A few years back, I was closely approaching my spring break for the Jewish holidays. I was studying abroad at Tel Aviv University in Israel, and it seemed that all my friends had already made their long-awaited plans to enjoy a Mediterranean cruise or a week-long backpacking trip in Europe. Though living in Tel Aviv was already enough of a vacation, sometimes you need a vacation from a vacation. That’s how my roommate and I settled on Amsterdam for ours.
Even though Amsterdam already offers plenty of activities to do, our spring break had fallen right around Queen’s Day. Queen’s Day is a major festival that welcomes even more tourists than usual to the city. Since most people generally have ulterior motives when visiting this city, Queen’s Day doesn’t always make it to the top of the bucket list for reasons to visit Amsterdam. But, here’s why you should head to Amsterdam just for this:
What’s King’s Day?
To give you a little background, King’s Day (which is formerly Queen’s Day) is an annual Dutch holiday which celebrates the royal leader of The Netherlands, King Willem-Alexander. You may think it would be a casual day where people have off from work and they spend time with family and watch something about the King on T.V. But, no. This is a holiday where the Dutch celebrate the Dutch, the tourists celebrate being Dutch, and people hit the streets sporting orange for an amazing party like none other.
What To Expect on King’s Day
When I was in Amsterdam for Queen’s Day, I remember there were so many people. It was the biggest street party I had ever attended, with the streets filled in each section of the city. And, with a reported 700,000 tourists coming to join in the festivities each year, it’s no surprise the place is crowded. People are out on the canals partying on their boats, while others dance in the streets. There are DJs every few steps, beer stands, food stands, and a good time awaiting you around each corner. Most people have already had enough to drink by 11 A.M., but this is Europe, right?
Each year, the government does it’s best to improve on crowd management. Public transportation is therefore canceled in the center of the city, so people can walk freely. That being said, it will definitely take you longer to get from Point A to Point B. But, it’s best not to have to worry about waiting for the tram (or risking a tram accident).
People will be drunk, there will be more trash on the streets than usual, it’ll be noisy and busy, and it might be hard to find an available bathroom when you need it. But, it’s all part of the fun.
Next King’s Day
Unfortunately, this year’s King’s Day has already passed. But the good news is that you have a full year to prepare for the next one! The next King’s Day will take place on Friday, April 27th. Of course, King’s Day is just one of the many festivals going on in Europe. And, the best way to hit as many as you can is by going on a tour! A tour will help you organize each aspect of your trip so you can spend less time worrying about planning and more time enjoying yourself!
Grab your orange shirt and your Heinekens! Next year, make sure you experience King’s Day! Check it out here!
Hana LaRock is originally from New York, though has called other places around the world her home for the last two years. She currently lives in Mexico and freelance travel writer. When she’s not working, she enjoys writing, reading, spending time with her dog, and of course, traveling. You can find her at www.hanalarockwriting.com.
