Queen’s Day Travel Deals

Whether or not you’ve ever heard specifically of Queen’s Day in the Netherlands, chances are good that if you hear it’s one of the nation’s biggest holidays and brings out the party-hearty spirit in Amsterdam, you’ll understand that it’s a holiday worth traveling for.

The Netherlands has been celebrating Queen’s Day to mark the birthday of the reigning queen every year since 1889, but it wasn’t until 1948 that the April date was set. Now, no matter when the queen’s birthday is, Queen’s Day is on April 30th. The only exception to this rule is when April 30th falls on a Sunday, in which case Queen’s Day is celebrated on the 29th to make it a Saturday holiday.

Amsterdam has some of the biggest Queen’s Day celebrations each year, although cities throughout the Netherlands also celebrate – it is one of the Netherlands national holidays. To find out more about visiting the Dutch capital, whether you’re traveling for Queen’s Day or not, be sure to check out this Amsterdam travel guide.

>> Queen’s Day in 2011 is on Saturday, April 30.

How to Find Cheap Airfare to Amsterdam for Queen’s Day

Planning a budget-friendly trip to the Netherlands to celebrate Queen’s Day begins with finding a good deal on an airline ticket, since that’s the most expensive part of any trip. Most of the time, flying directly into Amsterdam will be your most convenient and cheapest option, but there are still a few tips you can learn to make sure you keep your ticket costs as low as possible.

>> Learn more about finding cheap airfare to Amsterdam for Queen’s Day

Queen’s Day in Amsterdam

The Queen’s Day parties in Amsterdam start the night before the big day, and in addition to the orange-bedecked boats on parade through the canals there’s also the Queen’s Day “freemarket” – a nationwide flea market that Amsterdam does like no other Dutch city. You just never know what you’ll find, since anyone can set up a table and sell whatever they like – heck, if you’ve got a few extra things in your bag that you don’t want to take home, this is the perfect chance to get rid of them.

>> Learn more about how Amsterdam celebrates Queen’s Day

photo by passer-by