Tour with a history expert

Duration: 1h and 30min
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 Red Light District (the tour does not go through the middle of the neighborhood). 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
    View on map

    I will be next to the monument in Dam Square with a red and black scarf.

  • 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

11 ratings
5.0
By category
Professionalism
5.0
Fun
4.91
Expression
4.73
Quality
5.0
Route
4.82
Generic
5 stars
11
4 stars
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3 stars
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1 star
0
Anto... 09 Mar 2023
Warsaw

Verified booking
Travelled alone - Mar 2023
Walking tour with Aldo is like a trip with a knowledgeable friend :) It was a great experience because the length and amount of information was perfectly balanced for my taste. It was interesting and not tiring. I really appreciate that the trip was not cancelled even though the group was very small. Aldo also gives some recommendations for what to do next if you ask and I went to the Canal Museum the next day. It was very interesting as well.
Peter 22 Feb 2023
Hamburg

Der Walk mit Aldo war toll. Er hat die kleine Gruppe äußerst charismatisch und informiert geführt. Ich würde es nur weiterempfehlen. Danke!
Clara 22 Feb 2023

Verified booking
Travelled alone - Feb 2023
Me ha encantado el tour, Aldo fue muy amable y explicó un montón de detalles curiosos además de dar muy buenas recomendaciones para después del tour
Romin 21 Feb 2023

Aldo is a very passionate and knowledgeable tour guide with a great sense of humor. My fiancé and I had a blast! What made the tour outstanding to me was the way Aldo managed to be able to reach out to everyone on a personal level. Some people in the group had in-depth questions about historical locations that Aldo gave clear and concise answers to. We got some great recommendations for bars and restaurants outside the busy city center when we asked. Ended up going back to the same neighborhood full of cozy cafes & bars the next day again. All in all exceeded our expectations, would highly recommend going for a tour with Aldo!
Susan 20 Feb 2023
Utrecht

Aldo es muy atento a todas las preguntas y tiene mucho conocimiento para compartir. Disfrutamos mucho el tour con el! Lo recomiendo full.
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Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Does not accept large group reservations.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Minimum of attendees
A minimum of 4 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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