-
Free booking and cancellationFree payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
Tour of Amsterdam's history
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.
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!
What will we visit on this tour?
-
Meeting point:Dam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, NetherlandsDam, 1012 JL Amsterdam, NetherlandsDirections
-
1Outside visitDam 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.
-
2Outside visitRokin
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.
-
3Outside visitTuschinski 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.
-
4Outside visitRembrandtplein
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.
-
5Outside visitWillet-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.
-
6Outside visitBlauwbrug
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.
-
7Outside visitPortugese 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.
-
8Outside visitWaterlooplein
This area used to be a canal. Now it houses an important second-hand market.
-
9Outside visitRembrandt 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.
-
10Outside visitNieuwmarkt
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.
-
11Outside visitChinatown
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.
-
12Outside visitOns' 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.
-
13Outside visitOude 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).