SAIL Amsterdam
Once every five years, Amsterdam fills with ships. SAIL Amsterdam is the world’s largest free maritime event — hundreds of historic tall ships, naval vessels and classic sailing boats gather in the IJ Harbour, while millions of people line the quays to watch. The last edition was in 2025. The next is in 2030.
✅ Free admission — watching from the quaysides and waterfront is completely free. Some boat tours and events require tickets.
Free entry — along the quays and waterside, everything is freely accessible. No ticket needed.
How it started
SAIL Amsterdam has existed since 1975, established to celebrate Amsterdam’s 700th anniversary. During the 2015 edition, more than 600 ships and 2.3 million visitors attended.
What you’ll find
The SAIL-In Parade
A fleet of tall ships sailing via the North Sea Canal to the IJ Harbour. Iconic vessels like the Kruzenshtern and the Clipper Stad Amsterdam sail side by side. Bring binoculars and stand early along the canal.
Ship visits
Many ships are open to the public — from centuries-old sailing ships to modern naval vessels.
Quayside activities
Knot-tying demonstrations, sea shanty choirs, the Ocean Stage with free concerts, drone performances and fireworks in the evening.
SAIL Amsterdam has run since 1975, first held to mark the city’s seven-hundredth anniversary, with a simple idea behind it: celebrating Amsterdam’s maritime history. During the Dutch Golden Age, the Netherlands was one of the world’s great naval powers, and that legacy is still visible in the ships that dock during SAIL. The 2015 edition alone drew more than six hundred ships and 2.3 million visitors — numbers that show just how large the event has grown.
Once ships are moored, many open their decks to the public. Visitors can step aboard vessels that are normally never this close — from centuries-old sailing ships to modern naval vessels — and that mix of old and new is exactly what makes SAIL special.
Along the quays themselves there’s something happening day and night: rope-knotting demonstrations, shanty choirs conjuring up the atmosphere of centuries past, free concerts on the Ocean Stage, drone shows over the water, and fireworks in the evening. Over five days, there’s always something going on somewhere along the IJhaven.
There’s plenty to discover on the food side too, with fresh herring, poffertjes and international food trucks lining the quays — a bite to eat is never far away between watching ships.
Why it feels different
What ultimately sets SAIL apart from other big public events is its rarity. Because it only happens once every five years, each edition feels like a unique occurrence rather than a recurring annual party — and that makes the atmosphere along the quays just a little more intense than at a regular festival.
SAIL Amsterdam last took place in 2025; the next edition is planned for 2030. Access along the quays and the water is entirely free. The event takes place in and around Amsterdam’s IJhaven, reachable by the free ferry from Amsterdam Centraal or easily by bike along the quays.
Practical info
- • Next edition: 2030 (five-yearly event)
- • Entry: free along the quays
- • Location: IJ Harbour and Amsterdam quays
- • Public transport: free ferry from Amsterdam Centraal
- • Tip: arrive early for the SAIL-In Parade
- • Info: sail.nl