Where would you recommend for a quiet Kings Day location, Amsterdam can get pretty crazy.
How long does the celebration last, day long weekend, week?
Also is May 1st considered Labor Day holiday in the Netherlands? Would you advise not to make any travel plans either air or train that day?
Posted by
The Netherlands
1587 posts
Kingsday is celebrated on the day itself, April 27. In some cities the celebrations start the night before, but that’s it. It’s definitely not a week long affair. However since this year April 27 is on a Thursday many people will take Friday off from work and thus have a 4-day weekend. Not to celebrate Kingsday all 4 days, but to go on a short holiday in our own country or in nearby Belgium or Germany. This means that it will be very busy everywhere from museums to shops and restaurants.
It would be a shame to miss the Kingsday celebrations, but if you want to avoid the crowds I would avoid the city center of Amsterdam. The Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh museum are open, so you could visit them. You must however book a time slot well in advance!!
I would encourage you however to take part in the celebrations. A visit to the Vondelpark will give you a good impression of how we celebrate Kingsday. More info about Kingsday in Amsterdam here; https://www.iamsterdam.com/en/whats-on/kings-day
May 1 is not a holiday in the Netherlands, so no need to change your plans.
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10600 posts
We spent a week in Haarlem last year and were there for Kings Day. It was fun to see how they celebrated and I imagine it was less crazy than Amsterdam. We actually went to Keukenhof for part of the day. Harlem is less than a 20 minute train ride from Amsterdam.