Hidden Secret: Free Concerts Year-Round in Amsterdam

I’m in Amsterdam right now, and wanted to share a “hidden secret” I don’t think many people are aware of who visit Amsterdam.

When traveling, I’m always looking for things to do for free – when you visit cities, there’s normally a good selection of times you can visit museums without admission, and concerts you can attend without a ticket.

Amsterdam is no different, and here’s a great tip for a free, weekly concert within walking distance of most of the major attractions.

The Royal Concert Hall, or Hat Concertgebouw as it is known locally is located within a 2 minute walk of the Van Gogh Museum. Each week, normally on Wednesday’s, the concert hall has a free lunch-time concert, held between 12:30p and 1p. Seating is very limited, and I would suggest arriving at least an hour prior to show-time to guarantee yourself a seat. The first time I had attended, I wasn’t able to get in, and had to view the concert on television screens in the lobby. I was smarter this trip, and arrived well in advance to get a good seat.

Concerts vary each week – some feature full orchestras, opera singers, pianists, etc.

The concert I attended featured the Netherlands Youth Orchestra performing selections from Grieg and Sjostakovitsj.

I really enjoyed the 30 minute session, and it was a perfect break from the day’s activities. Since the Concertgebouw is located near many major museums, it serves as a good lunch-time break mid-day.

Free Concert Details:

Dates: Most Wednesday’s throughout the year (some weeks have concert’s occurring on other days so be sure to check the schedule)

Time: 12:30p-1:00p (make sure to arrive no later than 11:30a)

Concertgebouwplein 10
1071 LN Amsterdam
The Netherlands

You can find a full concert schedule here.