You might not expect a head of state’s birthday to inspire a 24-hour party, but Queen’s Day does exactly that. The date (April 30) which still honors Juliana, late mother of present queen, Beatrix, has become a day of orange madness. Koninginnedag is celebrated all over the Netherlands, but nowhere more intensely than Amsterdam, where there are boats and floats on canals, impromptu markets, open-air concerts, and dancing in the streets, with most revelers patriotically celebrating the House of Orange by donning the most eye-catching shades of tangerine they can find.
See: The festivities actually begin the night before, with Koninginnenach, or Queen’s Night, when the city goes wild in every bar and restaurant. The next day is a national holiday, so a lie-in is mandatory. Be sure to rent a boat for the day. Boating bans are lifted and Amsterdammers take to the water in anything and everything. Sesa Rent-a-Boat (+31.20.509.5050) rents sloops for up to 10 people. Also, visit the flower market – it really is a must. You can buy virtually any plant imaginable, and tulip seeds to bring home.
Sleep: Victorian on the outside and victorious on the inside, The Dylan is perfect if you want a haven full of wild antiques, minimalist detail and acres of luxury fabric. It has its own canal boat, and affiliation with a local gym. Alternatively there’s Seven One Seven, an old townhouse converted from a private home into a unique residence, set on one of Amsterdam’s most picturesque canals. Located in a former schoolhouse, College Hotel is, appropriately, staffed entirely by students, and boasts a great restaurant and an elegant bar. Alternatively, escape the frenetic party-pace of the city in waterside Monnickendam, at the sumptuously decorated, Michelin-starred Suitehotel Posthoorn. View more images and book these hotels at Mr & Mrs Smith.
