10 Things to Do in Amsterdam in November

November is an underrated month, but there is no shortage of plans to enjoy the charms of Amsterdam. If you are traveling with your kids, you have chosen a good time because in the Netherlands they have a unique custom: the local Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, arrives in the city in November. But this is not the only plan you can enjoy, there are plenty of options available to enjoy this city at the end of autumn.

Have you seen the movie Night at the Museum? Like Ben Stiller, in November you can spend a night at Amsterdam's cultural institutions. You won't see Theodore Roosevelt or Attila in the flesh, but you can admire iconic works and other attractions. The event is held on the first Saturday of the month and involves the main museums of the Dutch capital:

• Science MuseumNEMO: inside you can discover the secrets of DNA, conduct experiments in the laboratories or take part in the interactive exhibits (Oosterdok 2).
• Nieuwe Kerk: Amsterdam's New Church houses interesting photographic exhibitions (De Dam).
• Van Gogh Museum: the cultural institution houses works such as The Yellow House and The Potato Eaters (Museumplein 6).
• Rijksmuseum: inside you can see the best works of the Dutch Golden Age (Museumstraat 1).
• Hermitage: the branch of the famous St. Petersburg museum where the jewels of Russian art travel to the Dutch capital (Amstel 51).
• Stedelijk Museum: of modern and contemporary art, it keeps more than 700 works of artists like Kandinsky, Picasso, Pollock, Matisse, Cézanne, Dumas, Mondrian or Warhol.
• Amsterdam Historical Museum: three floors, more than 20 rooms and more than 70,000 pieces of paintings and ceramics on the history of the capital of the Netherlands.
• Dutch Resistance Museum in Amsterdam: inside you can discover Dutch life during the Second World War period.

This list lists only a few of Amsterdam's cultural institutions. To see the complete series, I recommend you to consult the official website of the event. Please note that the museums are open from 7 pm to 2 am.

Want to feel like a local? Then you have to cross the city by bike - it doesn't get any more Dutch! The capital of the Netherlands has an extensive network of bike paths that will take you everywhere. You have the possibility to book a bike tour in Amsterdam or rent a bike. In addition, you have the possibility to opt for themed tours or combine the experience with other activities:

• Historical bike tour of Amsterdam.
• Bicycle tour through the hidden Amsterdam.
• Bicycletour through the countryside in Amsterdam.
• Bike and kayak tour through the countryside in Amsterdam.
• Amsterdam bike tour with cheese tasting and visit to a clog factory.

November is the last month of the year that allows this activity although the locals do not get out of the saddle even on the coldest nights. To discover the routes and find out useful information, I recommend you to consult the Biking Amsterdam website.

A little more than 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam is The Hague, internationally known for the International Court of Justice. What many don't know is that this city of half a million inhabitants hosts a unique kermesse: the Crossing Border Festival. As the name suggests, this November event overcomes cultural barriers by offering a space where literature mixes with music, film and visual arts.

The main stage is at the Korzo Theater (Prinsestraat 42) but it is not the only one. Shows and talks can take place in other venues such as the Royal Theater (Koninklijke Schouwburg) or the Onze Ambassade, the old US embassy converted into a cultural center (Lange Voorhout 102).

Do not hesitate and book an excursion to The Hague from Amsterdam, you will not regret it! Although if you have more days and want to explore other locations in the surroundings, I recommend you to make an excursion to Zaanse Schans, Marken and Volendam.

When summer gives way to autumn, breweries in the Netherlands brew a different brew: herfstbocks, dark, top-fermented beers. Their history dates back to the 14th century when the Dutch began to brew their own dark beverage inspired by Hamburg beers.

Herfstbocks have an alcohol percentage of between six and eight degrees and are well suited to a Tulip glass. Among the most outstanding productions, we can name the following:

• Texels Bock, ruby-colored and caramel-flavored. The added yeast gives it a rich and creamy mouthfeel.
• Grolsch Rijke Herfstbok, a product that is available in Amsterdam from September. When you taste it, you will appreciate its caramel fragrance and notes of cinnamon, raisins and blueberries.
• Hertog Jan Bockbier, with a fresh, sweet and sour taste. Unlike German bock beers, it is characterized by top fermentation.
• Jopen's Vier Granen Bock, a brew from Haarlem. The brewmasters have achieved its pleasant roasted aroma by blending four cereals: rye, wheat, oats and barley.

If you are interested in the world of beer, I recommend you get your ticket for the Heineken Experience, where you can learn all about the brewing of this drink, and you can also taste it.

According to tourists and locals, the best view of Amsterdam is from the A'DAM Tower, a 22-story building in the north of the city. Designed by Arthur Staal, it was the headquarters of the Shell oil company until 2009 and its silhouette is easily spotted from the central station.

Here you will enjoy 360º views and, if you don't suffer from vertigo, you can climb on the roof swings. They are called "Over the Edge" and are the highest in the world. The entrance to the A'Dam Lookout is included in the "I Amsterdam City Card"

For more information, I recommend you to read the post about the best tourist passes in the Dutch capital.

With the arrival of cold weather, the Venice of the North inaugurates some very typical Northern European attractions: the ice rinks. The main one rises on the Museumplein, one of the stops if you book a guided bike tour of Amsterdam and the great square that hosts the main museums of the city. It is called Ice Amsterdam and its ice rectangle is located a few meters from the Rijksmuseum.

The circuit is open every day from 10 am to 9 pm. To maintain a smooth and flawless surface, the rink needs to be swept twice a day, usually between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm** and **from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Alternatively, you can head to Park De Meer, a former working class neighborhood where the legendary Johan Cruyff was born. Here you can glide over the surface of Jaap Eden, Amsterdam's largest ice ring (Radioweg 64). If temperatures reach (at least) -4º, you can experience something very dutch: skating on the canals. In this case, I recommend buying some skates in the second-hand stores.

Are you passionate about art? Then you should visit Amsterdam in November. This is the month when PAN, the most important art, antiques and design fair in the Netherlands, takes place. The cultural event was born in 1987 and since then it is an unmissable event for lovers of antiques, photography, contemporary art, designer furniture and decorative objects.

The event is held at the RAI Convention Center on the outskirts of the city. Getting to the venue is very easy, just take the subway. The Europaplein stop (blue line) is just a few meters from the entrance. For more info about mobility, I recommend you to read the post about how to move around Amsterdam.

The International Documentary Film Festival (ADFA) attracts a large number of enthusiasts to the Dutch capital. Its aim is to approach reality from a different perspective, proposing films with relevant social themes and capable of reflecting the zeitgeist of today.

The screenings take place in the month of November in various areas of the city. The most important ones are usually hosted at the Tuschinski Theater (Reguliersbreestraat 26-34) or at the EYE Film Institute, the museum dedicated to the preservation of Dutch and foreign films (IJpromenade 1).

If you've visited the Dutch capital during the winter, you may have noticed dolls, dessert boxes and souvenirs with the figures of an elderly man with a long white beard accompanied by dark-skinned, gaudily dressed helpers. They are Sinterklaas and the Zwarte Piet, i.e. St. Nicholas and his Moorish helpers.

Sinterklaas is the Dutch Santa Claus and, unlike his cousin from Lapland, he rides on the back of a white horse, Ozosnel, and carries a large book with the names of the children who have been good. In mid-November, Sinterklaas arrives in the capital of the Netherlands on a steamship and brings with him gifts, sweets, chocolate letters and tangerines. On this day, children dress up in costumes, prepare crafts and sing traditional carols: the sinterklaasliedjes.

Take advantage of the occasion to try the typical cookies: pepernoten (with rye flour, honey and aniseed), speculaas (dark-colored Christmas biscuits) and kruidnoten (with wheat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom and white pepper).

Who said that low temperatures can't be reconciled with some outdoor excursions? If you travel to Amsterdam in November and stay about five days in Amsterdam, you can take advantage of the long stay to explore the surroundings.

One of the most interesting excursions will take you to the Waddensea, a shallow stretch of sea in the north of the country. Its cold waters are home to two species of seal: the common seal (Phoca vitulina) and the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus).

Most tours pick you up at a central location in Amsterdam and escort you to the coastline. Once there, you will take a boat out to sea to meet these friendly mammals. Often these daily trips include a visit to a typical village, for example Twisk, one of the most beautiful villages in West Friesland.

The change of season and the geographical location of Amsterdam influence its climate. If at the beginning of the month you can enjoy the aftermath of autumn, the last weeks are usually characterized by stiff temperatures and overcast skies. Generally, the average daytime temperature hovers around 10° while at night it drops to 4°.

Occasionally, the wind chill can be different because of wind and frequent rain. If you are traveling at this time, don't forget to bring a raincoat.

In my opinion, November is ideal for a long weekend in the capital of the Netherlands. This month coincides with the low season and this translates into two benefits: fewer tourists and more affordable prices in all accommodations.

In addition, you can take the opportunity to visit the city's most popular attractions such as the Amsterdam Wax Museum or the Anne Frank Museum. If you see a good deal, don't hesitate for a second!