Amsterdam’s iconic Christmas market serves glühwein, raclette and festive treats just one hour from the UK – it needs to be on your radar this winter.
There’s only so much time to soak up the Christmas spirit before the big day, and despite work and life becoming more hectic than usual, I managed to swap the hustle and bustle of London for Amsterdam. It was my first trip back to the Dutch capital in a decade, with my arrival coinciding with the start of one of the city’s most iconic Christmas markets, reports the Express.
Christmas markets in the UK can be hit or miss, and I must admit, the ones I’ve visited over the years have never quite matched those on the continent. The first time I realised our markets didn’t measure up was just a few years ago when I visited Vienna, which can only be described as Christmas on steroids.
The largest Christmas market in Amsterdam springs up in the shadow of the Rijksmuseum on Museumplein, where you can blend the festive spirit with a visit to some of the city’s most renowned museums and galleries.
We arrived on its opening day, and even though we visited in the evening, we managed to dodge the wall-to-wall crowds. This was something I never experienced in Vienna, and on this occasion, I was extremely grateful for it.
Entry to the market is free, but you’ll have to fork out €16 for the joy of skating on its ice rink. Much like other European markets, Amsterdam’s was adorned with wooden chalets offering everything from knick-knacks to treats, piping hot cups of glühwein and food from all around the world.
There was even a cabin flying the Union Jack selling fudge. Who would have thought that British fudge was such a hit overseas?
No visit to a Christmas market would be complete without trying some of the local specialities. A Dutch wurst is a robust cured pork sausage typically served with stamppot, a blend of mashed potatoes and kale. However, it seemed we had arrived too late. No wursts for us.
So we settled for the next best thing: barbeque jumbo sausages served on toasted slices of bread with pickled onions and gherkins, topped with crispy onions and mayo. This isn’t your average sausage sandwich. Trying to tackle every bite is a mouthful, overflowing with chunks of smoky sausage and crumbly onions.
It was evidently a popular choice, with crowds gathering around the open flame grill right in the heart of the action, with sausages sizzling and emitting a tantalising aroma. A barbeque might not be what you expect in the depths of winter, but blimey, was it needed.
Sadly, the warmth emanating from the grill wasn’t enough to heat our bones while we waited, so two cups of glühwein were called for. Glühwein is traditional German mulled wine, delicately spiced with cinnamon, cloves, star anise.
I’m not entirely certain what the secret is, but somehow the Germans manage to perfectly balance the red wine and spices in a way that all the mulled wine I’ve sampled at UK Christmas markets always seem far too acidic. Glühwein is the ideal beverage to warm you to your core, particularly in a freezing city in December, even if the city is renowned for its beer.
When our sausages finally turned up, they were heaped with pickled onions and gherkins. Much like a Scandi open sandwich, it was bursting with diverse flavours, so unlike any festive fare you’d find back home.
You received an entire jumbo sausage on one slice of bread, quartered to actually fit into your mouth. The smoky pork was wonderfully offset by the sharp tang from the pickles, with a different texture provided by crispy onions. This isn’t your typical Christmas market grub, but it was delightful to sample some local specialities.
However, no Christmas is complete without a generous helping of cheese. A classic choice at European Christmas markets is bubbling, ooey, gooey raclette.
We opted for the traditional pairing of raclette and potatoes. What could be more perfect? The humble new potato smothered in smoky melted cheese.
The cheesy spuds were served with some more crispy onions and a fresh coleslaw. Now this is what Christmas is truly about. I would devour a bucketful of raclette if they’d offered one.
Sausages, glühwein and raclette: the holy trinity of Christmas market food.
Even though it was late at night and the crowds were thinning, there was still a buzz among the youngsters and families huddled around the electric heaters trying to stay warm, sipping from steaming cups, welcoming the festive season. Compared to Vienna, Amsterdam’s markets offer a more tranquil start to the Christmas season.
Is this the best Christmas market I’ve ever visited? Probably not, but I’m always fascinated to see how other countries embrace the festive season.
Amsterdam is one of those cities where you can spend hours just wandering around, and we certainly did plenty of that. You can meander from spot to spot with ease, particularly if navigating foreign public transport baffles you. That being said, Amsterdam’s public transport runs like clockwork.
From the moment you step out of Amsterdam Centraal, you can sense the Christmas spirit in the air. I returned to the city for the first time in ten years, and up until this point, I hadn’t felt all that festive.
Amsterdam served as a stepping stone into Christmas for me before I head back to Vienna again for round two of Christmas on steroids. If there’s anywhere you should flee to in December, it’s Amsterdam. It’s only a train journey away.