What to pack for Amsterdam in December

14 rain days a month finds every seam. A real shell, not a windbreaker.

Lows around 39°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Lows of 39°F and wind at 22 km/h make a beanie essential.

Fourteen rain days in December means wet hands; gloves dry faster than bare skin.

Low UV at 0.6 means glare off wet pavement causes eye strain.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Urban cycling and canal proximity create scrape and slip risks.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Seven hours of daylight drains phone battery fast in a city.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 5:25pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Canal-side museums and markets require a bag that holds a day's finds.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Wind gusts across the coast chill exposed skin on your neck.

Four degrees Celsius demands insulation from your feet up.

Tap water is safe; a bottle cuts waste from single-use plastic.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel and crowded stations increase luggage theft risk.

Two weeks of rotation in a small bag needs organization.

Lows around 39°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Tram noise and crowded cafes make quiet focus difficult without isolation.

Fourteen rainy days will soak your boots unless you treat them.

Crowded transit in 7.7 hours of winter daylight spreads germs.

One outlet per room means cables that reach from bed to wall.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Border crossings to Belgium and Germany require your passport within reach.

Shared hostels and airport baggage claim need luggage security.

Bathroom moisture at high humidity ruins loose toiletries fast.

Hostel noise and early winter darkness disrupt sleep without support.