Direct flights from Atyrau to Amsterdam

Tickets from Atyrau to Amsterdam, Netherlands

Nearly 100 years ago, in October 1929, the darkening winter days were suddenly illuminated by the first Edison Light Week in Amsterdam, an event that marked a significant moment in the city’s economic development.

In the Canal Quarter, various buildings were decorated with strings of light bulbs, as were canal boats and a convoy of 90 light-bulb-strewn vehicles. For the final touch, a blazingly light-bulbed Fokker aeroplane circled the skies above the city, looping the loop to the gasps of the crowds below, offering a dazzling preview of the city’s renowned cultural attractions.

As an attempt by the city fathers to make the Dutch capital in the winter attractive to visitors, it was a master stroke, prompting local entrepreneurs to widen the remit ever since. For the last 12 years, the city has brightened the darkest months of the year – December and January – with the Amsterdam Light Festival, taking that original light bulb idea and expanding it to an array of AI-programmed displays, stunning artworks and light sculptures. It’s like Christmas lights without the schmaltz of Rudolf and his red nose. A flight to Amsterdam gives you the chance to witness this breathtaking spectacle in person and experience the city's magical transformation.

Kazakh passport holders must obtain a Schengen visa to enter the Netherlands.

Cruising Through Amsterdam

The semi-circle of 160 canals, connecting bridges and parallel cobblestoned streets invite the visitor to literally go with the flow.Best fares

How to Do Amsterdam at Christmas

Of course, the original aim of the light festival to bring visitors to the city area of Amsterdam in the depths of winter is no longer necessary; even in the dank days of December, the cultural center of Amsterdam is now so permanently choked with tourists that the city is seeking, on the one hand, to reduce congestion in the Canal District and at the same time, to draw people out from the centre to the city’s other districts. Thanks to affordable airfare to Amsterdam by Air Astana, you can dive into this stunning celebration and discover the city's vibrant districts, far from the usual tourist crowds.

So, as part of the Amsterdam750 programme, the circle of light has widened to include five new permanent light artworks in the areas of Sloterdijk, Noord, Weesp, Nieuw-West and Zuidoost, specifically designed to highlight these further points of the Amsterdam compass. But even on the way to these outliers, there are quarters of the city that are already making their name as charming alternatives to the touristy U-bend that is the Canal District, with some becoming a new cultural center that draws both locals and visitors alike.

Like De Pijp (the ‘pipe’), which is a charming, bohemian neighbourhood just south of the famous Museumplein area, originally built as an alternative to the overpopulated Jordaan district to house the immigrant working class of the city in the 19th century, who were soon followed by the artists and students attracted by that diversity, and the chance of cheap rents. Given the reasonable Amsterdam ticket price, exploring this artsy district has never been more accessible.

You can see this multi-culturalism still in the Albert Cuypmarkt, the largest (and, mostly, cheapest) street market in Amsterdam, open daily since 1905 and closed only on Sundays. You’ll find it thronged with Dutch haringhandels (herring carts) selling fresh herring, Vietnamese street chefs cooking up spring rolls and phø, Ashkenazi tailors, and stalls selling bright African prints, globalised cosmetics and local candles. The high population density of the area contributes to the lively atmosphere, where Amsterdam’s official Christmas market isn’t a patch on the German ones, but this market is a year-round treat, while tucking into hot food and steaming hot chocolate somehow feels less sinful in winter than in summer. Early booking of Amsterdam tickets will help you to enjoy this bustling market scene as well as all the other amazing things this European city has to offer.

Amsterdam is famous for its stews, but it is snert that takes top billing as the ultimate winter warmer and a family favourite. Snert is a thick pea soup, crammed with onions, celery, leeks, carrots and smoked rookworst sausage, traditionally served with dark rye bread and smoky bacon. On a Lowlands winter day, there’s nothing more Dutch and delicious, and the dish is an integral part of the city’s cultural heritage, reflecting the comfort and warmth of the local traditions.

Drinking craft beer is the favoured local way of washing down all this food. The Heineken Experience on the northern edge of De Pijp is a famous tourist attraction, but our favourite is the Brouwerij Troost, housed in an old monastery deep in De Pijp, now cleverly converted into a brewing warehouse and tasting room where you can also have dinner: each item has a suggested matching beer. Try it in person after obtaining an airplane ticket to Amsterdam.

For those who aren’t beer fans, GlouGlou in Oude Pijp is the Netherlands’ trailblazer for natural wine, grown and made without pesticides or artificial fertilisers, unfiltered and without industrial yeast and with hardly any sulphur. The wine bar is housed on the corner of a beautiful old warehouse and serves uncomplicated food alongside extraordinary wines that all come by the glass. With great deals on Amsterdam airfare, you can engage in this remarkable wine experience while exploring the exciting parts of the city.

‘Our wine can be a little outspoken,’ admits the owner of GlouGlou. In fact, there’s a lot about winter in the province of North Holland that is worth shouting about but, ssshhh, let’s keep it a secret between us…

Air Astana operates direct flights to Amsterdam from Atyrau. For more information on the flight prices, visit airastana.com or contact the call center on +7 (727) 244-44-77. You can also easily Amsterdam buy ticket online to secure your journey to this picturesque city.