Magic & Wonder on Amsterdam’s Canals

In 2010, the world-famous lighting designer Rogier van der Heide transformed Amsterdam’s famous Skinny Bridge into an illuminated sculpture. It caused such a sensation that, the following year, a whole series of large light installations by a roster of celebrated international artists were set out along the Amstel River. The spectacle ran for seven weeks and attracted 100,000 visitors. The Amsterdam Light Festival was born.

In the years since, the festival has become one of the city’s best loved winter traditions, thrilling visitors with its magic and wonder and acting as a stage for well-known and emerging artists alike. The 2013/14 edition featured Buckminster Fuller’s iconic 'Fly's Eye Dome'; in 2016/17, Ai Weiwei lit up the central waterway with a 6.5 km long line of red laser light titled ‘Thinline’ and in 2024/25, Julian Opie’s whimsical ‘Crows’ could be seen roosting on a floating platform. 

To mark 15 years of light art in the city, the 2026/2027 festival will feature a brand-new route through Amsterdam. An invited (and yet to be revealed) selection of artists from the Netherlands and abroad have been asked to make works that reflect on the city, its people and the role of light art in public space. Expect to encounter everything from playful, interactive pieces which respond to motion and touch, to breathtaking large-scale works that turn the entire canal ring into a living gallery of light.

You can experience the magic for yourself on our holiday to Amsterdam's Iconic Light Festival - 15 Years of Light on the Water in January 2027.