Have you ever found yourself slightly bored during a rainy day? We have all been there, especially if you have younger kids… it can be pretty challenging to keep them dry at home while they can hardly stand still for more than a few minutes.
Thankfully, we live in an incredibly versatile city that, no matter the weather, always delivers fun activities and dry indoor places to visit! Hopefully, these five suggestions help keep your spirits high and not let the bad weather ruin your plans:
1. Grab the most comforting hot chocolate of your dreams at Pompadour, a classic spot that gathers the most traditional and authentic pastries of French, Spanish, and Belgian descent. They work straight from pure craftmanship and aim to use the purest and rawest materials. As soon as you walk in, you’re transported into the most elegant tearoom, filled with the delicious aroma of puff pastry and fresh meringues. They are super easy to reach in the famous Nine Streets. After it, you can walk and shop in the city's most well-known shopping centers.
2. Amsterdam has the highest density of museums in the world! With an extensive list, including some of our favorites like the Moco Museum, the Eye Film Museum, and the Rembrandt House Museum. Visiting museums is a great way to entertain yourself, hang out with friends and family, and step out of the routine. With new exhibitions on show reasonably often, you will never find yourself bored of looking at the same things during your visits. You can check all museums in the Netherlands at this link.
3. If you have kids, there are a few great museums to entertain them as well, like the Nemo Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Tropenmuseum (one of Europe’s leading ethnographic museums) and the Houseboat Museum.
4. Embrace the cold days and snuggle up in the central library OBA. Although we know not everyone considers themselves a big bookworm, the Amsterdam library is the biggest in the country. With over 1.5 million books and a ton of soft, comfy sofas, it’s easy to spend a few hours without realizing it. There is also a play area on the bottom floor and a cafe on the 7th floor of the building to satisfy any coffee or snack cravings that may arise.
5. Last but not least, even if it is raining, it is worth visiting Keukenhof Park. It is one of the world's largest flower gardens, situated in the municipality of Lisse. It is about 35 minutes by bus from Amsterdam. Only for this park, every year, more than 7 million flower bulbs are planted by hand in the autumn to flower in spring. There are also indoor flower shows. It is open from 23rd March to 14th May this year.
How to do it all sustainably? Go by bike or by public transportation, and take your reusable bottle and package-free snacks with you! Despite our suggestions, rainy days are also to be enjoyed at home by reading books, cooking something delicious, and spending some family time. Anything goes when dealing with the ever-changing Dutch weather, and the most important is to enjoy the company of those around you and take care of yourself and the environment.