Vondelpark, Amsterdam | Events, Things to Do, Timings, Photos

Vondelpark, Amsterdam Overview

Vondelpark is the largest and the most popular park in the city of Amsterdam.The park is a perfect place for recreation as well as for tourist purposes with its open-air theatre, children’s playground and cafeterias.

Named after a poet and playwright of the 17th century Joost van den Vondel, it attracts more than 10 million visitors every year. With a size of 120 acres, people in the park engage in various activities such as jogging, cycling, sitting, reading, dog-walking, listening to music or simply lazing around. Free concerts are held in the open-air theatre especially during the weekends, and the cafeteria serves delicious refreshments

Of more than the 30 public parks to choose from in Amsterdam, Vondelpark is hands down the most popular of them all. It attracts thousands of tourists and locals every single day. The park, which was originally called Nieuwe Park, was first opened in 1865. It has an open air theatre, and many options of restaurants and bars to choose from. The beauty of the park is enhanced by statues such as the 'Joost van del Vondel' by Louis Royer and 'The Fish' by the world famous Pablo Picasso. There are several events that take place in the park including musical and dance events in the open-air theatre and even a golf tournament.

History of Vondelpark

Vondelpark has an interesting history - a group of prominent citizens of Amsterdam created a group to lobby for the creation of a park. They put together enough money to buy several acres of grassland around the edge of the city (at that time), and assigned a famous architect (Jan David Zocher) for the landscape of the park. It was initially named the Het Nieuwe Park (or "The New Park" in English).
A couple of years after the park opened, the statue of a famous Dutch poet (Joost van den Vondel) was erected in the park, and people started calling it the Vondelpark - a name which continues to this day.

Kings Day in Vondelpark

As in all of the Netherlands, King's day is celebrated with the usual grandeur in Vondelpark. There is a huge flea market in the park which is typically run by children, where they try to sell their stuff to earn some extra cash. The atmosphere is quite festive, and you would see the whole park covered in the traditional Dutch orange colors. If you happen to be in Amsterdam on the Kings day, a walk through the Vondelpark in the morning/afternoon would be a good way to start the festivities. (Kings day is currently celebrated on 27-April)

Events in Vondelpark

The most loved park in Amsterdam, Vondelpark is the centre of a lot of outdoor activities. There is a free open air theatre inside the park, which hosts free music, dance and even cabaret events during the summer days! From prominent rock bands to local dance groups, you could see a number of performances here between June and August.

How to Reach Vondelpark

LightRail: 5, 12

Metro: 51, 54

Train: INTERCITY, SPRINTER

Buses: 65, 612

Cafe/restaurants in Vondelpark

There are a few nice restaurants and cafes inside the park, most of them beautifully located near a pond or a canal. A few of these have outdoor seating especially during the summer months. All of them boast a great collection of beers on tap and various cuisines, such as pizzas or burgers or other European cuisines.