Climate guide for Amsterdam, Netherlands

Best Time to Visit
Amsterdam

How to read the score (0–10)
05810
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About Amsterdam

From May through September, Amsterdam reveals its finest face: glassy canal cruises, sun-dappled strolls through Vondelpark, and the crooked charm of the Jordaan free from winter’s chill. Mornings are perfect for the Rijksmuseum or Anne Frank House, but pack a light layer for breezy, golden evenings on the water.

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Travel Tips

Timing & weather
Check Amsterdam's monthly climate scores before locking flights - temperate patterns shift comfort for sightseeing trips across the year.
Getting around
In Amsterdam, pair a walkable core day with one transit or transfer buffer - crowds and traffic vary by season in Netherlands.
Tickets & access
Reserve popular museums and day trips from Amsterdam ahead in peak months; shoulder seasons are more flexible.
Pack for the profile
Comfortable walking shoes and a day bag matter more than formal wear for most Amsterdam sightseeing days.

Things to do in Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands. Live activities and tours from GetYourGuide, matched to this destination.

When to visit Amsterdam: the short answer

The best time to visit Amsterdam is June, followed by July, August. Those months combine the most usable temperatures with the fewest lost days to rain: June averages 17°C with 55 mm of rain and about 27 sunny days. The months to avoid unless you have a specific reason are December, January. If budget matters more than perfect weather, February is the strongest of the low-rate months at 4.4/10.

Across the year Amsterdam swings from 5°C in January to 19°C in August, a 14-degree spread, while rainfall ranges from 55 mm in June to 114 mm in November. That is the whole planning problem in one sentence: Amsterdam is not equally good year-round, and the difference between the best and worst month here is 5.1 points on a 10-point scale.

Warmest month: August (19°C). Coolest: January (5°C). Driest: June (55 mm). Wettest: November (114 mm).

Amsterdam month by month

January in Amsterdam — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 3.9/10

January averages 5°C (41°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 85 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 0 sunny days and 8 hours of daylight.

It scores 3.9/10 here, 11th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 5.1 points higher on the same scale.

February in Amsterdam — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 4.4/10

February averages 6°C (43°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 84 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 0 sunny days and 9.6 hours of daylight.

It scores 4.4/10 here, 9th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 4.6 points higher on the same scale.

March in Amsterdam — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 5.9/10

March averages 7°C (45°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 57 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 4 sunny days and 11.5 hours of daylight.

It scores 5.9/10 here, 7th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 3.1 points higher on the same scale.

April in Amsterdam — reliably good (6th best month)

Good · 7/10

April averages 9°C (49°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 68 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 14 sunny days and 13.7 hours of daylight.

It scores 7/10 here, 6th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 2 points higher on the same scale.

May in Amsterdam — reliably good (4th best month)

Good · 8.2/10

May averages 14°C (57°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 75 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 23 sunny days and 15.5 hours of daylight.

It scores 8.2/10 here, 4th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

June in Amsterdam — the year's strongest window

Best window · 9/10

June averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 55 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 27 sunny days and 16.5 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Amsterdam at 9/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

July in Amsterdam — the year's strongest window

Best window · 8.7/10

July averages 18°C (65°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 68 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 23 sunny days and 16.1 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Amsterdam at 8.7/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

August in Amsterdam — the year's strongest window

Best window · 8.6/10

August averages 19°C (66°F) — warm enough for beach and boat plans, still short of the heat that pushes sightseeing into early morning.

Rainfall runs 60 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 19 sunny days and 14.5 hours of daylight.

On our climate-comfort scale this is the top-ranked month of the year for Amsterdam at 8.6/10 — the reference point every other month on this page is measured against.

Expect peak pricing, and this is one of the busiest months here. You are paying the year's highest rates for the year's best conditions — book early or shift a few weeks either side.

Pack light clothing, swimwear and real sun protection, a packable rain layer.

September in Amsterdam — reliably good (5th best month)

Good · 7.1/10

September averages 17°C (62°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 88 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 8 sunny days and 12.4 hours of daylight.

It scores 7.1/10 here, 5th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are moderate.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 1.9 points higher on the same scale.

October in Amsterdam — workable with trade-offs

Trade-offs · 5.9/10

October averages 13°C (56°F), the range most people find easiest for walking a city all day without either overheating or losing daylight to weather.

Rainfall runs 79 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 0 sunny days and 10.3 hours of daylight.

It scores 5.9/10 here, 8th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack layers you can shed by midday plus one warm layer for the evening, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 3.1 points higher on the same scale.

November in Amsterdam — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 4.1/10

November averages 8°C (47°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

At 114 mm this is a genuinely wet month: about 0 sunny days in total, and outdoor plans need an indoor fallback.

It scores 4.1/10 here, 10th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect low-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a proper rain shell rather than an umbrella.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 4.9 points higher on the same scale.

December in Amsterdam — the hardest end of the year

Hardest · 3.9/10

December averages 5°C (42°F) — jacket weather. Comfortable for walking and museums, too cool for anything water-based.

Rainfall runs 90 mm, so plan one flexible day in three; you still get about 0 sunny days and 7.5 hours of daylight.

It scores 3.9/10 here, 12th of 12 months, against 9/10 in the destination's best month.

Expect mid-season pricing, and crowds are light for this destination.

Pack a mid-weight jacket, long sleeves and shoes you can walk 15 km in, a packable rain layer.

If your dates are flexible, June is materially better in Amsterdam — 5.1 points higher on the same scale.

Frequently asked

When is the best time to visit Amsterdam, Netherlands?
In Ideal Weather mode, the best months to visit Amsterdam are June, July, August, May. June is the single peak month with an Ideal Weather score of 9.0/10 based on temperature, rainfall, humidity, daylight and historical sunny days.
What is the weather like in Amsterdam year-round?
Amsterdam has a climate profile suited to sightseeing and cultural travel. Average monthly temperatures range from 5°C in January to 19°C in August, with Ideal Weather scores between 3.9 and 9.0 out of 10.
Which months should I avoid in Amsterdam?
The lowest Ideal Weather-scoring months in Amsterdam are January (3.9/10), December (3.9/10), November (4.1/10). These months typically combine less comfortable temperatures, higher rainfall or fewer sunny days.
When is the rainy season in Amsterdam?
November is the wettest month in Amsterdam, averaging about 114 mm of rainfall. June is the driest, at roughly 55 mm.
Which is the sunniest month in Amsterdam?
June sees the most sun in Amsterdam, with about 27 sunny days on average - ideal for outdoor plans.
Is Amsterdam a good destination for sightseeing and cultural travel?
Amsterdam is well suited to sightseeing and cultural travel. Its highest Ideal Weather window (June, July, August, May) aligns with the conditions travelers usually look for in this style of trip.
How is the bestime.to score for Amsterdam calculated?
Each month receives an Ideal Weather score from 0-10 using ERA5 climate normals for Amsterdam: temperature comfort, precipitation, humidity, daylight hours, and historical sunny days - weighted for sightseeing and cultural travel.

Explore by month

Curated in Amsterdam

Tickets & experiences