Sinterklaas arrives in the Netherlands

Sinterklaas is on his way to the Netherlands and the date of his arrival has been set! This is one of the most beloved times of year for families and kids in the Netherlands. If you're wondering who on earth Sinterklaas is and why he gets a big parade in every city, you might want to read this guide to Sinterklaas in the Netherlands.

Sinterklaas arrives in many cities

The national arrival, which is broadcast on television each year, will be shown on the Dutch television station NPO 3. But of course, Sint will be making regional appearances - horse, Piets and all - in many cities in the Netherlands!

Find out when and where Sinterklaas will be arriving:

Here are the dates of the arrival of Sinterklaas in various Dutch cities:

November 16 - Vianen

The national arrival of Sinterklaas takes place in the small town of Vianen this year. The steamboat will arrive from the direction of the A2 and will dock at 12pm in the Passantenhaven. Mayor Sjors Fröhlich will give Sinterklaas a warm welcome before Sinterklaas and his helpers parade along the Lijnbaan to the Voorstraat.

November 16 - Leiden

The arrival of Sinterklaas in Leiden takes place on November 16. Follow Sinterklaas from his arrival at Beestenmarkt to his destination at Garenmarkt during the day! And that's not all - the kids will be entertained with games, bouncy castles, and more.

November 16 - Arrival in Maastricht

Sinterklaas will be arriving on Saturday, mooring his boat on the Meuse River between the Sint Servaasbrug and the Wilhelminabrug. There will be activities taking place at the Kesselkade, giving a festive air, and Sinterklaas' tour through the city will be a large affair. Families with kids can gather at City Hall on the Markt and in the Brusselsepoort shopping centre to welcome Sinterklaas.

November 16 - Arrival in The Hague

Sinterklaas will sail in via the famous Scheveningen waters at 11.15am to greet all the children from The Hague. The Sinterklaas will leave Scheveningen at 12.30pm and take a carriage ride to The Hague, where he will parade through the main shopping streets, typically starting at Keizerstraat and finishing at the Plein.

November 16 - Arrival in Rotterdam

Sinterklaas will sail in via the famous port to greet all the children from Rotterdam at 12.30pm. After a musical welcome, he will begin his journey through the city centre, eventually ending at Grotekerkplein, where there's plenty of fun and games for the kids, including getting their own Piet diplomas!

November 16 - Arrival in Eindhoven

Sinterklaas will greet all the children of Eindhoven at a welcome party on Stadhuisplein. There will be exciting activities for all the children, and you will be able to greet Sinterklaas in the city centre.

November 17 - Arrival in Amsterdam

Sinterklaas will arrive in Amsterdam at 10.20am via the Amstel. He will leave his boat behind at the Maritime Museum at 11.35am and spend some time meeting and greeting some lucky children from various organisations. He sets off again at 1.25pm to do a street tour of the Dutch capital on his horse Amerigo, ending at 3.30pm at Leidseplein so be sure to check where to go if you want to greet him.

November 17 - Arrival in Utrecht

Sinterklaas will enter Utrecht at 11.30am from the Ledig Erf, and float along the famous and picturesque city canal, the Oudegracht, to the Weerdsluis. After the official arrival, fun activities for children will take place at the Domplein. Sint will arrive at the Domplein at 3pm and the festivities will start to wrap up at 3.30pm.

November 23 - Arrival in Delft

Sinterklaas' boat can be found in the Delft Oostsingel at noon, after which the Sint and his companions will head to the Markt via a number of streets, to greet as many children as possible.

Sinterklaas arriving in your town

Want to know when he will sail into your town or city? The full overview of Sinterklaas arrivals can be found on the Dutch events website!