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Amsterdam Private tours

Our most recommended Amsterdam Private tours

Amsterdam: Life of Anne Frank and World War II Walking Tour

1. Amsterdam: Life of Anne Frank and World War II Walking Tour

Find out more about Anne Frank on a small-group or private guided walking tour of Amsterdam, led by an expert guide. Discover the city’s centuries-old Jewish Quarter in a small group setting while your guide weaves in anecdotes about Anne Frank's life and World War II. You will hear all about Anne Frank’s family dynamics, their move from Germany, their time in hiding, and her father’s life after the war. Start the tour outside the Portuguese Synagogue, a 17th-century Sephardic construction that still functions as a synagogue today. Find out about the background of the original Jewish neighborhood and how it developed over the centuries. Your guide will share stories of Anne Frank’s love of writing, the conditions she lived through in 1930s and 1940s Amsterdam, and how her diary became so famous. You will also hear about the Dutch Resistance during the Second World War and see where secret hiding places were located. Over the course of the tour, you will walk by the Jewish Historical Museum, stop at the Auschwitz Monument and see the outside of the Anne Frank House façade. Finish the tour with a small surprise at a local Dutch cafe.

Amsterdam: Canal Booze Cruise

2. Amsterdam: Canal Booze Cruise

You can drink in a bar in any city in the world, but for a true Amsterdam experience, you can’t do better than a boozy canal cruise along the world-famous waterways, taking in the sights with a cold beer in hand. Choose from a private or shared cruise. Depart from the city center and cruise through some of the city's main canals. Make your way onto the Amstel River, under the 7 bridges, and discover hidden gems that only a local skipper and host will know how to find. Your cruise will eventually return to the same spot in which you started, right in the city center, exactly where you will want to be after a cruise with an open bar.

Amsterdam: Anne Frank Walking Tour in German

3. Amsterdam: Anne Frank Walking Tour in German

Get to know one of the most important facets of the city and immerse yourself in the history, current affairs and culture of the Jews of Amsterdam with an experienced German-speaking guide. The Jews, expelled by the Spanish Inquisition, transformed Amsterdam into one of the wealthiest commercial cities in Europe and thereby influenced the cityscape significantly. This is how the Jodenbuurt was founded with its most well-known part the Jewish Triangle.  The tour will take you through this area with interesting stories and illustrate why it was especially this piece of land that the Jews wanted to inhabit. Not only Jews settled here. Non-Jews like the famous painter Rembrandt van Rijn also had their domicile in the middle of the Jewish quarter.  But even in Amsterdam, Jewish history is not just about success and good life. The strong discrimination experienced by the Jews by the Nazi Germans also ended in Amsterdam with the Holocaust.  Learn about the young and courageous Anne Frank, who was one of the Jews hiding not to get deported. While hiding she wrote her famous diary. Her diary will accompany the tour and exemplify the grief the Jewish community had to undergo.Thousands of people were deported and hardly anyone came back. But not all Amsterdammers wanted to accept this. Learn about the February Strike in 1941, but above all: learn of the courageous resistance by Jews and non-Jews, who saved many lives while endangering their own.  Pass by the Portuguese synagogue on the tour and see important testimonies such as Stolpersteine, the gate of the old plague cemetery and monuments commemorating the courageous resistance of the Third Reich.  Also, discover how the Jewish community lives today in multicultural Amsterdam. Join this tour to explore the Jewish Quarter of Amsterdam and enjoy an unforgettable experience.

Amsterdam: Red Light District Tour in German

4. Amsterdam: Red Light District Tour in German

Discover Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District on a humorous tour with a German guide. Learn how much on average a prostitute earns per night, how many customers they have per shift, and which sexual acts pay the largest sums. Choose the small-group tour with no more than 4 people that goes right into the center of the Red Light District and visits a peepshow, or opt for a tour that tells the story of the Red Light District, visits some of its highlights, and explores other famous hotspots in Chinatown and the harbor.  You can also choose to have a private guide on the small-group tour. Small-Group Red Light District Tour and Peepshow Enter the heart of the Red Light District with a maximum group of 4 people plus your guide. The tour highlights all the positive as well as negative aspects of the Amsterdam Red Light District. From the National Monument on Dam Square go to Warmoestraat, one of the most famous gay streets in Amsterdam. Pass the Condomerie, a condom store that specializes in all kinds of rubbers. Then, go further into the heart of the district to the Prostitution Information Center (PIC) where former prostitutes are dedicated to educational work and are trying to dispel prejudices about prostitution. Directly opposite lies the Old Church (Oude Kerk), the oldest church in Amsterdam and probably the only church in the world which is surrounded by prostitution. The special situation of the Old Church helped enforce its great wealth, because sinners of the night felt obliged to wash their contaminated souls clean through a generous donation or "sin tax". Around the square the church is surrounded by a row of windows flooded by red lights revealing attractive, scantily-clad women. Discover more about the process of negotiations between customers and prostitutes, about their income and expenses, prices, room rental and taxes, but also about the women's security. Past Amsterdam's first commercial coffee shop, the city tour leads to a peepshow from the 70s. The visit to the peepshow is a small highlight of the tour. The peepshow was once the most popular establishment of the entire district, today it is a nostalgic gem in a street of absurd sex shows. Red Light District Highlights, Harbor, and Chinatown Tour Visit selected highlights of the Red Light District and beyond in a group of maximum 15 people. Discover the district’s rich history with your guide and get full insight into the prostitution industry.  Learn details about how customers and sex workers negotiate, how much they earn, how room rental and taxes work, and the women’s security.  See the most popular spots, including De Dam, the Condomerie, and Warmoestraat. You will also be able to see the famous red-lit windows from a distance before exploring the vibrant LGBTQ+ scene on the nearby Zeedijk street in Chinatown.  Dive into the Red Light District’s origins and visit the harbor, the reason the red light district came about. Catch a photo opportunity in front of the “dancing houses,” one of the most-photographed spots in Amsterdam. Pass by a typical coffee shop and continue to Nieuwmarkt, a lively square with lots of inviting bars. Get a glimpse into the street full of sex theaters.  Equip yourself with recommendations from your guide on how to keep exploring the Red Light District at your own pace. Get tips on visiting a 70s peepshow, which you can experience on your own after the tour.

Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Tour including Entry Ticket

5. Amsterdam: Van Gogh Museum Tour including Entry Ticket

On a 2-hour tour of the Van Gogh Museum, your guide will help you understand the evolution of the artist’s work through his troubled personal life and experiences. From the best-known pieces in the collection to lesser-known gems, you’ll be taken on a journey that’s a perfect introduction for first-time visitors. When you arrive at the Museum, you'll meet your guide and make your way through the entrance. You’ll soon be inside, exploring the museum’s magnificent collection that includes works of art by Gauguin, Monet and other artists who inspired this mad genius. Your guide will lead you from Van Gogh’s earliest and darkest Dutch paintings to those of his more vibrant French period, including the iconic Sunflowers and the last work painted before his death.

Amsterdam Red Light District & Coffee Shop Tour

6. Amsterdam Red Light District & Coffee Shop Tour

Discover how and why Amsterdam developed its reputation for liberal attitudes towards sex and drugs on a tour of the Red Light District. Learn about the district from a local perspective, and discover the locations of several coffee shops, including the first coffee shop in Amsterdam. Starting near the heart of the Red Light District, you'll explore the famous streets, alleys, and canals that are home to the city's iconic red-lit windows. Your guide will provide an interesting and informative commentary on the history and culture of the area. Next, learn about the legalization of prostitution and the challenges that sex workers face today. Stroll into the atmospheric streets of the Red Light District. Explore the small shops and restaurants of Chinatown, and walk down some of the city’s narrowest streets. Finally, experience the unique and fascinating culture of Amsterdam's Red Light District as you hear explanations about the coffee shop culture, prostitution, political issues, and history.

Amsterdam: City Canal Cruise and Rijksmuseum

7. Amsterdam: City Canal Cruise and Rijksmuseum

Take in Amsterdam on a 75-minute canal cruise that offers stunning views of the 17th-century buildings lining the city canals. Uncover 21st-century city that Amsterdam has become as you pass by new architecture and bridges. Visit the Rijksmuseum for 800 years of Dutch art and history. Hop onboard a comfortable boat while listening to your personal audio system. This offers audio commentary in a choice of 19 languages (free earphones are supplied). Pick the option with the snack box to enjoy chips, popcorn, stroopwafels, salted peanuts and a drink of your choice (soft drink, beer or wine) as you glide through the city. Use your ticket to Rijksmuseum's internationally revered collections which features some of the nation’s most famous works, including historic art by Vermeer, Frans Hals, and perhaps most notably Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch ’w hich takes pride of place in a beautifully lit hall. Enjoy 800 years of Dutch art and history through 8,000 objects in 80 galleries and see world-famous masterpieces by Dutch masters like Vermeer, Rembrandt, Frans Hals and Jan Steen in the Gallery of Honor. Admire the Rijksmuseum’s expansive, evocative collection that also includes Delftware, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, clothing, Asian art, prints, items from Dutch maritime history, and many other culturally significant items.

Amsterdam: Guided Bike Tour of Central Amsterdam

8. Amsterdam: Guided Bike Tour of Central Amsterdam

Discover the sights of central Amsterdam with an expert guide riding by your side. You’ll learn about the city’s culture, see important historical sites, and famous hotspots as well as lesser-known local favorites.  Start your journey near the central station, pass the impressive A’DAM Tower, and ride over to the Western Islands, which are filled with charming drawbridges, old warehouses, and chic artists' studios.  Continue along the Brouwersgracht Canal and visit the trendy Jordaan and 9 Street districts flanked by indie boutiques, cozy cafes, and hip eateries. As you ride deeper into the city center, you will enter the Grachtengordel neighborhood and zoom past the Westerkerk (Western Church) and the historic Anne Frank House.  Feel the buzz of music and street performers around Leidseplein Square, a busy theater district with a buzzing nightlife.  After so much excitement, enjoy a pleasant break in the Vondelpark, the largest park in Amsterdam and the most famous park in the Netherlands. Feeling recharged, circle the Museum Quarter and ride through the narrow streets of the Bohemian-influenced De Pijp neighborhood.  Cross the iconic Magere Brug (skinny bridge), a wooden drawbridge over the River Amstel, and arrive at the famed Artis Zoo leading into the Maritime Quarter.  Admire the impressive replica of a 17th-century Dutch East Indian Company ship at the Salt Harbour, before returning to back where your bike journey began.

Amsterdam: Culture & History Walking Tour in German

9. Amsterdam: Culture & History Walking Tour in German

Visit famous sites of Amsterdam downtown and get an overview of the city on this walking tour dedicated to culture and history. Profit from tips every adventurous traveler needs to know and make the best of your trip. Find out which food you should taste and which districts can be discovered independently by bike. Listen to your guide telling you which architectural designs were popular in the past and get an idea of the people of Amsterdam. Hear stories about how merchants, salesmen, and the poor used to live in the Middle Ages, why the world of art blossomed in the Golden Era, how World War II has changed the people of the city and what it feels like to live in the tolerant, multicultural city today. Start your tour in the heart of the city at Dam Square, where Amsterdam was founded. The tour leads you past the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, the New Church Nieuwe Kerk, and past the former main post office, to Torensluis Bridge. See one of the tiniest houses of the city and learn more about the colonial times at the statue of Multatuli on Torensluis Bridge.  Stroll past romantic canal-side houses and cross Spui Square to get to the pearl of Amsterdam – Begijnhof. With its entrance hidden in a narrow side street, this very special hofje is waiting for you to be discovered. On the way back to Dam Square you will see the river that the city owes its name to: the Amstel. The city tour ends at the national monument that was originally built to remember the victims of World War II but is now a memorial to all victims who lost their lives in any war worldwide.

Amsterdam: Red Light District Tour

10. Amsterdam: Red Light District Tour

Join this 2-hour walking tour and discover a unique insight into the Red Light District. Learn about the history of the Red Light District as you wander through the historical Old Town of Amsterdam. Explore the district and learn about its history, culture, and the daily life of its inhabitants. We'll start by exploring the area's famous red-lit windows and neon signs, learning about the legal and cultural aspects of the trade. Visit some of the district's hidden gems, including historic buildings and cultural landmarks that often go unnoticed by visitors. Throughout the tour your guide will provide you with insightful information about the district, offering a deeper understanding of this unique and often misunderstood neighborhood. As you stroll through the district's narrow streets and alleys, your guide will share fascinating stories and anecdotes about the district's past and present, including its more recent controversies. See the oldest building in Amsterdam, the canals, and beautiful old houses. While inside the Red Light District, your guide will walk you through its many alleys. Wander along the narrowest street in Amsterdam and see the first coffee shop. Finally, your tour will end at the Dam Square.

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Frequently asked questions about Amsterdam

What top attractions are a must-see in Amsterdam?

What are the best day trips and excursions from Amsterdam?

The best day trips and excursions from Amsterdam are:

Keukenhof

Other Sightseeing Options in Amsterdam

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What people are saying about Amsterdam

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 147 reviews

This tour was very well organized, hitting all the key spots within the 7 hours we were together. The star of the tour would be hands down our 2 tour guides, Stef and Pia. They made this tour so light and enjoyable; I’ve never laughed so much from a tour before. Stef with his electronic piano playing, his singing with Pia, and their jokes was so fantastic. They truly worked like the perfect duo, and they whole heartedly took care of every customer with care and respect. I wish every tour had a Stef and Pia in it. I would recommend this tour in a heartbeat because of them. It also helps that the sites were all very picturesque and lovely.

Amazing experience! We had the best morning! Rad, our tour guide, was great! We had a private tour as we were the only ones and it was fab! Very informative and lovely way to see Amsterdam!

Isabelle was amazing - so knowledgeable and so much fun. It was easy to schedule. Big thank you and highly recommended.

Joao is a brilliant guide. We loved the Tour and the perfekt guiding and personality of him.

Very interesting visit and excellent guide (Kiran)!! All family loved it!