There is no bigger day in Amsterdam than Queens Day. Also known as Koninginnedag, it is a celebration of the birthday of Queen Juliana, the previous queen who reigned until 2004. Each year it is celebrated on 30th April, or if this is a Sunday then the day before, the 29th.

If you're vacationing in Amsterdam in the month of April or May, make sure you amend your itiniery to include Queens Day or you may regret it, else miss out on the biggest party of the year.

On Queens Day, everybody goes out onto the streets, drinks a lot and meets many other people. Everywhere is a sea of people dressed in the colour of orange, the national colour of the Dutch people. The canals are chock full of boats and people hanging on wherever there is space! Public transport is also largely reduced for the day, especially in the centre of Amsterdam.

Vrijmarkt, or free market, allows everyone to sell their junk and bric-a-brac on this day, without need for a permit or license. From 6am you will find people selling their old and used goods throughout the entire city.

Live music can also be heard from many street corners, once again because Queens Day is the only day of the year when no license is required to play open air music.

Be warned though, you should allow a little extra time to book your hotel prior to arriving because many knowledgable visitors know that Queens Day is a great time to visit and hence, on the day itself, hotels are usually fully booked. You can check ahead of schedule on a good reservations site such as Bookings.

Queens Day has always been a fantastic day to be in Amsterdam, perhaps the best day of the year, and you don't want to miss out if you are travelling to Amsterdam in the Spring. Remember to wear the orange colours - Dutch people will appreciate the gesture, it is no problem if you are a tourist.