Each winter the cavernous halls of the Amsterdam exhibition centre are transformed into a vast indoor winter wonderland, where ice skating, alpine-style food and festive entertainment combine to bring a taste of the mountains to the flat Dutch lowlands. Amsterdam Winter Paradise has become a popular seasonal fixture for families and groups during the cold and dark weeks around the turn of the year. The event recreates the atmosphere of an alpine winter holiday indoors, sheltered from the rain and chill of a Dutch December, with a large ice rink at its heart and the trappings of a mountain resort arranged around it. Visitors can lace up skates and glide across the ice, try curling or other winter games, and warm up afterwards in cosy chalets serving the hearty food and drink of the ski slopes, from fondue and raclette to mulled wine and hot chocolate. Beyond the ice, the paradise typically offers fairground rides, food stalls, live music and an apres-ski atmosphere, with the whole hall decked out in lights and decorations to conjure a festive mood through the darkest part of the year. The combination of activities under one roof makes it especially popular for family outings, work parties and group celebrations, offering a full day or evening of entertainment regardless of the weather outside. Held at the large exhibition and conference complex in the south of the city and easily reached by tram and metro, Amsterdam Winter Paradise provides a cheerful, weatherproof seasonal escape, a slice of alpine festivity that has become part of the winter calendar for many in the city. The appeal of such an event in the Netherlands is easy to understand, for the Dutch winter brings short, grey days and little snow, and the chance to enjoy the festive trappings of an alpine holiday without leaving the city has made the paradise a popular tradition for families and friends. The combination of skating, games, food and music under one roof offers something for every age, from small children taking their first wobbling steps on the ice to groups gathering for a convivial evening of mulled wine and music. Held over the festive weeks at the large exhibition centre and easily reached by public transport, Amsterdam Winter Paradise has carved out a cheerful niche in the seasonal calendar, a warm and lively refuge that turns the darkest, coldest part of the year into an occasion for celebration.

Type: Activity

Address: Europaplein 22, Amsterdam, Netherlands