At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season Quiet for three weeks and then not. The bulb gardens open in mid-March and the first spring visitors follow within a fortnight, so a trip on the 20th and a trip on the 30th are different cities at different prices for the same weather.
Amsterdam in March — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Amsterdam in March offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for early bulbs, parks & quiet museums. Expect temperatures of 3–10°C, around 10 days of rain, and low-medium crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around €100–155 for mid-range travellers. Rooms are easy to find last-minute and hotel prices stay noticeably softer through the season.
Contents15 sections
#Weather in Amsterdam in March
Amsterdam in March averages 3–10°C (37–50°F) with around 10 days of rain, and crowds are low-medium.
| Measure | March in Amsterdam |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 10°C / 50°F |
| Overnight low | About 3°C / 37°F |
| Wet days | About 10 |
| Sunset | 6:19pm on the 1st; 8:07pm on the 28th, after the clocks change; 8:12pm by the 31st |
| Big dates | Keukenhof opens Thursday 18 March 2027; Easter and the clock change, Sunday 28 March |
| Crowds and prices | Quiet at the start, busier from the second half as the bulb season begins |
Figures are KNMI 1991–2020 normals for Amsterdam Schiphol.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The month changes season halfway through. The first week can feel like February; the last can bring the first afternoon warm enough to sit outside.
- The wind is the March problem. It is one of the windiest months, and the rain often comes sideways; a hood beats an umbrella.
- The evenings jump. The clocks go forward on Sunday 28 March, and sunset moves from about 7pm to after 8pm overnight.
- Spring flowers lead before the tulips. Crocuses and daffodils carpet the parks and the bulb fields in March; most tulips flower from April.
Is March a good time to visit Amsterdam? Yes, especially in the second half. The city is still quiet and well priced, the museums are calm, the days are long by the end, and Keukenhof opens on the 18th, with the bulb fields beginning to colour. Expect wind and showers, and do not come for the tulips alone: in an average year they peak in April.
#March in the city
Keukenhof, the great bulb garden at Lisse, about 40 minutes from Amsterdam, opens on Thursday 18 March 2027 and runs until Sunday 9 May. A March visit is quieter and less spectacular than April's: the early bulbs, crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths are out, and the tulips are mostly still in bud.
The bulb fields around it are commercial farms, free to look at from the roads and cycle paths, and they flower on their own schedule.
Easter falls on Sunday 28 March 2027, and Easter Monday, 29 March, is a public holiday. The same night, the clocks go forward an hour. In the city, the long weekend brings the first big wave of spring visitors; many Dutch families head out to the coast or the bulb region.
The parks come back to life: Vondelpark and the Amsterdamse Bos fill on the first sunny weekends, and the first café terraces open, often with blankets and heaters.
#What to Do in Amsterdam in March
Solo Travellers
Spend a morning in the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum before the spring crowds, cycle the Vondelpark on a calm afternoon, and take the train to Leiden for its canals and the Hortus botanicus, one of the oldest botanical gardens in Europe.
Couples
Visit Keukenhof in its opening week, sit out on one of the first heated café terraces in the Jordaan, and take an evening canal cruise after the clocks change, when the light lasts past 8pm.
Families
Artis zoo, NEMO and the Amsterdamse Bos, with its goat farm and its rowing lake, suit the changing weather.
The Hortus Botanicus glasshouses are warm on a wet day.
Groups
Hire bikes for a ride along the Amstel on the first fine day, or join the crowds at Keukenhof over the Easter weekend.
In the evening, De Pijp and the Jordaan have the liveliest bar streets.
#Getting Around
From Schiphol, trains run to Amsterdam Centraal in about 15 to 20 minutes, and a contactless bank card serves as your ticket there and on the city's trams, buses and metro; the IJ ferries behind Centraal are free.
For Keukenhof, dedicated buses run from Europaplein by Amsterdam RAI station and from Leiden Centraal while the garden is open, and combined tickets for travel and entry are sold online.
March is the month to watch the wind. Named storms can delay ferries, slow trains on exposed lines and divert flights at Schiphol.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €90–150 | Hostel or simple hotel, café meals, trams |
| Mid-range | €210–330 | Canal-ring hotel, a museum, restaurant dinner |
| Luxury | €500+ | Top hotel, tasting menu, private boat |
March prices start low and rise from the second half, with Keukenhof's opening and the Easter weekend bringing the first spring increases.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Tourist tax | 12.5% on top of the room rate, VAT excluded |
| Keukenhof | Timed tickets, sold online |
| Bulb fields | Free to look at from the roads |
| Ferries across the IJ | Free |
| A bunch of tulips at a market | A few euros |
- Book Keukenhof online, and pick a weekday.
- Check the clock change before early flights on 28 March.
- Book Easter weekend hotels early.
#Food & Dining
March sits between the seasons. The winter dishes are still on the menus, and the first lighter food appears, with asparagus arriving in April.
Bakeries sell paasbrood, Easter bread with raisins and almond paste, in the weeks before Easter.
Restaurants are easy to book in early March; from the second half, and especially over Easter, book weekend tables ahead.
#Nightlife
The clock change transforms the evenings: once sunset passes 8pm, the terraces fill on any dry day, however cool.
Paradiso and Melkweg run full concert programmes, and the brown cafés remain the best shelter from a stormy evening.
#Shopping
Spring stock arrives in the Nine Streets and on Kalverstraat.
The Bloemenmarkt on the Singel sells bulbs for planting, though check your own country's import rules before buying; many countries require a phytosanitary certificate.
The Noordermarkt and the Albert Cuyp market run as usual.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Keep to the pavement; the red cycle lanes are for bikes, which get busier every week.
- Respect the fields: look at the bulbs from the road.
- Greet staff in shops and cafés, and say goodbye when you leave.
- Easter Monday is a holiday: some shops and offices close or keep shorter hours.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Dutch | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Vrolijk Pasen | Happy Easter | Over the Easter weekend |
| Het waait hard | It's very windy | The March small talk |
| Een bos tulpen, graag | A bunch of tulips, please | At the flower stall |
| Is het terras open? | Is the terrace open? | On the first sunny day |
| Mag ik afrekenen? | Can I pay the bill? | Cafés run a tab |
| De klok gaat vooruit | The clocks go forward | The last weekend of the month |
#Packing List
- A windproof, waterproof jacket with a hood
- Waterproof shoes
- Layers for days that swing from cold to mild
- A warm hat and gloves for the first half of the month
- Sunglasses for bright, low spring sun
- A contactless bank card for transport
- A small bag for flowers and market shopping
#Backup Plans
If a storm blows through: spend the day at the Rijksmuseum, then the Stedelijk next door, and leave Keukenhof and cycling for a calmer day.
If Keukenhof is too early for the tulips: go anyway for the bulbs and the pavilions, and visit the fields again in April if you can, or see tulips in the city's flower markets.
If Easter weekend fills the centre: take the train to Haarlem or Utrecht, both quieter and easy to reach.
#Safety & Health
Wind and wet roads are the main hazards in March, for cyclists above all; if the wind is strong, take the tram. Canal edges are unfenced, so take care after dark. Pickpockets work the crowds around Centraal and on the trams. Hay fever starts with the tree pollen of early spring.
Emergency: 112.
#What's New for March 2027
- Keukenhof opens on Thursday 18 March 2027 and runs until 9 May
- Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, with Easter Monday a public holiday
- The clocks go forward on the night of 27 to 28 March
- Amsterdam's tourist tax was 12.5% in 2026; the 2027 rate follows the council's budget vote
- Tap-and-go bank cards are accepted on Dutch trains and on Amsterdam's trams, buses and metro
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for March 2027. Climate figures are KNMI 1991–2020 normals for Amsterdam Schiphol. Dates and prices verified against:
- Keukenhof for the 2027 opening dates
- NS for trains from Schiphol and to Leiden
- I amsterdam for spring events in the city
- Rijksmuseum for opening hours and tickets
- KNMI for climate normals and weather warnings
Before this, read Amsterdam in February; for March to May together, see Amsterdam in spring.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is March a good time to visit Amsterdam?
Yes, especially in the second half. The city is still quiet and well priced, the evenings gain an hour when the clocks change on 28 March, and Keukenhof opens on 18 March 2027. Expect about 10°C, wind and showers.
Are the tulips out in March?
Mostly not yet. In an average year the crocuses, daffodils and hyacinths flower in March, and the tulips peak in April. Keukenhof opens on 18 March 2027 with its early bulbs; for tulips in full colour, come from mid-April.
Are the bulb fields the same as Keukenhof?
No. Keukenhof is a ticketed display garden at Lisse, open from 18 March to 9 May 2027. The bulb fields are working farms around it, free to look at from the roads and cycle paths but not to walk into, and they flower on their own timetable.
What is the weather like in Amsterdam in March?
Cool, windy and changeable. KNMI normals give about 10°C by day and 3°C at night, with around 10 wet days, often with gusty wind. Bring a windproof jacket with a hood; the end of the month can bring the first mild afternoons.
How much does it cost to visit Amsterdam in March?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of €100–155, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Quieter periods usually push prices toward the lower end of this range.