The Netherlands' Best Christmas And Winter Markets

From November until January, towns and cities around the Netherlands host special markets selling dozens of festive items associated with the Dutch holiday season. These charming outdoor events often take place in particularly famous locales around the country such as Museumplein in Amsterdam and the caves beneath Valkenburg Castle. Here’s our pick of the best.

Ice* Village

Ice* Village is attached to Amsterdam’s largest, seasonal ice rink on Museumplein and runs alongside the southern face of the Rijksmuseum. There are always plenty of delightful stalls dotted around the square, including several spots selling traditional pastries, mulled wine and other warming winter delicacies.
📍Museumplein, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

The ice rink outside the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam

WinterWelVaart

Dickens Festival Deventer

In mid-December every year, the western Dutch city of Deventer hosts an elaborate festival dedicated to Charles Dickens’ oeuvre. During this two-day event actors portraying characters like Ms. Havisham, Ebenezer Scrooge or Oliver Twist roam the city, reenacting scenes from Dickens’ books. There’s also a large Christmas market at the festival.
📍Brink, Deventer, the Netherlands

A sign marking the Dicken’s festival in Deventer

Christmas Market Velvet Cave

From November 17 to December 23, more than fifty merchants set up shop in the caves beneath Valkenburg Castle ruins in Limburg. These caverns are transformed into a winter wonderland complete with festive decorations and stalls. It is still possible to take a guided tour around the caves during the Christmas market or head above ground to visit Valkenburg Castle.
📍Valkenburg Castle Ruins, Grendelplein 13, Valkenburg, the Netherlands +31 43 609 0110

Bourtange Christmas Market

Bourtange is a stunning fortified town that lies on the northern part of the Dutch-German border. This 16th century marvel hosts several weekend-long Christmas markets throughout December featuring stalls, illuminated decorations and an outdoor ice-rink.
📍Marktplein, Bourtange, the Netherlands

Magical Maastricht

Maastricht’s historic Vrijthof square hosts a large, richly-decorated Christmas market from December 1 to January 1. Many seasonal events take place alongside the market including concerts, dance workshops and even a winter BBQ!
📍Het Vrijthof, Maastricht, the Netherlands

Haarlem Christmas Market

Haarlem’s popular Christmas market ranks among the biggest events of its kind in the Netherlands and takes place on the city’s historic Grote Markt square every year. It’s easy enough to visit the market while staying in other city’s around north or south Holland, and Haarlem lies roughly ten kilometres away from Amsterdam. There’s always around 300 individual stalls at the market and it’s renowned for its delightful, festive atmosphere.
📍Grote Markt, Haarlem, the Netherlands

Winter Wonder Weeks

A floating market moored to the banks of the Leiden’s Nieuwe Rijn canal during the city’s Christmas celebrations. This aquatic attraction features many fairytale-esque wooden huts serving a wide variety of Dutch Christmas treats, as well as other delicacies from around the world. Aside from the market, Leiden also hosts events throughout the festive season including an illuminated parade, concerts and a kid-centric arts and craft festival.
📍Nieuwe Rijn, Leiden, the Netherlands

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.