amsterdam light festival 2021 route

Amsterdam

Amsterdam Light Festival 2024/2025: all you need to know about the artworks, canal cruises and routes // Nov 29 – Jan 19

2 January 2024
Photo credit: © Amsterdam Light Festival

For the 13th time, the Amsterdam Light Festival 2024 will add a magical touch to our city this winter. Between November 29th, 2024, and January 19th, 2025, you’ll find 27 light art installations in and around the city centre of Amsterdam. During the 13th edition of the Amsterdam Light Festival, these light artworks will immerse you in the world of RITUALS. This year, the overarching theme of the Amsterdam Light Festival is ‘RITUALS’ What’s even more exciting this year is the Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk.

NEW: Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk

New this year is the Amsterdam Light Festival FoodwalkThis unique collaboration between Le Foodwalk and the Amsterdam Light Festival offers five bites and one drink from five different restaurants. Everything is served as take-away, so you can enjoy something delicious while walking and admiring the beautiful light art. The Foodwalk is only available on Friday evenings, and the number of tickets is limited. Reserve your tickets below. Good to know: regular and vegetarian tickets are available.

Book tickets

These restaurants participate in the Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk: Celia, Lotti’s, Pizzabakkers Leliegracht, De Bazel & WE ARE EDN.

The light artworks will turn on every evening at 5 p.m. and illuminate the city until 10 or 11 p.m. This year, the length of the route is approximately 6.5 kilometres.

Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk

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Canal Cruises during Amsterdam Light Festival 2024/2025

Let’s be honest… experiencing the Amsterdam Light Festival from the water is truly the most beautiful way to enjoy it! This year, there are several wonderful canal cruises and boat tours available, lasting approximately 60-75 minutes. It’s a great activity with friends, family, kids, a date, or your loved one! And as always: book in advance, as the best time slots tend to fill up quickly. There are various providers for canal cruises this year, so it’s useful to check all the websites if you have a specific date or time in mind.

Here are the websites where you can purchase tickets for canal cruises and boat tours during the Amsterdam Light Festival in 2024. I would recommend checking out all these websites, as they sometimes have special offers or discounts!

the best time slots for a canal cruise during amsterdam light festival 2024/2025

Since the boat trips and canal cruises around the festival are back, there are Amsterdam Light Festival Boat Tours available with various departure locations, types of boats, and packages. You can book either a semi-open or a fully enclosed boat. Personally, I always find the best time to be around 6:30 or 7 PM when it’s really dark. Then you can head straight to a nice restaurant or a cosy pub afterwards!

Light Festival cruise in a covered boat 

Light Festival cruise in a semi open boat (perfect for pictures)

Light Festival cruise with unlimited drinks

Light Festival cruise in a luxury boat

Tickets for the Amsterdam Light Festival 2023/2024

I go to the Amsterdam Light Festival every year. Occasionally, I enjoy walking along a part of the route, and other times, around Christmas, we take a boat trip with the whole family. I think this year, I’ll do both! Last year, it was fantastic to do a part of the walk with our son, Manuel.

This year, many cruise companies are offering various boat tours to view the Amsterdam Light Festival 2024 from the water.

That’s why I’m listing all the providers below to give you a good overview of all possible times and dates still available. Depending on the type of boat, you can purchase a ticket starting from €26.50.

For almost all tours, you can choose different boarding points when booking, such as Leidsekade, Loetje at Central Station, and the east side of Central Station. Tickets for the boat tours during the Amsterdam Light Festival are now on sale. So, act quickly to get the best times OR if you plan to do this around the holidays.

Here are the ticket providers lined up. Check them all for any discounts and promotions they offer for the Amsterdam Light Festival.

TICKETS VIA LOVERS

TICKETS VIA TOURS & TICKETS

TICKETS VIA TIQETS

TICKETS VIA VIATOR

TICKETS VIA GET YOUR GUIDE

© Your Little Black Book

Practical information amsterdam light festival 2024/2025

DATES: Friday, November 29, 2024, to Sunday, January 19, 2025.

LIGHT ARE ON DURING THESE HOURS: From Sunday to Tuesday, from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and from Wednesday to Saturday, from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Good news: during the Christmas holidays (December 22 to January 6), the lights will be on every day from 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM. PLEASE NOTE: the lights will be off on Sunday, December 31st!

TICKETS & TOURS:

Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk 

Light Festival cruise in a covered boat 

Light Festival cruise in a semi open boat (perfect for pictures)

Light Festival cruise with unlimited drinks

Light Festival cruise in a luxury boat

Have a wonderful time! 

Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk

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© Your Little Black Book

lightfestival amsterdam. amsterdam light festival,

© Your Little Black Book

lightfestival amsterdam. amsterdam light festival,

© Your Little Black Book

Amsterdam Bucketlist & Things to Do
(DIGITAL) ART EXPERIENCES IN AMSTERDAM:
Fabrique des Lumières
NXT Museum
STRAAT street art museum
MOCO Museum for street and modern art
Amaze, an audiovisual labyrint
FOOD EXPERIENCES IN AMSTERDAM:
Food Tasting Tour of Jordaan area
Albert Cuyp Market Food Tour
Sightseeing Boat Cruise with unlimited drinks
Pancake Cruise
Micro Brewery Beer Tasting Tour
BEST BIKE TOURS IN AMSTERDAM:
Fatbike e-bike tour (also to Amsterdam North)
Rent a bike by yourself and explore like a local
Outside of Amsterdam: windmills & Zaanse Schans
3 hour biketour: backstreets & hidden gems
FIRST TIME VISIT TO AMSTERDAM – MUST SEE & DO’S:
Private Canal Boat Tour
Rijksmuseum with the Dutch masters
Van Gogh Museum, a staple in Amsterdam
Stedelijk Museum for modern art lovers
Canal Cruise in the evening
INSTAGRAM MUSEUMS IN AMSTERDAM:
Discover the Instagrammable experience WONDR
Youseum
The Upside Down
DAY TRIPS FROM AMSTERDAM:
Get out of town and into the Dutch country side of Giethoorn
Drive-it-Yourself Tulip Fields GPS Audio Tour
⋙ Catch a direct train from Amsterdam to Antwerp, Brussels, London or Paris, starting at € 20,-! Check tickets & prices >>
AMSTERDAM WITH KIDS:
Visit Artis Royal Zoo
Go an a bike tour with the kids
NEMO Science Museum

| TIP: Buy an I amsterdam City Card. Save money on entrance fees to museums and attractions, public transport and profit from discounts on everything from restaurants to concerts. You can also skip some lines to make the most of your time in Amsterdam! You can buy a card for 24 hours up to 120 hours. Check the prices here >>

Our favourite hotels in Amsterdam:
TOP LUXURY // €€€
Pillows Maurits at the Park: this newly opened hotel is all about luxury.
Pulitzer Amsterdam: on the canals at the border of the Nine Streets and the Jordaan.
L’Europe: recently renovated, this hotel has the best spa with a view in Amsterdam.
Conservatorium Hotel: located in one of the most beautiful buildings in town.
Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam: if you have something to celebrate this is the one.
W Amsterdam: with lively restaurants and a posh rooftop bar with swimming pool.
VERY VERY NICE // €€
The Hoxton: favourite lifestyle hotel right on the canals with great all day bar.
Hotel Jakarta: the most sustainable hotel ánd great value for money with a spa.
Hotel V: with two locations and a great restaurant, in the city center and East.
Sir Adam: with the coolest view over Amsterdam from the North side.
Sweets: a unique stay in former bridge houses.
Hotel Dwars: small scale and around the corner of the trendy Utrechtsestraat.
Hotel Mercier: pretty new hotel in the cosy and historic Jordaan district.
INK Hotel: lifestyle hotel in the heart of the city by MGallery.
Morgan & Mees: boutique hotel with restaurant in Amsterdam West.
Conscious Hotel Westerpark: in a beautiful building at the industrial Westergas area.
Ruby Emma: eco design hotel with a great skybar near Amstel station.
AFFORDABLE (FOR AMSTERDAM PRICES) // €
Generator Hostel: the best poshtel of the city located in a park.
The Social Hub budget proof in trendy East district close tho the subway.
Het Volkshotel: affordable and with a cool rooftop bar.
CitizenM: all you need is that XL bed (location near Amstel is great).
Motel One: budget design hotel with several locations in Amsterdam.

Let’s get social

I really hope you enjoy your time in Amsterdam! On my Instagram account @yourlbb and @yourlbb.amsterdam you can find more recommendations and new hotspots in town.

Follow @yourlbb on Instagram

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Anne de Buck

Amsterdam Light Festival Foodwalk

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