– This post was written by Callum Tyler –
The Dutch don’t do Halloween like the rest of the west. Ask a Dutch person what they were planning to do for Halloween and don’t be surprised when they answer “We have Sint Maarten” with a sinister undertone. After a 23-minute long explanation and several diagrams, you may learn how to carve a pumpkin, but you’ll still be no closer to discovering the elusive Sint Maarten and what he did with Halloween. So what can you do for Halloween 2021 in Amsterdam?
In an effort to bring All Hallow’s Eve back to the Dutch, you’ll find list of things to do this Halloween in Amsterdam (and a Sint Maarten suspect).
So, if lighting a lantern and going from door-to-door singing songs for sweets, or sucking the blood from innocents (we’re on to you Sint Maarten), isn’t for you, we’ve got you covered with some other ideas on how to spend Halloween 2021 in Amsterdam.
Attractions and Oddities
Visit the Amsterdam Dungeon
Visit the spooky Amsterdam Dungeon this Halloween if you’re on the hunt for chills and thrills. The perfect mix of horrifying history, jump scares and a touch of drama, the dungeons are just the ticket you need for a night of spooky fun.
The Amsterdam Dungeon holds 500 years worth of stories from Amsterdam’s dark and scary history. Learn about different torture devices, hear terrifying tales from the depths of the city’s history and try to keep your wits about you as you make your way through your tour.
Learn the city’s haunted history on a ghost walk
If you’re looking for a more haunting experience for Halloween 2021 in Amsterdam, the city has its very own ghost walk and a cool October night is the perfect time to hear some of Amsterdam’s oldest tales. Expect a 90-minute wander through Amsterdam’s most frightful sights, a guide dressed in black with a cane, and make sure you book in advance to secure your spot. Sounds ominous… and frightfully delightful!
Suspend your disbelief at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
If you want to see some of the world’s greatest oddities, then you can’t go wrong with Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Amsterdam. With some 500 exhibits across five floors and 19 themed galleries – including shrunken heads – it’s the perfect way to celebrate our weird world.
Get your adrenaline going at Toverland Theme Park
Well isn’t this a treat? On October 9-10, October 16-31, and November 6-7, treat the kids to some seasonal fun at Toverland’s Halloween Nights. There’s even more screams to be had from the usual stomach-churning drop of the rollercoasters – keep an eye out for spooky goings-on inside the park this year.
BODY WORLDS
It’s not your typical idea of Halloween, but BODY WORLDS’ project of displaying the human body might give you a few chills. It’s a scientific venture, but there’s no denying that the human body, beneath all that skin, is pretty gnarly. This isn’t the kind of body horror you’ll find in Hollywood, but this rare insight into the human body will send a shiver up your spine. You might even learn a thing or two!
