Best Things to do in Amsterdam at Night – Recommended by a Local

Go for a night out inside a church

Yes, you read that right. Late night Amsterdam has many hidden gems but none as unique as Club Paradiso, a former Church that was transformed into a center for arts, culture, and music.

Opened in 1968, the club has become one of the most popular venues in the entire city for locals and its fundamental values of celebrating young talent and supporting creativity make it one of my favorite Amsterdam night attractions. Everything from rock, electronic, techno, and jazz can be found here and events take place almost every single night of the week.

It is located in the city centre, just across the canal from Vondelpark, and can be reached by tram or even bicycle as it has twenty-four-hour bike parking at the side of the building. If you want to dance long into the night, then this is absolutely one of the top things to do in Amsterdam at night.

Visit the Amsterdam Roest

Roest is another ex-industrial area that has been made into a space for both socializing and creativity. It is located in the Oostenburg neighborhood, an area that is slowly becoming one of the coolest in Amsterdam.

Roest is housed in an old factory that used to make steam engines for ships, and this Amsterdam nightlife spot is one of my favorite places to come with a group of friends during Summer for drinks.

The cocktails are amazing and during the day the canal area is swimmable, so you really could spend an entire day here just lazing around and socializing.

It’s another space that is used for many different activities, such as open-air cinema evenings, club nights, and even campfire acoustic sessions on their man-made beach. It is easily accessible by tram lines ten or twenty-six. 

Walk around Central Amsterdam

One of my favorite free things to do in Amsterdam at night is to simply walk around the iconic central district and look at the beautiful architecture and canals as they are illuminated.

This is probably one of the most enjoyable things to do in Amsterdam at night alone because the city always has a buzz no matter what time of night it is, so you never feel truly alone.

Choose to sit down on a tranquil side canal or pick somewhere livelier such as Dam Square where you can take a seat and people watch as everyone travels from bar to bar.

Amsterdam is also known to be one of the most romantic settings in the world and sharing a waffle in the evening whilst sitting looking out over the picturesque canals has to be not only one of the best things to do in Amsterdam at night for couples but anywhere in the world! Perfect for an evening with that special someone. 

Experience Museum Night

f you’re looking for mad things to do in Amsterdam that you just won’t find anywhere else, then it doesn’t get much more unique than Museum Night. Held on the first Saturday of November, this is a city-wide event in which over fifty museums open their doors until the early hours of the morning for music, art, specialist tours and workshops.

Venues such as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum hold some of the main events but some of the best-hidden gems are held in the lesser known galleries so don’t be afraid to explore! One ticket allows you access for the entire event and they can be purchased off the website.

If you’re in the city during this period then I would recommend hiring a bike and cycling from place to place, it is truly one of the top things to do in Amsterdam at night for people who want to try something very unique to the city.