Things to Do in Amsterdam
• Visit on any date and time that fits your schedule between March 19 and May 10, 2026 and witness a living tapestry of 7 million bulbs blooming.
• Step inside the pavilions to witness the world’s most prestigious floral exhibitions, including the Rose Show and the vibrant tulip and hyacinth displays.
• Capture the perfect shot amidst intricate floral sculptures, art installations, and curated themed gardens that celebrate the pinnacle of Dutch horticultural design.
• Upgrade to include a multilingual audio guide to gain insights, round-trip transportation from Amsterdam to skip planning travel logistics, or combine with an Amsterdam canal cruise.
Join us for a fun, thought-provoking, and genuinely local experience through the heart of Amsterdam, and discover the stories, history, and strange contradictions that make Amsterdam so… Absolutely Amsterdam.
Together with one of our passionate local guides, you’ll explore how freedom, tolerance, trade, rebellion, and creativity shaped the city — and why Amsterdam still feels unlike anywhere else in the world today.
This isn’t a generic, scripted tour filled with endless dates and names you won’t remember. We keep things personal, interactive, and honest. Expect fascinating stories, dark history, local gossip, humor, awkward Dutch habits, and the kind of insights you only get from people who actually live here.
━━━━━━━━━━
THE EXPERIENCE
━━━━━━━━━━
We believe the best tours feel less like a lecture and more like exploring the city with a knowledgeable local friend.
Our guides are real Amsterdam locals with academic backgrounds and years of experience — many also work in museums and cultural institutions — but we care just as much about creating a fun atmosphere as we do about historical accuracy.
Every guide brings their own personality, expertise, humor, and perspective, which means no two tours are ever exactly the same.
Ask questions. Be curious. Challenge assumptions. We love that.
By the end of the tour, you won’t just have seen Amsterdam — you’ll understand why people fall in love with it.
━━━━━━━━━━
WHAT YOU’LL DISCOVER
━━━━━━━━━━
🏛️ HISTORY
• How Amsterdam grew from a muddy fishing village into the richest city on Earth
• How Amsterdam helped invent modern capitalism
• The surprising Dutch transition from Republic to Monarchy
• Why hidden churches exist — and why sex workers worked beside them
• The dark side of the Golden Age, colonialism, and the Dutch East India Company
• WWII, Anne Frank, Nazi occupation, and the devastating history of Amsterdam’s Jewish community
• Why the canal houses are so narrow, crooked, and beautiful
🌆 MODERN AMSTERDAM
• The truth behind Amsterdam’s famous liberal reputation
• Coffeeshops and Dutch drug policy — how it really works
• Why the Red Light District is changing
• How hippies helped save Amsterdam from demolition
• Local gossip, modern politics, and the Royal Family
• Unique personal stories and honest insights into daily Dutch life
🎭 DUTCH CULTURE
• Dutch directness, tolerance, and the famous “open curtain” culture
• Why bikes rule the city
• Dutch food culture — from stroopwafels and cheese to Indonesian food
• Rembrandt, hidden courtyards, Chinatown, and local traditions
• What makes Amsterdam feel so different from the rest of the world
━━━━━━━━━━
INCLUDED EXTRAS
━━━━━━━━━━
🍪 A typical Dutch snack during the tour
🎁 A small souvenir to remember Amsterdam by
🗺️ An insider guide with our favorite bars, restaurants, cafés, clubs, and hidden gems
🚤 Exclusive discounts for small-boat canal cruises and other local experiences
━━━━━━━━━━
TOUR DETAILS
━━━━━━━━━━
📍 Meeting Point
In front of the main entrance of the Beurs van Berlage (Stock Exchange Building), next to the bull statue on Beursplein.
⏰ Daily Tours
10:30 AM
2:00 PM
5:30 PM (not always available on Saturdays — check availability)
⏳ Duration
Approximately 2.5 hours
📌 Highlights May Include
The Old Harbor • Central Station • Hidden Churches • Chinatown • Nieuwmarkt • The Red Light District • Dutch Drug Policies • Canal Houses • Jewish Quarter or Anne Frank area • Royal Palace • Dam Square • Dutch Bike Culture • Personal Local Stories
━━━━━━━━━━
PLEASE NOTE
━━━━━━━━━━
🇬🇧 Tours are conducted entirely in English.
👥 Maximum 7 people per booking. Multiple reservations from the same group may be refused if the combined group exceeds this limit.
• Hop on GVB trams, buses, ferries, and metros with one pass and save up to 60% on transportation while touring the city at your leisure.
• Airport transfers are now made easy with access to Bus 369, which runs every 15 mins between Sloterdijk and Schiphol, and yes, it’s included with your pass.
• Set your schedule and go! Your GVB pass activates automatically at your pre-selected timeslot. Enjoy 24 to 168 hours of unlimited travel starting exactly when you need it.
• Enhance your experience by upgrading with multilingual audio guides that covers Amsterdam's top 100 attractions and experiences.
This walk will take you along the medieval city walls of Amsterdam. It also happens to be one of the most beautiful canals in the city - Kloveniersburgwal.
Our tour will cover topics such as the origin of Amsterdam, the medieval city walls - with the defensive towers, Dutch expeditions, the Golden Age, the East India Company, the West India Company.
I will tell you about Rembrandt and his most important works, the social system in Amsterdam in the XVII century, religion then and now, and a few other interesting things.
Mind you the walk is slightly off the beaten path (still in the centre however).
• Relax in a premium, air-conditioned bus, allowing you to bypass traffic and parking hassles entirely, with returns every 30 minutes.
• Start your journey from either A'DAM Tower or Centraal Station, choosing the hub that best fits your morning plans.
• Pair your Keukenhof visit with a 1-hour windmill cruise in Kagerplassen and a tour of a tulip farm where you can actually walk through the flower fields.
This charming neighborhood, with its narrow streets, historic canal houses and picturesque bridges, was developed during the Dutch Golden Age and is often considered the most authentic part of the city. As we walk together along stunning canals and historic streets, you will experience the side of Amsterdam that locals truly love.
But behind the postcard beauty lies a powerful history.
The Jordaan was once a working-class district, home to immigrants, artists, rebels and ordinary people who shaped the city in extraordinary ways. From stories connected to Anne Frank and the Second World War, to moments of resistance, protest and social change, this neighborhood carries many layers of history beneath its calm surface.
As we move through beautiful canals, hidden streets and lively squares, you will hear stories that connect past and present — stories of courage, creativity and community.
This is not just a walk through pretty streets.
It is a journey into the heart and soul of Amsterdam.
• Encounter works by Banksy, Warhol, Basquiat, Kusama, and other modern art legends through paintings, sculptures, canvases, and curated displays.
• Step into immersive digital installations and discover how art influences culture and society, as you explore Amsterdam’s most vibrant museums.
• Visit the Moco Garden, featuring outdoor artworks, and enjoy stories from the audio guide that further enrich your understanding of modern art.
During our 2-hour walk, we will discover the history of Amsterdam and its culture.
Not only will I talk to you about the main places in the city, but also about everything that is not written in the printed guides about Amsterdam. All the information that is part of everyday life in the city and the Dutch culture that I have come to know and appreciate during my life in Amsterdam.
We will visit together:
- The Begijnhof courtyard and Spui square
- the UNESCO canal area
- The Jewish quarter of the city
- the flower market
We are waiting for you!
• Admire Rembrandt’s *The Night Watch* and Van Gogh’s self-portrait, alongside works by celebrated artists such as Frans Hals, Jan Steen, and Judith Leyster.
• Wander through galleries showcasing Dutch Golden Age paintings, decorative arts, sculpture, and artifacts, including Delftware and detailed ship models.
• Upgrade your visit with a choice of 2 drinks, an expert-led guided tour, a self-guided audio tour, or a 75-minute Amsterdam canal cruise that combines city views with commentary for an unforgettable experience.
Amsterdam - the world's playground
Amsterdam is a very special city - it has always been very open and tolerant, but at the same time protective of its residents. I want to show you why the people of Amsterdam are bold and confident, what kind of life they lead today, and why. We will talk about the famous tolerance and openness that Amsterdam is famous for.
I would love to tell you about all those events in the past that shaped the city as it is today. Why do so many people come here to play, and what are the consequences?
When I say "playground", you're probably thinking: party! But there is so much more to it. My tour is about the history, colonialism, slavery, WW2, sex work, LGBT+ rights, and about what Amsterdam used to feel like, look like and smell like.
I will also tell you about the current problems we're struggling with.
• Hop on near Centraal Station or Anne Frank House, a convenient, centrally located boarding point, for flexible and easy sightseeing.
• Stay cosy and dry aboard a heated glass-top roof boat, offering views of Amsterdam’s canals and landmarks such as the Anne Frank House and the Skinny Bridge.
• Enjoy informative commentary in your preferred language with a multilingual audio guide, plus activities for kids, making your experience enriching.
• Upgrade to a 75-min cruise from Rijksmuseum, or opt for a 1-hour luxury saloon boat tour featuring live commentary, wi-fi and a toilet onboard and unlimited drinks and Dutch cheese.
Welcome!
Are you interested in the history of Amsterdam and do you want to know how it grew from a small fishing village into one of the most beautiful and richest cities in the world?
This tour is made for people who love history, stories and want to know more about this amazing city.
This tour will start of course at the place where it all began: Dam Square. Together we will make a journey through the centuries and pass true and mention the following highlights:
- The origins of Amsterdam and The Netherlands
- The importance of water and trade for Amsterdam
- The new New Church and the protestant reformation
- The Royal Palace and the Rabit King
- The canal district
- The history of Boat houses
- The history of the Red Light District
- The history of Coffee shops and the Dutch drug policy.
- And much more!!!
• Wander through the flower fields and pose for unforgettable photos alongside an authentic windmill, vintage tractors, and iconic giant Dutch clogs.
• Explore curated exhibitions featuring the 'Bloemencorso Bollenstreek' collection and uncover the secrets of the bulb that once sparked global "Tulip Mania" at the onsite museum.
• Visit the farmers' market for handcrafted local treasures or experience the magic of the Indoor Tulip Picking Area to hand-select your own fresh bunch to take home.
• Enhance your experience by upgrading to a ticket that includes round-trip transfers from Amsterdam on a comfortable, luxury bus from Centraal Station or A'DAM Lookout.
Buckle up! because this is not your typical sightseeing tour.
First, let's set the stage.
This place isn't just about the lively nightlife, it's a historic part of Amsterdam with stories around every corner.
As we zigzag through the district, your guide, a local with a wealth of anecdotes, points out hidden gems you could easily miss without the help of an expert.
From secret bars to unique stores, each place has its own story. But what makes this trip really special is the laughter and conviviality.
Imagine a group of travel enthusiasts, each from different corners of the world. All united by a thirst for adventure and new experiences. The energy is contagious, and each new discovery triggers a surge of excitement.
As night falls, you may find yourself at a local diner, sharing stories and dishes. These are the moments. Good food, great company and the backdrop of an illuminated city that stay with you long after the trip is over.
So, if you're in the mood for an adventure that's as educational as it is stimulating, Friendly Walking Tours' Amsterdam Red Light District tour awaits. Don't just explore, immerse yourself with us in experiences that defy everyday perspective.
After all, isn't that what travel is all about?
Starting at St. Nicholas Basilica, in front of Centraal Station and ending at Dam Square itself, your friendly guide will provide you with all the details you need to make the most of your experience.
Pedro.
