If you’re visiting Amsterdam in the winter, the one thing you won’t want to miss is the Amsterdam Light Festival. It takes place every year for 55 nights from late November to early January. This year’s theme was ‘The Medium is the Message’.
I was very lucky to have been in Amsterdam at the start of January to see the lights before the festival ended. I had a great time just wandering around the city to explore and see the 40 large-scale light installations that dot Amsterdam’s scenic canals. In January the winter days are short so it will get dark as early as 4pm. This means you don’t have to wait until the late hours to see the lights at their best. Along the Keizersgracht canal, the light art installations of the festival illuminate every day from 5 pm until 11 pm. So don’t forget your camera while you’re out because there is plenty of great Instagram worthy spots for photos.
During my trip, I walked along “The Illuminade,” which is a free walking tour across the canals. I would recommend planning your walking route beforehand, so you don’t miss anything!
You can take a look at all the routes here – https://amsterdamlightfestival.com/en/map
There is also many paid boat cruise to choose from that take you alongside and even under some of the installations. If you are wanting a cruise that is not packed with tourists, I would recommend the Blue Boat Company. They have many tours and different types of boats to choose from. I would recommend the open boat cruise if you are with a group of friends. It allows you to take great photos and is perfect on a nice night.
Morgan’s blog 