Free things to do on your Amsterdam Hen weekend

Free things to do on your Amsterdam Hen weekend

Amsterdam is always a popular Hen do destination, due to its lively nightlife and friendly inhabitants, but it is also not known to be a destination for the budget conscious, not unlike most big cities. Fortunately, if you are considering a Hen weekend in Amsterdam, we have compiled a selection for you of the best free things to do in Amsterdam on your Hen weekend!

Amsterdam is famous for its tulips, however Amsterdam’s flower market (Bloemenmarkt) is famous because it is the world’s only floating flower market! Founded in 1862 it is located on the Singel Canal, between the Koningsplein and the Muntplein. The flower market floats because the stalls are on houseboats so if you are looking for a fragrant, colourful, flowery and free activity on your Amsterdam Hen weekend, we recommend a visit to the Bloemenmarkt.

Whilst a cruise is usually an expensive prospect for a Hen weekend in Amsterdam, there is a budget option! In Amsterdam you can take a Ferry ride for free by just jumping on one of the blue and white GVB ferries which operate from the back of the central station. These ferries are free to ride and will take you across the river with no ticket required. We particularly recommend the 15 min ride to the NDSM Wharf, a former shipyard which has blossomed into an enormous cultural hub including the STRAAT Museum, which is dedicated to street art and graffiti if you and the girls are looking for something different on your Amsterdam hen do.

If the hustle and bustle of the city gets too much then why not visit the Begijnhof Courtyard for a quiet sanctuary in the centre of the city. Just off one of the city’s busiest streets lies an alleyway and a door from this alleyway leads into the Begijnhof. The Begijnhof is a hidden inner garden courtyard surrounded by historic houses and was originally a sanctuary for the Beguines sisterhood, a group of unmarried religious women who lived together under vows of chastity. It is free to enter and provides an oasis of peace and quiet if your Hen weekend in Amsterdam gets too hectic!

A great way to spend some free time on a Hen do is to visit a street market, and in Amsterdam this means a visit to the Albert Kuyp Market. This street market is located in the trendy De Pijp neighbourhood and is the largest street market in the Netherlands. The Albert Kuyp market offers over 250 stalls selling all manner of food and no food items. This market is a favourite with both visitors and residents, with reasonable prices and a friendly atmosphere, this street market is free to enter and well worth a visit on your Amsterdam hen weekend.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and since you and the girls are on holiday in Amsterdam for the weekend, you might as well check out the diamonds. Amsterdam has been a central city in the diamond trade for over 400 years and is home to the Gassan Diamond factory, which is housed in a beautiful restored factory, which was originally steam driven. Here you can take a free tour and find out about the 4 C’s, Carat, Colour, Clarity and Cut, view diamond polishers at work, whilst learning where diamonds are found and how rough diamonds are turned into dazzling brilliants. This free tour is a great way to pass some time on your Hen weekend in Amsterdam and comes highly recommended.

A perennially popular Hen weekend activity is a picnic in the park, and if you have a sunny day on your Amsterdam Hen do, you have a selection of parks to choose from. The parks in Amsterdam are free to enter and the largest and most famous is the Vondelpark, named for Dutch poet Joost Van den Vondel, whose statue proudly stands in it. The Vondelpark was created in 1865 and covers 120 acres and offers free concerts which are performed at the open-air theatre and from the bandstand in summer. If you and the girls fancy a picnic in the park on your Hen do, the Vondelpark should be on your to do list!

Amsterdam is not only known for tulips, diamonds and the famous red light district, but it is also the spiritual home of European cannabis users! Cannabis has been available for recreational use in coffee shops since 1976, and although technically still illegal in the Netherlands, it has effectively been decriminalised. Amsterdam is famous for its cannabis coffee shops and is also home to the Cannabis College, a non-profit organisation information centre located in the centre of the Red Light district, dedicated to providing information to the public about the beneficial aspects of the Cannabis sativa plant. If you and your Hens are interested in learning more about the medicinal, recreational and industrial uses of this multi-faceted plant then this is the place to visit and it also contains an organic, fully flowering, public cannabis garden for you and the girls to chill out in!

Whilst Amsterdam can be an expensive city, it does have a plethora of free things to do for your Hen weekend. The above is just a small sample of what awaits you in Amsterdam for your Hen weekend and if you need more information, then do not hesitate to contact one of our friendly advisors