Amsterdam · Month comparison

April vs May

April ranks #1 overall vs May at #2. Peak tulip season and King's Day — Amsterdam at its most photogenic and festive, but very busy.

Amsterdam April — tulip fields and canal in spring bloom

April

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Peak tulip season and King's Day — Amsterdam at its most photogenic and festive, but very busy.

  • ↑Tulip fields peak (mid-April): Keukenhof at maximum bloom, Bollenstreek fields in full colour
  • ↑King's Day (27 April): the entire city turns orange, canals fill with boats — one of Europe's great street parties
Amsterdam May — cycling along the canals in spring

May

#2 of 12 months

Best match

Post-tulip calm with excellent temperatures — the underrated window after April's crowds.

  • ↑Keukenhof still partially open (closes mid-May) with late tulips and spring flowers
  • ↑Comfortable temperatures (16°C) ideal for cycling through the polders and canal districts
FactorAprilMay
Weather score
8
7
Value score
6
6
Crowd score
5
5
Events score
9
7
Atmosphere
9
8
Avg high temp12.3°C16.4°C
Monthly rain57mm60mm
Daily sunshine6.2hrs7.3hrs

April trade-offs

  • ↓Hotels booked months in advance around King's Day — last-minute availability extremely limited
  • ↓Keukenhof entrance requires advance booking; arrive early or face 2-hour entry queues
  • ↓Amsterdam's central areas congested with spring tourist surge from Easter onwards

May trade-offs

  • ↓Tulip fields past their absolute peak — fields may be mowed after bloom
  • ↓Tourism still significant from ongoing spring season
  • ↓May bank holidays (Ascension, Whit Monday) can briefly spike accommodation
See all 12 months for Amsterdam →April in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Amsterdam. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →