Discover The Dutch Capital With A Local On The Original Tour Of Amsterdam!
Get a total overview of our city’s history on this 2-hour tour, with the inside story from our local guides. After leaving the meeting point on Dam square, we will go from the birthplace of the city to some of the great landmarks. While strolling through unassuming alleyways and along the canals, our knowledgeable guides will tell you about Amsterdam’s history and culture today. Join our Historical Tour and find out about the pros and cons of our greatest touristic attraction, how it affects the future of our beloved city and how Guided Tours Holland promotes responsible & sustainable tourism.
What We Cover On The Historical Tour
With its stunning canals, historic archicture and labyrinth streets, Amsterdam’s city center offers an open-air museum with surprises to find around every corner. On our Historical Tour, we touch on the following:
- The Royal Palace
- The UNESCO Canal Belt
- History of the Jewish Quarter
- Origin of Amsterdam
- Amsterdam in the Golden Age
- Amsterdam during WWII
- Modern-day Amsterdam and urban culture
- Tips for getting around the city & places to visit
How A Small Fishing Village Became The Dutch Capital
Once upon a time, in the 17th century, there was a small fishing village in the province of North Holland. Find out how a small anchorage turned into a thriving transportation hub and how it affected the Netherland’s role in Europe as a traders country. Learn why Amsterdam became the Dutch capital, while the government isn’t located here and how the colonial era marked the rapid development of the city. Sail along with the explorers of the VOC (Dutch East India Company), bringing the rest of the world to Europe’s gateway and discover how WWII left its mark on the city.
What To Do And What Not To Do While In Amsterdam
As passionate ambassadors of the city, our guides will tell you where to go and what tourist traps to avoid. Find out where the city’s hotspots are and where the locals eat, drink and hang out. Learn about Dutch customs, why you should steer clear from the bike lanes, and what our favorite snack is.
Born from our love of travel and from exploring the world’s cities on foot, Free Walking Tour Amsterdam started in 2016.
The idea was, to find people that wanted to experience the city behind its flashing red reputation and connect them to locals that wanted to share their love for the real Amsterdam. A tip-based tour was organized, starting and ending at the central Dam square. It didn’t take long before people were gathering around our white umbrellas on a daily basis (twice!) and requests for private tours came rolling in.
Guided Tours Amsterdam was born and with both corporate and private groups asking for custom tours, our guides bundled their personal specialties to create the different themes. History teachers were now giving Educational Tours, specially designed for school trips, and our more bohemian employees set up an Alternative Tour and Red Light District Tour.
Unfortunately, free tour regulations became stricter over the past years. For this reason and because of a growing number of requests, our focus moved towards guided tours. Now we are walking in 6 cities, with 10 tours and over 50 guides.
Although we have grown so fast in this short time, our primary objective is to give you that personal touch on each of our tours.
