Travel to Amsterdam in June

Fine weather and the start of the summer festival season make June an attractive month to be in Amsterdam, but visitors should take a few special precautions to ensure a smooth travel experience. June is peak tourist season, so you should expect crowds at attractions, restaurants and cafes, as well as airports and train stations. The smart money is on making reservations and buying tickets in advance wherever possible.

Weather in June

The average highs on June afternoons in Amsterdam are 68 F, with lows at night dipping down to 50 F.  You are not likely to need what you think of as summer clothes, like shorts and sandals. Pack jeans or long pants; long-sleeved shirts and tops; and a sweater, blazer, or lightweight jacket for layering. A cashmere pashmina or poncho might come in handy for women. Bring comfortable and closed walking shoes. Even ankle boots would be fine for this weather.

Because of Amsterdam's Northern Europe location, the days are long in June, which includes the summer solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The sun rises before 5:30 a.m. and sets around 10 p.m. Amsterdam's summer, with its humid days and city-wide waterways, is an ideal environment for mosquitoes. Be prepared with insect repellent and an itch-relief remedy.

Things to Do in June 

June offers some of the best seasonal perks, from convivial cafe terraces to much-anticipated summer festivals and events, along with some of Amsterdam's most prominent attractions no matter the time of year.

Anne Frank House and Museum: Seeing the house where Anne Frank and her family hid from the Nazis during World War II and wrote her diary is a must-do in Amsterdam.

Holland Festival: With an international line-up of performers in an almost boundless variety of disciplines—theater, dance, music, and opera—the Holland Festival treats Amsterdam to almost a month of world-class performance artistry throughout June.

ITS Festival Amsterdam: The International Theatre School Festival Amsterdam invites more than 200 theatrical talents to perform in more than 70 diverse productions in its nine-day run.

MidzommerZaan Festival: Music, literature, and fine art meet in and around the Verkade Chocolate Factory in Zaanse Schans, a tradition-oriented Dutch town, for three days of indoor and outdoor events (several with free admission).

Open Garden Days: Amsterdam's Open Garden Days welcomes the public into the backyards of more than 30 of the finest canal houses in town.

Rijksmuseum: This world-class art museum holds 8,000 objects and works of art that tell the story of the Dutch from 1200 to the current time. If you are an aficionado of the art of the Dutch Golden Age, you can't miss this. There's even a gallery entirely devoted to Rembrandt's "The Night Watch."

Van Gogh Museum: This museum displays the largest collection of paintings by Vincent van Gogh in the world. "Van Gogh & Japan," which delves into Japanese influence on this renowned Dutch artist, is on view through June 24, 2018.

Vondelpark Open-Air Theater: Catch up to three free performances, from theater, dance and cabaret, to stand-up comedy and music, each week all summer at the Vondelpark Open-Air Theater, an Amsterdam institution.