What to Do in Amsterdam in June

Updated: März 4, 2024

This post will cover a variety of fun activity ideas in Amsterdam throughout the month of June 2024, including several family-friendly, nighttime, and free things to do.

For other ideas, check out our post covering the best things to do in Amsterdam

Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.


TOP 10 EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

The following list provides several fun activities you can enjoy in Amsterdam this June, including concerts, tours, festivities, sporting events, popular summer activities, and more.

For even more fun activities, make sure to check the following posts:

Don’t forget that a lot of the best attractions are included and no extra cost with Amsterdam Attraction Passes.

Amsterdam Walking Tours

1. Go to a Concert

Amsterdam is one of those cities that musical artists love to visit, especially in the summer when it gets warmer.

This June, a number of notable musicians are performing in the city, some attached to the many music festivals in the area in June.

Concerts

Also visiting are AC/DC, Doja Cat, Nicky Minaj, Judas Priest, Scorpions, and more

For these shows and more, check out this list of concerts in Amsterdam in June.

Music Festivals


2. Go to a Football Game

The main European Football season is ending in May, sadly.

But the Amsterdam Rugby 7s tournament will be taking place on June 1 & 2. In addition to Rugby, there is what is called a "festival-like atmosphere".

If you want to give field hockey a watch, the Men's FIH Pro League will have games in Utrecht from June 22-25, and in Amsterdam from June 27-30th.


3. Take an Amsterdam Canal Cruise

There’s rarely ever a bad time to take a cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, but the summer is an especially nice time of the year for this activity.

You can choose from several different types of excursions including hop on hop off cruises, dinner cruises, evening cruises, and more.

Best of all, there are many ways to save money on tickets!

If you’re interested in exploring the city and seeing it from the water, this is an excellent way to discover Amsterdam.

For more information about all the different options and how to save money on them, please read our post covering the best Amsterdam Canal Cruises.


4. Go on a Food Tour

There’s a lot of great food to eat in this city, but if you’re looking for the best dishes, you may want to consider taking an Amsterdam Food Tour.

As you wander around the city and discover some of the best places and meals to eat, your guide will provide information about the history of Dutch food and its place in Amsterdam’s culture.

This tour includes a stop by the Noordermarkt and the Jordaan in addition to many other locations.

If street food is more your jam, you might enjoy the Dutch Street Food Tour at Amsterdam Market.

Or if you want to try dinner on the water, you could do the Amsterdam 3-Course Dinner Cruise.


5. Save Money With a Tourist Pass

If you’re planning to visit at least 4-5 popular attractions per day while in the city, you could save 50% or more off general admission prices simply by using an Amsterdam attraction pass.

Amsterdam tourist attraction passes provide access to dozens of activities, museums, tours, historic locations, and more for one flat price.

You'll get skip-the-line privileges at several attractions!

There are multiple passes to choose from which include several fun things to do including the following examples:

For additional information on how to use these services and which one will save you the most money, please read our post covering Amsterdam tourist passes.


6. Enjoy Amsterdam's Beer and Wine

With the summer heat setting in, now is the best time to enjoy an ice-cold beer, and there are plenty of great drinks to choose from in this city.

If you’re looking for some help finding the best options, consider taking an Amsterdam Beer Tasting and Brewery Tour. This outing includes multiple samples at several stops including a brewery.

This is a great alternative to the Heineken Experience.

If you want to drink on the water, a Cheese and Drinks Boat Tour might fit the bill.

There's also a Private Champagne Cruise on offer.


7. Celebrate the Holland Festival

Running from June 6-29, this performing arts festival will be in full swing for the majority of the month.

In addition to theatre, there will also be opera, dancing, concerts, and even some art exhibits focusing on the performance arts.

While most of these activities will be ticketed, there will be a few that are entirely free to enjoy.

See what other things you can do for free in Amsterdam.

Check the Holland Festival Programme to see what’s planned for June and find an event to attend.


8. Enjoy Open Garden Days

There are a lot of private canal gardens in Amsterdam, and many of them are off-limits to the public.

Thankfully an event known as Open Garden Days allows you to visit some of them for one low price.

During Amsterdam Open Garden Days, you’ll have the opportunity to visit 25 different gardens from 10 am - 5 pm each day.

Tickets are reasonably priced, and kids up to 12 years of age can accompany their parents or parental guardians free of charge.

The festival runs from June 14-16, 2024.

For more details or to purchase tickets, visit the Open Garden Days website.


9. Attend the Bacchus Wine Festival

If you’re looking for a new favorite wine, consider heading out to this festival at the Amsterdamse Bos.

The festival runs over two weekends: June 7-9, and June 14-16, 2024.

Tickets for this event start at €18.50 and include at least one entrée and a Bacchus wine glass. Some tickets also offer entire bottles of wine and other benefits!

Children under the age of 16 are welcome to join their parents or parental guardians at no additional cost.

For more details about the festival, please visit the Bacchus Wine Festival website.


10. Shop at a Sunday Market

Every Sunday, the marketplaces in Amsterdam offer a variety of interesting goods you may want to pick up while you’re exploring the city.

Here is the current schedule for this event in June 2023:

Although you’ll probably want to bring some money along with you, it doesn’t cost a thing to attend these Sunday Market events. Check the website for times.


11. Enjoy Art

The 12th Edition of Amsterdam Art Week takes place May 29-June 2, 2024, with more than 50 museums and galleries throughout the city showing contemporary art.

If you aren't there that week, there are a lot of wonderful museums in Amsterdam to visit.

Most of the best locations are included with at least one tourist pass. If you’re interested in visiting more than one museum, you can use one of these passes to ensure you’ll pay one flat price for admission to all of them. 

Here are a few of the most noteworthy examples:

If you’re planning to visit 4 or more of these locations, we recommend using one of the following Amsterdam tourist attraction passes to save money on tickets.

For more information about these and other attractions, please read our post covering 60+ Museums in Amsterdam.


12. Head to Vondelpark For Free Open Air Theatre

Vondelpark will be hosting a special open-air theatre featuring a variety of musical performances, comedy, dance, and even classical concerts.

Best of all, these performances are all free, however, they do ask for a contribution at every performance.

Shows are typically aimed at a family audience, and some are specifically intended for a youth audience.

Visitors can typically expect at least one show every weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Luckily, most hop on hop off bus tours include a stop at Vondelpark, making it easy to get here even if you’re visiting from out of town.

Check the Vondelpark Open Air Theater website for dates and shows.


13. Attend a Unique Classical Music Festival

If you're willing to take the train around 45 minutes from Amsterdam, you'll find the Festival Classique.

World-class musicians put on a program that includes opera, orchestral concerts, chamber music, acrobatics, dance, film, and more.

The event is created with an eye towards making it a "total experience", with locations that add to the power of the event.

This year the festival takes place June 13-15 with the location to be announced.

Visit the Festival Classique website for more information.


14. Take part in Grachtenloop

This run takes place in Haarlem on June 21, 2024.

The route takes runners past scenic waterways and historic landmarks, and through charming neighborhoods.

There's a 5k, 10k, and a kid's race, and Grachtenloop is open to both pros and casual runners.

There's live music, food and drink, and other entertainment during the day, and DJ and rinks after the races are done.

If you're not up for running, feel free to join the folks on the sidelines cheering everyone on.

To sign up, or learn more about the race, visit the Grachtenloop website.


15. Attend the Amsterdam Roots Festival

This annual arts and music festival brings together folks from a variety of cultures and countries.

They put particular focus on artists from Latin America, the Caribbean, and the African Continent.

Events take place across Amsterdam and include film screenings, workshops, and other cultural events.

The festival takes place each June, although the dates for 2024 have yet to be announced yet.

For more information, visit the Amsterdam Roots website.


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About The Author

Stephen Pickhardt

Stephen is the CEO of Free Tours by Foot and has overseen the transformation of a local walking tour company into a global tour community and traveler’s advice platform. He has personally led thousands of group tours in the US and Europe, and is an expert in trip planning and sightseeing, with a focus on budget travelers. Stephen has been published and featured in dozens of publications including The Wall Street Journal, BBC, Yahoo, Washington.org, and more.
Updated: März 4th, 2024
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