This post covers the top 10 things to do in Amsterdam in November, including evening, free, as well as family-friendly activities, updated for 2022.
If you’re looking for even more fun things to do in Amsterdam, make sure to check our posts:
- Hop-On Hop-Off Tours
- Free Walking Tours
- Attraction Discount Passes
- Things to Do at Night in Amsterdam
- Weather in November
TOP 10 EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO
This section highlights our top ten things to do in Amsterdam in November, including free events, concerts, professional sports games, and family-friendly entertainment.
1) Go to a Concert
Following the pandemic, concerts have finally made a return to Amsterdam.
Although there aren't as many shows planned as usual this November, there are a few musical artists you might want to see.
- Bon Iver | November 2nd
- Melody Gardot | November 7th
- Lil Nas X | Nov 8th
- Kid Cudi | November 13th
- Simply Red | November 10th, 11th
- Sting | November 17th
- The Cure | November 25th
- Evanescense - November 29th, 30th
For even more options, check this list of concerts in Amsterdam.
2) Explore the City Centre
Amsterdam's City Centre district ('Centrum') is where you will find most of the city's iconic sites, including renowned museums, high-end shopping, and plenty of entertainment.
If you'd like some guidance to find the significant locations, you can take a free 3-hour walking tour for the city centre tour.
Your guide will take you to the most iconic points in the area while discussing the interesting and sometimes surprising details about the Dutch capital.
If you prefer to move at your own pace, consider using our GPS-Led Audio Tour
We've recorded one of our tour guides as he gives his Intro to Amsterdam tour and has put it on a GPS-led audio tour app.
Audio Tour
We offer an audio tour of the Red Light District, researched, written, and recorded by one of our own tour guides.
- Purchase an audio tour – $2.99
- Get a confirmation email with .mp3, .pdf, and embeddable Google Map
- Enjoy the tour(s).
Note that if you are considering either the Amsterdam Pass or the Holland Pass, you already have a completely free tour included in both passes.
3) Go to a World-Class Museum
November is off-season which means fewer tourists. What better time to see one or more of Amsterdam's diverse museums.
You can find classic art, historical exhibits, and family-friendly institutions. Among the most popular museums is the Van Gogh Museum.
Other top museums are:
- Rijksmuseum
- Rembrandt House Museum
- Anne Frank House
- Stedelijk Museum
- Diamond Museum
- Madame Tussauds
- Amsterdam Museum
- Nemo Science Museum
If you’re planning on visiting several museums and other attractions in Amsterdam, you may want to consider getting a tourist discount pass to save money on general admission prices.
For more details, please read our post covering Amsterdam tourist passes.
4) Browse the Free Amsterdam Markets
Whether you are looking for bric-a-brac, art, antiques, books, flowers, or food, there is a market for you!
Amsterdam's markets are open on various days or the week, and most are open year-round!
One popular market is the Albert Cuyp Market. Here you can find just about anything!
Some other markets we recommend are:
- Bloemenmarkt - the famous floating flower market
- Waterlooplein - the city's biggest market open every day but Sunday
- Spui Book Market - books
- Antiekcentrum - antiques
- Art Amsterdam Spui - art
- Noordermarkt - flea market
- Boerenmarkt - farmer's market
TIP: When at the farmer's market, take advantage of trying some of the cheeses of the Netherlands.
If you want to learn more about the regional cuisine, look into taking a free food tour. Even samples are free!
5) See an AFC Ajax Game
Amsterdam's football club AFC Ajax will only have one home game this month against the PSV Eindhoven on November 6th, 2022.
If you're in town for this event, it's a great opportunity to see them play on their home turf.
Purchase tickets or learn more.
Even if you miss the match, you can still visit the home of AFC Ajax by taking a tour of the Johan Cruijff Stadium.
Tickets are included with some Amsterdam tourist passes.
6) Travel Like a Local by Bike
Did you know there are more bicycles than people in Amsterdam? Amsterdam and the surrounding towns are full of bike lanes and bikes.
Whether you just want the experience or are looking for a convenient form of transportation, we suggest renting a bike for at least a day.
If you have small children, get a bakfiets so they can also come along for the ride. Find out more about renting a bike in Amsterdam.
If bikes aren’t your thing, hop-on hop-off bus tours are also popular ways to get around while learning about Amsterdam.
TIP: If you're exploring and need a place to store your luggage, check out this post with details on convenient and safe bag storage locations.
7) Get an Alternative Perspective of Amsterdam
Looking for something a bit more unique and different?
Alternative Amsterdam tours take you off the beaten tourist track away from the obvious attractions.
The Free Alternative Tour of Amsterdam is 2.5-3 hours and features street art and graffiti, community projects, and Red and Green Light districts.
Your guide will tell you about the city's modern history and culture and take you to hidden spots that even some locals don't know about.
Find out more about taking a free Alternative Tour of Amsterdam from our post on Free Walking Tours in Amsterdam.
8) Go to a "Coffee Shop"
You won't be served a cup of coffee or espresso in the kinds of coffee shops we refer to here. Coffee Shops are where one can legally buy cannabis in Amsterdam.
If you are looking if you’re looking for actual coffee, head to a koffiehuis instead.
If you’re new to cannabis culture, you might want to consider taking a coffee shop tour where you will learn about how these businesses became legal and how they operate.
There are several tours available, and most of them include the opportunity to try this popular product for yourself, but it is certainly not required.
Some tours also include information about the Red Light District, which is where you’ll find a lot of the best coffee shops in Amsterdam.
Read our post on Amsterdam’s coffee shops to see what tours you can take as well as a self-guided option.
9) Enjoy the Heineken Experience
The Heineken Experience Heineken Experience is an immersive experience that gives you an opportunity to learn about the Heineken heritage, its brewing process, and the company's innovations.
The least expensive way to have the Heinekin Experience is to take a self-guided tour which includes two nice cold Heinekens.
There are other tours as well, including a VIP tour and combo tours that include the experience as well as another attraction. These combos can save you money.
Read our detailed post on the Heineken Experience to find out much more.
10) Visit the Red Light District
The district gets its name from the lit windows where legal sex workers wait for customers. But the district has plenty more to offer.
Find out what to do in the district from our detailed post on Amsterdam's Red Light District.
One of the best ways to understand this unusual part of Amsterdam is to take a free guided walking tour.
There are several to choose from, including a self-guided and audio tour.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Save Money with an Attraction Discount Pass
Tourist passes work by allowing you to bundle admission tickets to popular attractions for heavy discounts.
You could get up to 50% off retail prices or get in for free, depending on the pass you purchase.
Attractions included with some passes are:
- Rijksmuseum
- Rembrandt House Museum
- Heineken Experience
- Hop-On-Hop-Off Boat or Bus Tour
- ARTIS Zoo
- Madame Tussauds (with Fast Track Entry)
- Amsterdam Dungeon
See which pass can save you the most on your trip with our in-depth comparison post.
Take a Free Food Tour
On a free food tour, you'll visit some of the tastiest spots in the city and you can even try free samples!
Keep in mind, however, that if you want to purchase a full-size portion of foods you like, be sure to bring cash.
Discover why the average Dutch person consumes 17 kilos of cheese per year and what is a typical Dutch dinner.
Find out about bitterballen or kroketten, and where can you get the best chocolate from Amsterdam!
Amsterdam Light Festival
Perhaps one of the best festivals of the whole year, the free Amsterdam Light Festival begins on December 1st, 2022.
It costs nothing to enjoy the many beautiful and interesting illuminated artwork placed on Amsterdam's streets and canals.
Each of the pieces is created by different artists, which means there will be a lot of diverse, light-based art around the city.
Since the sun goes down pretty early this time of year, there are also walking tours you can take while it’s dark out to admire the bright installations.
For other ways to spend an evening in the city, take a look at our full post on nighttime activities in Amsterdam.
