Amsterdam Dance Event: the city becomes one big club

Amsterdam Dance Event is the world's biggest club festival and electronic music conference. For five days and nights, hundreds of venues across the city, from famous clubs to churches and warehouses, host DJs, live acts and talks.

Fun facts

• ADE was first held in 1996.
• By day it is a conference for the music industry; by night it becomes a city-wide festival.
• Events take place in hundreds of venues, from big halls to tiny bars.

What to see

• Shows at historic venues Paradiso and Melkweg near Leidseplein.
• Big events in the Gashouder at the Westergas park.
• The A'DAM Lookout tower, with views over the IJ and the city.

What to taste

• Bitterballen, crispy meat croquettes served with mustard.
• Rijsttafel, an Indonesian rice table with many small dishes.
• Jenever, Dutch gin, tasted in a traditional tasting house.

What to do

• Rent a bike to move between venues like a local.
• Take the free ferry to the NDSM wharf, a creative former shipyard.
• Spend a daytime hour at the Rijksmuseum.

💡 Tip: Tickets are sold per event, so plan your nights in advance. Trains link Schiphol with Centraal in about 15 minutes; staying in Haarlem can save money.