Tour of Amsterdam's history

Duration: 2h
Languages: English, Spanish
Guru: Aldo
Quality Verified Registered on January 28, 2023

Hi! I am Aldo, an archaeologist that arrived to the Netherlands to do his Master in Heritage, Memory and Archaeology. I am an easygoing person that likes to share with other people what I have learned about this country. I know a loooooooooot of details and I never get tired of answering questions. :D Whether it is through Amsterdam or Utrecht I will make you know the history of the city, how it started, how it grew. According to what you like I can give you recommendations about what to visit during your time here, what to eat, what to drink, where can you get cheap and good stuff, where there might be a good party. All my tours are thought so you can have fun and a good time while you learn about the area where you are walking.

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  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free

Tour description

Get to know Amsterdam with an archaeologist expert in history!

I will explain everything about the history of the city, from when it was created to the present day while we walk through some of the most iconic areas of the city. This is going to be a fun experience with a small group where I will give you a lot of unknown details of the city.

We will start the tour at Dam Square, from there we will head south towards Rokin, we will walk along the Amstel river towards Rembrandtplein. Then, we will cross the river to the old Jewish Quarter. From there, we will pass by Rembrandt's house towards Chinatown. The tour will end at the Old Church .

Throughout the tour I will also share with you what other things to do in the city, what to eat, what to drink, where to party and everything else you might be interested in knowing or doing.

Looking forward to meet you!

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Highlights

What will we visit on this tour?

  • Meeting point:
    Dam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Dam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, Netherlands
    Directions
  • 1
    Outside visit
    Dam Square

    This is the oldest part of Amsterdam. I will tell about how the city got its name, when it was created and why people chose to make a town here. We will also see the Royal Palace. I will tell you about its history, by whom and when its constructed, and when it changed to a palace.

  • 2
    Outside visit
    Rokin

    Between the Dam and Rokin we will see several examples of leaning houses, I will tell you why they are leaning. In Rokin we can see the beginning of the Amstel river. I will tell you a little about the history of canalization in the city and in the country. We will also see an old hospital that is now used by the University of Amsterdam (my university). And I will tell you about the history that we don't see and is below us.

  • 3
    Outside visit
    Tuschinski Theater

    On the way to Rembrandtplein, there is an iconinc movie theater, the Tuschinski Royal Theater. It is a great example of twentieth century architecture in Amsterdam. I will tell you about its history and the different architectonic styles that are part of the building, specially about the Amsterdam School of Architecture.

  • 4
    Outside visit
    Rembrandtplein

    Place of night entertainment today, old butter market in the past. Seriously, old butter market in the past. Besides talking a little about what you can do today there compared to what it used to be in the past, I will also point out why Rembrandt's statue is there.

  • 5
    Outside visit
    Willet-Holthuysen Museum

    At this point I will give you a few details about the history of big houses in Amsterdam, specially those of the Herengracht. The Willet-Holthuysen is a good example because we can see its very looooooong garden from the street.

  • 6
    Outside visit
    Blauwbrug

    From here you can have a great view of the Amstel, of the Stopera building, where the old Jewish neighborhood used to be located, and of the Magerebrug. We will talk about the history of the area.

  • 7
    Outside visit
    Portugese Synagoge

    The oldest synagogue in the city. Very important for the identity of Amsterdam. From the street you can see the sun going through its huge windows from one side of the building to the other. Along the way to the synagogue, I will talk who were the people that created the building and why they came to Amsterdam.

  • 8
    Outside visit
    Waterlooplein

    This area used to be a canal. Now it houses an important second-hand market.

  • 9
    Outside visit
    Rembrandt House Museum

    The house of the famous painter. I will tell you why he had to leave the place and how the museum was able to reconstruct the inside of his house.

  • 10
    Outside visit
    Nieuwmarkt

    On this old square we can see the Waag. I will talk a about the history of this area, why it has such a name and about the history of the Waag.

  • 11
    Outside visit
    Chinatown

    In this neighborhood we can see the biggest Buddhist monastery in Europe. This is an area that has lots of restaurants, shops and markets from people of East Asia.

  • 12
    Outside visit
    Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic Museum)

    A clandestine church that now has its own museum. Why was it hidden?, when was it built?, what is its relation to the rest of the city? I will answer all these questions.

  • 13
    Outside visit
    Oude Kerk

    THE oldest building in the city, also the last stop of the tour.

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Tour opinions

81 ratings
4.9
By category
Professionalism
4.84
Fun
4.43
Expression
4.64
Quality
4.83
Route
4.71
Generic
5 stars
76
4 stars
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Ania 25 May 2023
Bielsko-Biala

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2023
Aldo was amazing guide! Balance of fun facts and history made our walk perfect. Highly reccomended!
Svet... 19 May 2023
Giv'atayim

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2023
We enjoyed our walking tour with Aldo a lot! It was informative and entertaining. Thank you, Aldo, for this fun experience
Collin 17 May 2023
Calgary

Verified booking
Travelled alone - May 2023
Aldo was exceptionally intimate with the history of Amsterdam and was able to answer every question I had along the way. He provides great detail in every stop he makes. Would be happy to do the tour with him again!
Patrick 16 May 2023
Brighton

Verified booking
Travelled alone - May 2023
Aldo is very knowledgeable about Amsterdam's history, architecture and customs. This is a serious tour - just what I was hoping for.
Amanda 14 May 2023
Madrid

Verified booking
Travelled in couple - May 2023
Aldo es maravilloso. Gracias a la informalidad de la gente tuvimos la suerte de tener 'tour privado' que disfrutamos enormemente. Tiene muchos conocimientos y, junto con su sentido del humor, se nos pasó volando. ¡Repetiría sin dudarlo!
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Accepts reservations up to 10 people.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 5 people is required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Only cash payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
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