Amsterdam Light Festival

The fifteenth Amsterdam Light Festival lights the canals for 53 nights, from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027. The festival places light artworks along the water and lets you choose how to see them: by canal cruise, on foot or by bike, each with its own route information. Edition 16, for the winter after this one, is still only at the open-call stage, so this is the edition to plan a trip around.

Edition 15 runs for 53 nights, from 26 November 2026 to 17 January 2027, and the artworks stand in the canals rather than in a hall. That is the difference from a gallery show: the same route can be taken by boat, on foot or by bike, and the festival publishes separate route information for each. Edition 16 is still at the open-call stage, so this winter is the one that can be planned.

The lights are reported on from 17:00, to 22:00 on Sunday to Tuesday and to 23:00 from Wednesday to Saturday, with 17:00 to 23:00 every day during the Christmas break from 22 December to 6 January. On 31 December they go out at 21:00. Early in the week is therefore both the quietest and the shortest evening.

• AirportAmsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), about 11 km
• From the airportTrain to Amsterdam Centraal, at least every 15 min by day, about 20 min — NS ticket from desk or machine
• Public transportTrams, buses, metro and ferries (GVB): GVB day/multi-day tickets cover all lines incl. night buses; 1 h and 24 h chip cards sold on board — no cash on buses or trams
• TaxiCab stands at Dam Square, Leidseplein, Rembrandtplein, Uber — Hail or use a stand
• Time zoneEurope/Amsterdam

• Currency: euro
• Language: Dutch
• Driving: on the right
• Capital: Amsterdam
• Phone: +31
• Emergency: 112
• Electricity: 230 V, plugs F