History of Amsterdam City Center Guided Walk - Private
About this activity
Private guided walking tour through Amsterdam’s historic center, with Dam Square, old churches, leaning canal houses, Nieuwmarkt and the medieval Sea Dike. An English-speaking guide is dedicated to your party.
Highlights
- Dam Square, Royal Palace and New Church exteriors
- Leaning houses and Amsterdam’s narrow architecture
- Oldest canals and the medieval Sea Dike
- Nieuwmarkt Square and the Waag gatehouse
- Amsterdam’s surviving medieval city gate
Full description
Explore Amsterdam’s historic center on a private two-hour guided walking tour for your own party. Your English-speaking guide brings the city’s trading history and canal-side architecture to life as you see Dam Square, the exteriors of the Royal Palace and New Church, leaning houses, old canals, the medieval Sea Dike, Nieuwmarkt and the Waag gatehouse. Begin near Amsterdam Centraal at St Nicholas Basilica and finish outside Het Papeneiland on Prinsengracht. Along the way, hear how waterways, commerce and religion shaped the old city. This is a wheelchair-friendly outdoor walk for up to 12 guests; admission to paid attractions is not included.
Trace Amsterdam’s story from a small settlement beside the Amstel to a city shaped by trade and canals. Walk with your private English-speaking guide through the historic center, past narrow gabled houses, bridges and old streets that show how the city grew.
See Dam Square and the exteriors of the Royal Palace and New Church, then take in the city’s distinctive leaning architecture and older waterways. The route also highlights the medieval Sea Dike, Nieuwmarkt Square and the Waag gatehouse. Your guide can tailor the conversation to your group’s interests along the way.
This is a wheelchair-friendly private outdoor walk for up to 12 guests. It runs rain or shine. Paid attraction entry, food, drinks, pickup and gratuities are not included.
Included / Excluded
- Private guided walking tour for your group
- Professional English-speaking guide exclusively for your party
- Exterior views of historic landmarks
- Historic city center walking route
- Tour operates rain or shine
- Wheelchair-friendly private route
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Optional gratuities
- Food, drinks and paid attraction entry
- Luggage or coat storage
Itinerary
Meet at St. Nicholas Basilica
Meet your guide outside St. Nicholas Basilica at Prins Hendrikkade 73, Amsterdam, 10 minutes before departure.
Historic center and canal walk
Follow your guide through the historic center. Stops may include Nieuwmarkt and the Waag, old canal streets, Dam Square, the Anne Frank House and Westerkerk exteriors, and the Jordaan. The route can vary; admission to paid sites is not included.
Meeting point
Start Location
St Nicholas Basilica, Amsterdam
Prins Hendrikkade 73, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Meeting point outside St Nicholas Basilica, Prins Hendrikkade 73, opposite Amsterdam Centraal.
Get directions →Important information
Know before you book
- Provide a mobile phone number with country code when booking.
- Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
- This private walking tour is wheelchair-friendly.
Know before you go
- Meet outside St Nicholas Basilica (St. Nicolaaskerk), Prins Hendrikkade 73, opposite Centraal.
- Arrive at the meeting point 10 minutes before your reserved departure time.
- Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather; the tour runs rain or shine.
Requirements
Items to bring
- Valid photo ID
Cancellation policy
Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Accessibility
- Wheelchair Accessible
Reviews
We booked this tour to get as much as possible out of our time at The Met. What we didn’t know we were getting was a personalized experience full of captivating stories about the artists' lives and the people who brought the art to the museum. Robin was a wealth of knowledge and a highlight of our trip to New York!
Spent a great day with Charlie he was very engaging and shared lots of information and entertaining stories with us. He took great care of us and we would recommend him for any future tours.
Mark, tour guide for the Metropolitan Museum is an outstanding teacher: engaging; entertaining; professional; personable; experienced and deeply knowledgeable as a result of a lifelong passion and relationship with the Met. He loves what he does and cares deeply about sharing his knowledge and insight to spark curiosity and inspire his clients--his students--to understand context and meaning of each piece or work of art reviewed. My wife, a retired professor emeritas and myself both left thoroughly impressed and grateful to have been taught by best and most captivating guides we have had the privilege of meeting on one of our many travels and adventures. Hire the best. Hire Mark. Worth every penny and every minute of your time you can afford at the Met. Like us, you will look forward to coming back for another teaching session from Mark. In my case, hopefully we will be back on my birthday next year! (Thanks again Mark!)
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
This is an outdoor guided walk. Paid entry to attractions, food and drinks, pickup, gratuities, and luggage or coat storage are not included. The route may change for local events while preserving the main historic highlights. Large bags and suitcases cannot be accommodated.