Summer is the Netherlands at its liveliest. Long daylight hours stretch well into the evening, café terraces spill out onto the canals, and the whole country seems to move outdoors.
It's peak season for good reason - canal cruises feel best under long evening light, cycling routes through the countryside are at their most inviting, and the North Sea coast becomes a genuine option for a beach day.
Amsterdam hosts a full calendar of festivals through the summer months, so timing a visit around one can add an extra layer to the trip. Summer also brings Pride, when the canal ring fills with rainbow flags and a parade of decorated boats winds its way through the city's waterways, turning the whole centre into one long, colourful celebration.
Cheese lovers should also look out for the weekly cheese markets in Alkmaar and Gouda, which run through the warmer months and turn each town's main square into a traditional trading spectacle, complete with horse-drawn carts and traders in period costume.
The trade-off is crowds and prices, both at their highest. Booking accommodation and popular tours several weeks ahead is worth doing if you're travelling between June and August.
→ Continue planning: Amsterdam Canal Cruise: The Ultimate Guide
