Event Details
Welcome to Kinderdijk Illumination Week 2026
From Monday 7 to Saturday 12 September 2026, UNESCO World Heritage Kinderdijk transforms into a magical evening spectacle. For six nights, all nineteen windmills are beautifully illuminated, shining like beacons against the dark sky and reflecting in the still polder waters below. The Verlichtingsweek is a tradition of more than 50 years, held every year during the first full week of September.
Highlights
- All 19 UNESCO windmills illuminated every evening
- Lighting hours: Mon–Thu 8:15 PM to 10:30 PM, Fri–Sat until 11:00 PM
- Daily boat tours past the illuminated windmills (30 minutes)
- Borrelboot: guided cruise with snacks and drinks (5 evenings)
- Kayak tours through the illuminated windmill landscape
- Photography workshops on 7 and 8 September
- Nederwaard Museum Mill open in the evenings (Wed–Sat, 8:00–10:30 PM)
- Windmill Market (Molenmarkt) in the village on Friday, 11 September
- Brewery beer tasting cruise on Saturday, 12 September
Program 2026
Every evening (7–12 September): Boat tours with vessels Friso, Beatrix and Cruiser past the illuminated windmills, plus food trucks and market stalls around the Kinderdijk-café. The café and Gift Shop are open every evening.
Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 September: Photography workshops at an exclusively reserved location within the windmill area, led by professional photographers focusing on blue-hour and landscape photography.
Wednesday 9 September: Craft beer evening with local brewery De Kinderdijkse Kater.
Friday 11 September: The Molenmarkt windmill market in the village of Kinderdijk brings additional atmosphere to the area.
Saturday 12 September: Boat cruise combined with a beer tasting at the nearby brewery. Full cruises from Rotterdam with Spido and from Schoonhoven with Thalassa are also bookable.
Tickets & Entry
Entry to UNESCO World Heritage Kinderdijk costs €21.00 per adult (children aged 4–12: €9.00). The ticket includes access to both museum windmills, a polder boat tour, the pumping station engine room and an audio guide in multiple languages. Separate tickets for Illumination Week activities (Borrelboot, photography workshop, kayaking) can be reserved online in advance. The windmill landscape and public pathways remain free to enter on foot or by bicycle at all times.
Parking & Getting There
- During Illumination Week: free parking at the IHC parking area from 5:30 PM onwards (approx. 10-minute walk to the entrance).
- Parking directly at the entrance: €9.75 per car; spaces cannot be reserved.
- Daytime shuttle bus from Alblasserdam; the last return shuttle departs at 5:45 PM.
- Boat connections available with Spido from Rotterdam and Thalassa from Schoonhoven.
- Bring a torch or flashlight as walking paths through the windmill area are not lit at night.
Visitor Tips
- Book tickets for the Borrelboot and photography workshops online well in advance as they sell out quickly.
- The blue hour just after 8:15 PM offers the most stunning photography conditions.
- Dress warmly for cool September evenings in the open polder landscape.
- For a full cruise experience, book a Spido departure from Rotterdam in advance.
