10 Things to Do in Amsterdam in November

November is an underrated month but there is no shortage of plans to enjoy Amsterdam's charms. If you're travelling with the kids, you've picked a good time of year because the Netherlands has a unique custom: the local Father Christmas, Sinterklaas, comes to town in November.

Have you seen the film 'Night at the Museum'? Like Ben Stiller, in November you can spend a night at Amsterdam's cultural institutions. You won't see Theodore Roosevelt or Attila in the flesh, but you can admire iconic works and other attractions. The event takes place on the first Saturday of the month and involves the Dutch capital's major museums:

• NEMO: inside you can discover the secrets of DNA, conduct experiments in the laboratories or take part in the interactive exhibits (Oosterdok 2).
• Nieuwe Kerk: Amsterdam's New Church houses interesting photographic exhibitions (De Dam).
• Van Gogh Museum: the cultural institution holds works such as "The Yellow House" and "The Potato Eaters" (Museumplein 6)
• Rijksmuseum: inside you can see the best works of the Dutch Golden Age (Museumstraat 1)
• Hermitage: the branch of the famous St. Petersburg museum where the jewels of Russian art travel to the Dutch capital (Amstel 51).

This list lists just a few of Amsterdam's cultural institutions. For the full series, I recommend you check the official website of the event. Please note that museums open at 19:00 and close at 2:00.

Want to feel like a local? Then you have to cross the city on a bicycle - it doesn't get more Dutch than this! The capital of the Netherlands has an extensive network of cycle paths that will take you everywhere. November is the last month of the year that allows this activity, but the locals don't get out of the saddle even on the coldest nights. To find out more about the routes and useful information, check out the Biking Amsterdam website.

Just over 30 minutes by train from Amsterdam is The Hague, internationally renowned for the International Court of Justice. What many don't know is that this city of half a million inhabitants hosts a unique kermesse: the :::link|text=Crossing Border Festival|url=https://www.crossingborder.nl/en. As the name suggests, this November event crosses cultural barriers by offering a space where literature mixes with music, film and the visual arts.

The main stage is at the Korzo Theatre (Prinsestraat 42) but it is not the only one. Performances and talks can take place in other venues such as the Royal Theatre (Koninklijke Schouwburg) or the Onze Ambassade, the old US embassy converted into a cultural centre (Lange Voorhout 102). If you have more days and want to explore other locations around Amsterdam, I recommend reading the post about excursions to Zaanse Schans.

As summer gives way to autumn, breweries in the Netherlands brew a different brew: herfstbocks, dark, top-fermented beers. Their history dates back to the 14th century when the Dutch started brewing their own dark brew inspired by Hamburg beers. Herfstboks have an alcohol content of between six and eight degrees and are well suited to a Tulip glass. Among the most popular brews are the following:

• Texels Bock, ruby-coloured and caramel-flavoured. The added yeast gives it a rich, creamy mouthfeel.
• Grolsch Rijke Herfstbok, a product that is available in Amsterdam from September. When you taste it, you will appreciate its caramel fragrance and notes of cinnamon, sultanas and blueberries.
• Hertog Jan Bockbier, with a fresh, sweet and sour taste. Unlike German bock beers, it is characterised by top fermentation.
• Jopen's Vier Granen Bock, a brew from Haarlem. The brewmasters have achieved its pleasant roasted aroma by blending four cereals: rye, wheat, oats and barley.

If you are interested in the world of beer, I recommend you get your ticket for the Heineken Experience, where you can learn all about the brewing process and taste it too.

According to tourists and locals, the best view of Amsterdam is from the A'DAM Tower, a 22-storey building in the north of the city. Designed by Arthur Staal, it was the headquarters of the Shell oil company until 2009 and its silhouette is easily spotted from Central Station. Here you'll enjoy 360º views and, if you don't suffer from vertigo, you can ride the swings on the roof. They are called "Over the Edge" and are the highest in the world. The entrance to the A'Dam Lookout is included in the "I Amsterdam City Card"

For more information, I recommend you to read the post about the best tourist passes in the Dutch capital.

The International Documentary Film Festival (ADFA) attracts a large number of enthusiasts in the Dutch capital. Its aim is to look at reality from a different perspective by offering films with socially relevant themes that reflect the zeitgeist of today's world.

The screenings take place in November in various parts of the city. The most important ones are usually hosted at the Tuschinski Theatre (Reguliersbreestraat 26-34) or at the EYE Film Institute, the museum dedicated to the preservation of Dutch and foreign films (IJpromenade 1).

If you've visited the Dutch capital during the winter, you may have noticed dolls, dessert boxes and souvenirs with figures of an old man with a long white beard, accompanied by dark-skinned, brightly dressed helpers. They are Sinterklaas and the Zwarte Piet, i.e. Saint Nicholas and his Moorish helpers. Sinterklaas is the Dutch Father Christmas and, unlike his cousin from Lapland, he travels on the back of a white horse, Ozosnel, and carries a big book with the names of the children who have been good.

In mid-November, Sinterklaas arrives in the Dutch capital on a steamship and brings with him presents, sweets, chocolate letters and mandarins. On this day, children dress up in costumes, make crafts and sing traditional carols: the Sinterklaasliedjes. Make the most of the occasion to try the typical biscuits: pepernoten (with rye flour, honey and aniseed), speculaas (dark-coloured Christmas biscuits) and kruidnoten (with wheat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom and white pepper).

Are you passionate about art? Then you should visit Amsterdam in November. This is the month when PAN, the most important art, antiques and design fair in the Netherlands, takes place. The cultural event was launched in 1987 and since then has become an unmissable event for lovers of antiques, photography, contemporary art, designer furniture and decorative objects.

The event is held at the RAI Convention Centre on the outskirts of the city. Getting to the venue is very easy, just take the metro. The Europaplein stop (blue line) is just a few metres from the entrance. For more information on mobility, I recommend you read the post on Getting around Amsterdam.

With the arrival of cold weather, the Venice of the North opens some very typical northern European attractions: the ice rinks. The main one is on the Museumplein, the large square that houses the city's main museums. It is called Ice Amsterdam and its rectangle of ice is just a few metres from the Rijksmuseum. The circuit is open every day from 10:00 to 21:00. To maintain a smooth, flawless surface, the rink needs to be swept twice a day, usually between 11:30 and 12:30 and 17:30 and 18:30.

Alternatively, you can head to Park De Meer, a former working-class neighbourhood where the legendary Johan Cruyff was born. Here you can glide across the surface of Jaap Eden, Amsterdam's largest ice ring (Radioweg 64). If temperatures reach (at least) -4 degrees Celsius, you can experience something very dutch: skating on the canals. In this case, I recommend buying some skates in the second-hand shops.

Who said that low temperatures can't be reconciled with an outdoor excursion? If you travel to Amsterdam in November and stay in Amsterdam for about five days, you can take advantage of your extended stay to explore the surrounding area.

One of the most interesting excursions will take you to the Waddensea, a shallow stretch of sea in the north of the country. Its cold waters are home to two species of seal: the common seal (Phoca vitulina) and the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus).

Most tours pick you up at a central location in Amsterdam and escort you to the coastline. Once there, you'll take a boat out to sea to meet these cute mammals. As usual, you can choose between a half-day or a full-day trip. These daily trips often include a visit to a typical village such as Twisk, one of the most beautiful villages in West Friesland.

The change of season and Amsterdam's geographical location influence its climate. While at the beginning of the month you can enjoy the after-effects of autumn, the last few weeks of the month are usually characterised by stiff temperatures and overcast skies. Generally, the average daytime temperature is around 10°C, while at night it drops to 4°C. Occasionally, the wind chill can be different because of wind and frequent rain. If you're travelling at this time, don't forget to pack a mackintosh.

In my opinion, November is ideal for a long weekend in the Dutch capital. This month coincides with the low season and this translates into two benefits: fewer tourists and more affordable prices for all accommodation. You can also take the opportunity to visit the city's most popular attractions such as the Amsterdam Wax Museum and the Anne Frank Museum. If you see a good deal, don't hesitate for a second!