.webp)
There are few cities in Europe as iconic as Amsterdam. Where else could you hop aboard a rowing boat, drift down an inner-city canal network and sip on a cold glass of Amstel while listening to Bizzey?
A company retreat in Amsterdam, Holland's capital city, exposes your team to the many Dutch stereotypes, including flocks of cyclists and coffee shops that sell more than just coffee. Behind this clichéd exterior, however, lies an enchanting city steeped in history, art, music and culture.
There are so many group activities to try in Amsterdam that you'll be lucky to fit everything into your schedule.
The canal networks alone open up a variety of unique outdoor activities, from party boats to stand-up paddleboarding tours. While on land, you'll discover countless experiences like walking tours, bar crawls, go-karting, rock climbing and much more.
.jpg)
We've put together a list of
team-building activities for company retreats in
Amsterdam
, including options that work well for both small and large teams.
Winding through the Canal Belt, Jordaan, and lively districts like De Pijp, this Amsterdam retreat agenda combines structured sessions with a canal or cycling experience and relaxed evenings by the water.
Amsterdam works well for teams that want a compact European city with strong character and easy logistics. The canals, walkable center, creative neighborhoods, and lively food scene make it simple to combine focused sessions with memorable social time.
Getting there is straightforward for most international teams. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol connects directly to the city by train, bus, and taxi, and Schiphol says the train to Amsterdam Central takes about 17 minutes.
Spring and early autumn are usually the strongest choices. Spring brings a lively atmosphere with longer days, while autumn offers a more relaxed pace with fewer crowds and a strong cultural calendar.
The Centrum area is the easiest base for first-time groups, especially if you want walkability and quick access to restaurants. Jordaan feels more local and relaxed, De Pijp is lively and social, and Amsterdam Oost can work well for teams that want a slightly calmer atmosphere without feeling far out.
Popular options include canal cruises, food tours, Dutch cooking workshops, bike rides through the city, private museum visits, and evening dinners in canal-side venues. For a more playful agenda, teams can also add scavenger hunts or neighborhood-based challenges.
Most teams do well with 3 days in Amsterdam, often with arrival on the first day, one to two full working days, and a final day for a shared activity before departure. Some stretch it to 4 days when they want a more relaxed pace.
Amsterdam feels smaller and easier to manage than many capital cities, but it still offers plenty of culture and energy. The canal layout, bike culture, and dense mix of neighborhoods give the city a distinctive rhythm that suits short offsites well.
Teams can build a varied food program here, from canal-side dinners and Indonesian rijsttafel to modern Dutch restaurants, wine bars, and casual neighborhood spots. In our experience, Amsterdam works particularly well for groups that want dinners that feel social rather than overly formal.
Yes, it is one of the easier European cities for international groups to navigate. English is widely spoken, the airport connection is efficient, and the city’s layout makes it easy for teams arriving from different countries to settle in quickly.
Accommodation pricing and seasonality matter. Spring weekends and peak summer dates can get expensive, and popular areas book quickly. It also helps to choose a central base, since that keeps the whole retreat smoother and reduces unnecessary transfers.
The SurfOffice team helped me organise a great offsite abroad for my distributed team of 16 and the experience was seamless. Their clear communication made planning easy, and they thought of everything we might need. They have a great selection of hotels and experiences, helping us stay within budget without compromising on quality. What especially stood out was their real-time availability during the event, which helped us quickly solve a few last-minute issues.
We recently worked with Surf Office to organize a company retreat in Lisbon, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. From the very beginning, Simon was incredibly patient and supportive, helping us navigate multiple destination changes until we finally landed on Lisbon. His calm demeanor and willingness to ensure we found the perfect location made the planning process much smoother. Once we signed the contracts, Cristi took over and was an absolute star. Her patience, clear communication, and flexibility made all the difference. She understood our brief, even in its most creative form, and worked tirelessly to bring it to life. Cristi kept us on budget, coordinated seamlessly with the right production team, and managed everything through an intuitive dashboard on Coda. She was always a step ahead, anticipating our needs before we even voiced them. On the ground, Fernanda was a force to be reckoned with! She ensured that venues delivered on time and to the highest standards, making sure every detail was executed flawlessly. What truly set Surf Office apart was their ability to make us feel like a collective team rather than just another client. They handled sensitive information with discretion, tackled challenges with calm professionalism, and ultimately delivered an unforgettable retreat. We would work with Surf Office again in a heartbeat and highly recommend them to anyone looking to plan a seamless, well-executed offsite.
From the very first contact to the last goodbye, Surf Office was an incredible company to work with for our company retreat in Portugal. The customer service was top tier and every single person I interacted with was absolutely lovely, professional and so helpful.
We recently had our company retreat in Spain which was organized together with Surf Office and the experience exceptional. From the initial planning stages to the final details, the Surf Office team was professional, attentive, and incredibly helpful. They provided tailored recommendations for a venue and their local expertise and network made the entire process smooth and stress-free. The seamless coordination of accommodation, transportation, and activities allowed us to focus on creating meaningful connections within our team without worrying about logistics. The retreat itself was a huge success, and a big part of that was thanks to Surf Office's ability to anticipate our needs and adapt to last-minute changes. I would like to give a special shoutout to Romane who is an organization wizard and made sure everything works out as planned, Fernanda who was our on-site support and did an exceptional job even for the very short-term requests. If you're looking for a reliable partner to help organize your next retreat, I highly recommend Surf Office. Their expertise, attention to detail, and dedication to creating memorable experiences are unmatched. Thank you!
We have organized company retreats for our distributed 30 people team multiple times with Surf Office and the team has loved it every time. Surf Office has some great venues as part of their portfolio and do a great job helping to facilitate pretty much everything from accommodation, food, activities, airport transfers etc.
Candela over at Surf helped us to organise our first ever team retreat in Portugal for 30 odd people (which included +1s and small children.) It honestly couldn't have been more perfect. Every detail was seen to and we felt completely supported. Our team came away from that trip feeling like a proper little family. Such wonderful memories. We honestly could never have done this without Surf and would recommend to anyone.
Surf Office made planning our 20 person offsite a breeze! They found the perfect location for us, advised on places we weren't originally considering, and the organization/logistics were very smooth. As a small people team, having this extra help makes a world of a difference. Our team had a great time!
We had a fantastic experience partnering with Surf Office for our 3-day company retreat in Costa Brava. From the early planning stages to the end of the event, everything ran smoothly and professionally. We first worked with Anthony, our Company Retreat Consultant, who helped us choose the right package. He was responsive, approachable, and clearly experienced—making it easy to select the hotel, which suited our needs perfectly. From there, we were supported by Romane, our dedicated Retreat Manager. She was absolutely great—well-organized, proactive, and always ready with thoughtful recommendations and local insights. Whether it was fine-tuning the schedule, adjusting logistics, or booking group activities like kayaking and hiking, she made sure every detail was handled. The mix of work sessions, team-building, and social time was just right. The hotel was comfortable, the activities were fun and well-coordinated, and the team dinners and beach events added a special touch. Everyone had a great time and felt the experience helped strengthen our team dynamics. Surf Office made it easy to plan and execute a retreat for 65 people without stress. We’d absolutely recommend them to any team looking to run an effective and memorable offsite—and we’ll definitely be working with them again.
We had the pleasure of working with Surf Office to organise our annual company offsite in Portugal and the experience exceeded all expectations. From the initial planning stages to the final event, the team demonstrated outstanding professionalism, attention to detail and a true commitment to making our event a success. Every aspect of the offsite was handled seamlessly, including venue selection, team-building activities and logistics. They have a deep knowledge and network of local and trusted vendors.
The most popular team building activities are surf lessons, SUP lessons and tapas night but there are plenty more to choose from.
Our closest location
Closest airport
Currency
Join the club of innovative companies which organise
retreats with Surf Office.
.webp)
