Vondelpark - Amsterdam’s central park

Vondelpark is Amsterdam's biggest and best-known park, and people love to compare it to New York's Central Park. The comparison works for the long, rectangular shape and the way the whole city seems to show up on the first warm day. It doesn't work for the location: Vondelpark isn't central at all. It sits at the southwestern edge of the old center, which is still handy for most visitors, since it's a short walk from Leidseplein and Museumplein.

At 47 hectares (about 120 acres) it's much smaller than Central Park, and it gets around 10 million visits a year. A loop path runs just inside the edges, which makes it the city's favorite running route and a pleasant place to ride a bike without dodging traffic. Inside you'll find lawns, wooded stretches, ponds, playgrounds, a rose garden and the things listed below.

Where the name comes from

The park opened in 1865 as the Nieuwe Park, the New Park. Two years later, in 1867, a statue of the 17th-century Dutch poet and playwright Joost van den Vondel went up, and people started calling it "Vondel's park." The name became official in 1880.

Where it is, and which end to use

Vondelpark sits at the southern edge of what most people consider the city center. The busy end is the northeastern tip, closest to Leidseplein and the Stadhouderskade, where most of the park's attractions are. From there it's a few minutes' walk to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. There are homes all the way around the park, so the long southwestern end gets plenty of use too, mostly by locals walking dogs, running and pushing strollers.

If you're coming from the airport, the Amsterdam Airport Express bus 397 stops at Museumplein and Leidseplein, both close to the park. Our page on getting from Schiphol into the city has details.

What's inside Vondelpark

The Open Air Theatre (Openluchttheater)

The Vondelpark Openluchttheater is still the best free entertainment in the city on a summer weekend. All performances are free, and the theater asks for a voluntary donation, which is how it keeps going. The season runs from May to September, with shows on (almost) every weekend, and in 2026 it ran more than 100 performances. The weekly pattern is:

• Friday evening: dance
• Saturday afternoon: family and children's theater
• Saturday evening: comedy
• Sunday morning: classical music
• Sunday afternoon: pop and other music

Older versions of this page said the theater ran five days a week from June to August. That's no longer the schedule, so check the theater's program for exact dates before you plan around a show. The theater is near the northeastern end of the park and easy to find when something is about to start: follow the crowd.

The Blue Tea House

The round, flying-saucer-shaped Blauwe Theehuis in the middle of the park dates from the 1930s and is a protected national monument. Today it's a café and bar run as one of Brouwerij 't IJ's tasting rooms, with a big terrace around it. It's the obvious place for a beer in the park.

The Vondelpark Pavilion (and the film museum that left)

Older versions of this page sent you to the Film Museum inside the park. It's gone. The Filmmuseum was based in the 19th-century Vondelpark Pavilion from 1972 until 2012, when it moved into a striking new building on the north bank of the IJ and became Eye Filmmuseum. You'll find Eye at IJpromenade 1 in Amsterdam Noord, a short free ferry ride from behind Centraal Station. The pavilion itself is still standing near the park's northeastern entrance.

Playgrounds

There are several playgrounds, which makes the park an easy half-day with kids. See our guide to things to do in Amsterdam with kids for more.

Hotels and hostels near Vondelpark

The streets around the park are one of the busier lodging areas in the city, and a good base as long as you don't need bars and restaurants on your doorstep. The neighborhood is quiet, but two big hostels mean there are plenty of young travelers around:

• Stayokay Amsterdam Vondelpark, Zandpad 5, right on the edge of the park.
• The Flying Pig Uptown, Vossiusstraat 46, a couple of minutes from the park and near Leidseplein.

We have a map of hostels in the Vondelpark area, including several near Leidseplein, plus hotels near Leidseplein. Keep in mind that Amsterdam adds a tourist tax of 12.5% of the room price to every stay.

Smoking weed in Vondelpark

People do light up in the park, but less than first-timers expect. During the day there are always children around, and locals don't appreciate tourists who treat the whole city as a free-for-all. If you're well away from other people you'll probably be fine, but this is not a Summer of Love park where anything goes. The city's standing request to visitors is to smoke inside a coffeeshop, so if you do light up here, be discreet and watch for local signs. Our FAQ on where you can smoke and where you can't covers the current rules.

Sunbathing

When the sun comes out, so does most of Amsterdam, and topless sunbathing has long been fairly common in certain parts of the park. You don't want to be the only one doing it in a given spot, but it's generally tolerated.

Vondelpark FAQ

Is Vondelpark free?

Yes. The park is open to everyone at no cost, and the Open Air Theatre's shows are free too, though a donation is appreciated.

Can I bike through Vondelpark?

Yes, cyclists use the main paths all day, and it's one of the nicer rides in the city. Watch for runners and kids. Our page on bike rental in Amsterdam covers where to get one.

How long do I need?

A walk from one end to the other takes well under an hour. Pair it with the museums on Museumplein, or bring a picnic and give it a whole afternoon when the weather is good. The Amsterdam weather page will tell you when to try.