Whether you’re looking for Valentine’s Day plans or just want something to warm Amsterdam’s winter evenings, the city has some great options. Here are just a few of our favorite romantic things to do in the Amsterdam cold:

Get some poetry in your life. Amsterdam is home to a thriving poetry scene in English as well as in Dutch. Labyrinth combines a love for poetry with a love for mixology, so you can visit any of their eclectic lineup of music and poetry events guaranteed to indulge all of your senses. WordUp is the center of a huge European network, so their events feature some truly exceptional poetry in English. They also publish a poetry journal, so you can take some words home with you.

Take a romantic ride. Amsterdam’s best angle is looking up from a canal boat. Not only is a private boat ride the best way to see the city, but it’s also an incredibly romantic one. Enter Romantic Tour Amsterdam, a company whose specialty is romance. You can have dinner on the boat or just cruise around. They even have a proposal package!

Curl up by the fire. Don’t have your own? Not to worry. A bunch of places in Amsterdam have you covered. On the fancier end of the scale is cocktails at Lion Noir. Snuggle in leather chairs by a fireplace under a huge stuffed peacock and enjoy its original cocktails. Since it’s in Rembrandtplein, you can easily head to one of the nearby clubs if it gets you in the mood for dancing. If you’re looking for dinner, a wonderfully cozy spot is De Vergulden Eenhorn. While the 18^th-century farm is more known for its sprawling outdoor service during the summer, it offers plenty of places to snuggle up near a fire during the winter. For a hipper event, check out Pllek. The NDSM mainstay sometimes offers events, like dinner and the movie The Shape of Water for Valentine’s Day.

Head to the pool hall. Wait! Hear us out. There’s a reason why so many movies use a game of pool to establish a lead character as dashing and perhaps a bit dangerous. There’s something about a game of pool that makes it just… a really good way to flirt. And if you go to Final Touch, you don’t just have an array of game options. You also have the beauty of the Prinsengracht at night right outside the window – perfect for a romantic post-date stroll.

Listen to live music. There are great music venues all over Amsterdam, but here are two unusual ones. Every Friday, Zoku hosts some form of jazz jam or open mic. What it makes it unique? The glass-walled room offers great views of Amsterdam. Another cozy winter venue is Café Czaar, in the Czaar Peterbuurt. Its jam sessions are only every 2^nd and 4^th Saturday, but they happen in a warm and friendly neighborhood space that’s also big enough for you and your date to feel like you’re alone in the room.

And, of course, you can always take a Badass Tour! Our LGBTQ+ History Tour is packed with lovers who defied the odds while our Hidden Gems Tour will help you and your sweetie see onze lieve stad (our dear city) in a whole new light.