Surviving Dutch Weather

It’s simple really….

Maybe it’s because my body is not used to 35F degree weather or the fact that I come from a city that has an average of 284 days of sunshine. But I’m no die-hard fan of Dutch weather. To put it simply, Dutch weather is cold, grey, wet and very questionable. And by questionable I mean it can be raining for most of the day, become sunny then suddenly hoards of hail will fall angrily from of the sky. Welcome to the Netherlands guys. While the weather here is not as cold as the Nordic countries, I still find it quite a phenomenon. However, I do have to say that there is a way for sure to deal with it all.

What you’ll need is a good raincoat, Buienradar and a good list of things to do for all the time you’ll have to stay indoors to better keep your sanity in tack. I have provided a list of activities to keep you busy inside when the rain and wind is so horribly unpredictable, you refuse to step out. Being inside really doesn’t have to be boring!

Visit a Museum

The perfect way to stay out of the cold and keep yourself warm is by visiting a museum. You can spend all day wandering around reveling at art and Dutch cultural heritage. My personal favorites are the Tropenmuseum and Rijksmuseum! Lucky for you there are about 870 museums throughout the Netherlands so you will have your fill to choose from.

Beer Tasting

The Belgians seem to get all the credit when it comes to beer. However, the Dutch also have a nice reputation of brewing beers since the 9th century. And I can totally attest for this! While I’m not a beer sommelier, I do enjoy beer tasting and have basic knowledge of my favorite stouts and tripels. If you’re looking for something to do then head out to any brewery, taproom or bar for some quality beer (and order something else than Heineken).

Go to Ikea

Whether rain or shine, IKEA is always a good idea. You can easily spend an entire day in this magical furniture wonderland browsing around or purchasing items you didn’t know you needed. If you’re not looking to spend 300 euros on miscellaneous things I would recommend coming for the food alone, especially the Swedish meatballs. You can also pretend you live in any of the cool showrooms and get lost in the endless amount of layouts. The Dutchie himself confirmed that Dutch people love IKEA, but honestly who doesn’t?

Learn a Language

Take advantage of the time you are spending away from the cold weather and learn a new skill. What better way to do this than learning a new language? (Note to self: pick an easier one next time.)

When the weather is bad…go outside anyways

To truly survive Dutch weather you need the right clothing, an umbrella that can bear heavy winds, a weather app to check the forecast and finally accept that the weather is unpredictable and go outside anyways. Regardless of the cold or rain you, will still find Dutch people happily going about their way.

I hope these tips can help you keep sane when the weather takes a turn!