Tour from Amsterdam (9 hours 30 mins) which includes bus transport and entrance to Madurodam, the Royal Delft Experience and Euromast Tower in Rotterdam to streamline your fun into a big day!
3. Mauritshuis Museum
The Mauritshuis is a world-renowned art museum located in the centre of The Hague. The beautiful 17th century house was named after Johan Maurits, the former governor of the Dutch-Brazil colony who commissioned the building.
The museum is officially called the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis – duly named as King William I transferred the ownership of his father’s paintings to the Dutch state in 1816. Inside the museum, you will find an exceptional collection of Dutch and Flemish paintings dating from 1400 to 1800. The highlight of the collection is undoubtedly Johannes Vermeer’s beguiling Girl With A Pearl Earring (1665-1667).
Following the record-breaking Vermeer exhibition at Amsterdam’s Rijksmuseum in 2023, interest in Vermeer’s life and works has surged. As well as Vermeer, you will also find paintings from the illustrious Rembrandt van Rijn, Jan Steen and Frans Hals.
4. Efteling
If you enjoy theme parks, then a visit to the Efteling in the south of the Netherlands is a must.
Located in the town of Kaatsheuvel (near the city of Tilburg), Efteling is a traditional and authentic theme park based on fairytale stories. The enchanting Fairytale Forest (Sprookjesbos) with its iconic Long Neck (Langnek) character has been greeting visitors since the park first opened in 1952.
The park has a variety of rides from the gentle – such as the steam train and gondoletta boat ride – to the more white-knuckle roller coasters like the Python corkscrew and the diving Baron 1898. Visiting the park in wintertime also means you get to see the wonderful illuminations during the evening.
Pro tip: Consider downloading the Efteling app to help you navigate the park. An interactive map shows live waiting times for each ride.
5. Remastered in Rotterdam
Netherlands is at the forefront of cutting edge digital art and immersive audio-visual experiences. Remastered in Rotterdam is a unique 60 minute experience consisting of 6 themed rooms. You can create your own digital art in the Playground room which can be projected onto Europe’s largest LED screen. Then take a journey from under the water to above the clouds and beyond. The final room is the main Remastered show which projects Dutch Masters with digital works from Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jeroen Bosch, Modriaan and Van Gogh.
Note: The show is not suitable for young children and for those who suffer from epilepsy or dizziness.
6. Muiderslot Castle
Muiderslot is a small medieval castle located on the mouth of the river Vecht in Muiden, a town about 13 km east of Amsterdam. It originates from the 13th century and was used as a dwelling by various noble families.
By the late 18th century the castle was derelict and had fallen into disrepair. It was saved by our old friend King William I who made the decision to restore the castle – and in 1878 it opened as a national museum having been redesigned by noted architect Pierre Cuypers (of Rijksmuseum fame).
The castle has a classical square layout with 4 corner towers, an inner courtyard and is surrounded by a moat with drawbridge access. The 2 residential wings are furnished with 17th century period interiors including the special canopy beds which were used for sleeping upright at that time. You can take a number of audio tours which will guide you around the castle highlights including the grand Knights Hall, the fine art collection and the beautiful gardens.
Pro tip: Get there by public transport by taking a train to Weesp followed by bus 110 to Muiden Centrum. From there it is a 10 minute walk. The castle is open daily but closed on Mondays during winter.
7. Space Expo
Space Expo is a space-themed museum in Noordwijk, a beach town near Leiden. The museum opened in 1990 and is located on the site of the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC), the technical heart of the European Space Agency (ESA).
You will find various exhibits on space and space travel including a mock-up of the International Space Station (ISS). You can also take a look at the original Soyuz TMA-3 capsule where Dutch ESA astronaut André Kuipers spent 11 days in space. There are also plenty of interactive and hands-on activities for children, making it a fun and educational day trip out.
8. Kinderdijk
If you’ve not had enough of your windmill-fill at Zaanse Schans, the UNESCO world heritage site of Kinderdijk offers a deep insight into the Dutch battle with water over the centuries.
The site is the home to 19 windmills on the polder landscape of Alblasserwaard. It is located in the province of South Holland at the confluence of the rivers Lek and Noord – where locals developed ingenious ways of draining water from the polders back into the rivers during low tide. According to legend, following a terrible flood in 1421 which swept away the dyke, a floating cradle with a crying baby was found being kept afloat by a jumping cat – hence it’s name in Dutch as the “Children’s Dyke”.
Today, all 19 windmills are in working order and can still be called upon for pumping water should there be a power outage or calamity. A visit to Kinderdijk includes a boat tour around the mills, entry into the 2 museum mills (Nederwaard and Blokweer) and a look at the engine room of the Wisboom pumping station. You can also visit the Bird Theater, an exhibit about the rare bird species which inhabit this protected area.
Pro tip: The best way to arrive at Kinderdijk is to take the Waterbus boat from Rotterdam or Dordrecht.
9. Skyview De Pier
A visit to The Hague is not complete without taking the tram to Scheveningen beach. One of Scheveningen’s top attractions is taking a ride on the Skyview De Pier – a large ferris wheel located on the pier with its 36 gondolas.
At a height of 50m above the North Sea, it offers a sweeping panorama of the beach and the grand Kurhaus hotel on the seafront. You also get inland views of the dunes and the city in the distance.
Tip: If you are looking for a bite to eat, then the Foodhall Scheveningen on Noordboulevard has a diverse range of world food stands in a central hall.
10. Utrecht Canal Cruises
Finally, the historic city of Utrecht is just a short train ride from Amsterdam. Heading away from the modern area around Utrecht Central station you will find a charming historic city centre with picturesque canals and the imposing Dom cathedral tower.
A relaxing way to discover the city is to take a 1 hour canal cruise – and unlike Amsterdam, Utrecht’s canals are relatively quiet and serene.
As you head down the Oudegracht canal you will notice a unique aspect to Utrecht’s main canal – its wharf cellars which are now home to a plethora of restaurants, yoga studios and workshops.
Plan Your January in the Netherlands
Despite the cold of the season, the Netherlands has a breadth of things to see, do and enjoy throughout these months. Start planning your trip or day away now and make the most of the start of the year!