Best Tours in Amsterdam

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Top sights in Amsterdam

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Recommended to visit in Amsterdam
Space Expo: Entry Ticket
Space Expo: Entry Ticket

At Space Expo you will discover the wonderful world of space travel. From designing and building space missions on Earth to launching them into space. Touch a real meteorite, launch a hydrogen rocket and take a look inside André Kuipers' original Soyuz capsule. Over the years, the museum's collection has been expanded with beautiful showpieces. In addition, a lot of attention is paid to the history of space travel and you can walk through a model of the International Space Station (ISS). Space Expo is a fun and educational outing for the whole family!

Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the Old City Heart
Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the...

This self-guided audio walk explores the historic center of Amsterdam, making it a great fit for first-time visitors who want the city’s big landmarks and layered past in one route. You will hear stories in a clear, conversational style while standing in the places where trade, power, faith, and daily life shaped the city. The route begins at Beursplein, where stock exchange buildings and busy streets set the scene for Amsterdam’s mercantile character. From there, you continue to Dam Square, the city’s ceremonial core, then pause at the Gothic Nieuwe Kerk and the grand Royal Palace. The walk then turns east to Zeedijk, a former sea dike now lined with vivid storefronts, and on to Nieuwmarkt with its broad square and market energy. Next, you move through the Jewish Cultural District, where Amsterdam’s history becomes more intimate and reflective, before reaching the tall tower of the Zuiderkerk. The route then leads to the hidden calm of Begijnhof, continues past the floating stalls of the Flower Market, and ends at Muntplein, where canals, traffic, and historic facades meet. Along the way, the most memorable moments include stepping from open squares into quiet courtyards, seeing a royal palace beside a medieval church, and feeling the contrast between busy market streets, canal views, and places of remembrance.

Amsterdam: Time-Travel Audio Tour
Amsterdam: Time-Travel Audio Tour

Get to know Amsterdam through this sightseeing audio tour taking to the past and present of the city. You will start the tour near Central Station at the Prins Hendrikkade street, easily reached from any part of Amsterdam. There you can have a look around, get the first impression from the surroundings and continue the tour. You will start learning about the main attractions one by one. You will see two churches, one is New (not by age!) and serves as an exhibition hall, another one is Old that could keep its original state since 17 century and is located in the red-light district. The tour will take you through the famous streets, but you can always walk to the small alleys and then return to the route; it will still have something to show you! For instance, you will come close to the Royal Palace that is still used by the Royal Family and at the same time open to visitors as a museum. After you discover this part of Amsterdam, you will cross the river IJ by ferry to see the modern architecture and feel a different vibe of the city. By the end of the tour, you will find yourself near the 100-meter tower. Would you go up for 360-degree views of the surrounding areas?

Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Old Faiths and Canals
Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Old...

This self-guided audio walking tour explores Amsterdam’s old religious heart, merchant streets, and canal views. It is ideal for first-time visitors who want history in the open air, with churches, hidden chapels, markets, bridges, and grand civic spaces all along one route. Your walk begins at the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, just across from Central Station, where twin towers and a great dome announce the city’s Catholic revival in brick and stone. From there, you pass the medieval Weeping Tower and follow Zeedijk, once a seawall and now a lively historic street. The route continues to the remarkable museum of Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder, a 17th-century canal house with a secret church tucked under its roof, then to the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam’s oldest surviving building. You move on through Nieuwmarkt, past the stately Trippenhuis, into the Jewish Cultural District, and by the Rembrandt House, the National Opera & Ballet, Zuiderkerk, the Amstel, Magere Brug, Blauwbrug, Begijnhof, Amsterdam Museum, Prinsengracht, and Westerkerk. The tour ends at Dam Square, the city’s historic core. Along the way, the most memorable moments include gazing up at stained glass and bell towers, finding a hidden church above a narrow house, crossing elegant bridges over dark water, and feeling the contrast between quiet courtyards and bustling streets.

Amsterdam: Essence of the City Audio Tour
Amsterdam: Essence of the City Audio Tour

Take this in-app audio tour to explore the essence of the remarkable city at your own pace! During this self-guided tour, you will unveil the secrets that make Amsterdam so special. Starting from the Central Station, you will delve into the rich tapestry of this city, connecting its present-day freedom with its deeply rooted historical heritage. As you walk through the ancient streets of the old city centre, you will immerse yourself in the ambiance of De Dam, Spui, and Chinatown areas, that define Amsterdam, and discover firsthand what gives this city its distinctive character. Along the way, you will be able to try genuine Amsterdam delicacies, and visit its top museums such as Rembrandt House where you will gain insights into the artistic legacy of this old Dutch master and how his works have shaped Amsterdam's cultural identity. You will unravel the mysteries of its canals, and, of course, uncover the intriguing history of the Red Light District. The tour finishes at de Dam, the heart of the city. This place gives you access to anything, whether you want to go shopping, have a taste of the culture or go for some food and drinks. Let Amsterdam's spirit guide you as you navigate its streets and unveil the secrets that lie within.

Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Canals and Old Stones
Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Can...

This self-guided audio walk explores Amsterdam’s medieval heart, canal streets, and layered religious and trading history. It is ideal for first-time visitors who want a vivid introduction to the city through places you can easily see, from church towers and leaning houses to market squares and canal bridges. Your route starts at Amsterdam Centraal, where the grand 19th-century station opens onto the old waterfront. From there, you pass the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, the old seawall of Zeedijk, Chinatown, and the hidden church museum of Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder. You continue to the Oude Kerk and the lanes of Burgwallen Oude Zijde, then reach the Waag and Dam Square, where Amsterdam’s commercial and civic story comes into view beside the Royal Palace and Magna Plaza. The walk then leads across Torensluis into the canal belt, a UNESCO-listed ring of waterways lined with narrow merchant houses. The final stretch brings you to the Anne Frank House and Westerkerk before ending in the Jordaan, a district of intimate streets, shop windows, and brown-brick façades. Along the way, the most memorable moments include seeing crooked canal houses reflected in the water, standing before massive stone buildings shaped by trade and faith, and hearing how hidden chapels, city gates, and elegant canals reveal Amsterdam’s character at street level.

Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the Historic Heart
Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the...

This self-guided audio walking tour explores the historic center of Amsterdam and is ideal for first-time visitors who want an easy, vivid introduction to the city’s past, public monuments, canals, and hidden courtyards. You will hear the story of Amsterdam in natural, stop-by-stop narration while standing in the places that shaped it. The route begins at Dam Square, where broad paving stones, street performers, trams, and monumental buildings create one of the city’s most recognizable scenes. From there, you move to the Royal Palace, built in the 17th century as the city hall and later turned into a royal residence, then continue to the brick mass of Beurs van Berlage and the neo-Gothic facade of Magna Plaza. The walk then leads past the statue of Multatuli, the writer who criticized Dutch colonial rule. As you continue west, the mood shifts at the Anne Frank Monument and the Homomonument, where public space becomes a place of remembrance. After that, you enter the Negen Straatjes, a web of narrow streets lined with shop windows, canal houses, and bridges. The tour ends at the Begijnhof, a quiet enclosed courtyard hidden behind the busy center. Along the way, the most memorable moments include the scale of Dam Square, the palace’s stately exterior, poignant memorials beside the canals, and the sudden calm of Begijnhof after the lively streets outside.

Explore Amsterdam's Secrets: a Walk Through the Red Light District
Explore Amsterdam's Secrets: a Walk Through t...

Discover the storied streets and hidden tales of Amsterdam's Red Light District through this immersive In-App Audio Tour. Tailored for the curious explorer, delve into an area known as the most famous adult playground in the world. The tour commences at the National Monument and weaves through the bustling quarters filled with eclectic sights and sounds. The adventure concludes back at Oude Kerk Square, where a tapestry of local life unfolds. Navigate the colorful Zeedijk Street, revel in the unique finds along Warmoesstraat, and ponder history at Oude Kerk, Amsterdam's oldest building. Uncover clandestine stories at the Condomerie, stand before the formidable De Waag in Nieuwmarkt Square, and marvel at the grandeur of Amsterdam Centraal Station. Along the canals, witness the renowned Dancing Houses bow and sway through time. The memories to cherish include the touch of lechery, the laughter and hushed conversations around Nieuwmarkt, and the playful lean of the Dancing Houses, each sight a vibrant thread in the city's rich tapestry.

Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Memory and Masterpieces
Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through Mem...

This self-guided audio walk explores Amsterdam through wartime memory, canal history, and great Dutch art. It will appeal to first-time visitors who want more than postcard views: travelers interested in Anne Frank, Jewish heritage, historic streets, and the city’s museums. Your route begins at the Anne Frank Monument, beside the Prinsengracht, where the bronze figure stands near the water and narrow canal houses. From there, you continue to the Anne Frank House, then follow the canals into the heart of Amsterdam. Along the way, you cross Torensluis, pass through the elegant Grachtengordel, and enter the busy center at Magna Plaza, The New Church, the Royal Palace, Madame Tussauds, and Nieuwmarkt. The walk then leads into the old Jewish Quarter, where Zuiderkerk, Huis de Pinto, the Rembrandt House Museum, the Portuguese Synagogue, the Jewish Museum, the Memorial to Auschwitz Victims, The Dokwerker, and the National Holocaust Names Monument reveal layers of faith, loss, resistance, and daily life. The tour finishes farther south among Amsterdam’s cultural landmarks: the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk Museum, and the Heineken Experience. The most memorable moments include standing near Anne Frank’s story where it happened, seeing sunlight flash on the canals, crossing grand squares framed by stone facades, and ending among paintings, memorials, and museum buildings that show Amsterdam at its most moving and vivid.

Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the Old City
Amsterdam: Self-Guided Audio Walk Through the...

This self-guided audio walk explores the oldest heart of Amsterdam, from grand civic landmarks to canal-side streets shaped by trade, faith, and daily life. It is ideal for first-time visitors who want a clear introduction to the city’s history, architecture, and atmosphere while moving at their own pace. Your route begins at Amsterdam Centraal, where the Gothic-Renaissance station sets the tone with its brick towers and busy waterfront setting. From there, you step into the old center to see the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, the lively line of Zeedijk, the Major Alida Bosshardt statue, and the remarkable museum of Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder. The walk continues past the Oude Kerk, through Burgwallen Oude Zijde and Chinatown, then on to the Waag, Dam Square, the Royal Palace, and Magna Plaza. After the city’s ceremonial core, the route leads toward Torensluis and the canal belt, where curved waterways, narrow gabled houses, and stone bridges reveal Amsterdam’s 17th-century design. The walk then reaches the Anne Frank House and the tall crown-topped Westerkerk before ending in the Jordaan, a district of intimate streets, shop windows, and brown-brick facades. Along the way, the most memorable moments include seeing hidden churches above canal houses, standing before medieval and royal buildings, catching the scent of Chinatown kitchens, and watching the canals reflect rows of leaning houses.

About Amsterdam

Insider tips for visiting Amsterdam

Rolf Laimbock

Rolf Laimbock is a local guide who has been publishing tours since 2020 for your discovery of hidden gems and local specialities of Amsterdam on their personal guide page (view profile). Explore their expert tips planning trip to Amsterdam.

When I visit Amsterdam for shopping, I usually skip the obvious chains and head for De 9 Straatjes first. Between the canals, I browse independent fashion, vintage, and design stores tucked into old merchant houses. For sharper local style, I recommend the Haarlemmerstraat and Haarlemmerdijk area in Amsterdam; locals know it for small concept shops, excellent delis, and bookstores. If you visit Amsterdam and like contemporary labels with a more polished feel, Oud-Zuid around Beethovenstraat is a smart choice. In my travel guide Amsterdam, these are the areas I mention most because they combine browsing with some of the best things to do in Amsterdam: walking, people-watching, and café stops.

When I’m in Amsterdam on my own, I always start with a slow walk through the Jordaan early in the morning, before the cafés fill and the canals turn busy. For solo visitors, it’s one of the most rewarding things to do in Amsterdam because you can move at your own pace, browse small galleries, and sit unnoticed with coffee on the Noordermarkt. I often continue to the Begijnhof or the canal belt, which belong high on any list of what to see in Amsterdam. Unlike many tours in Amsterdam, this feels personal. These quieter corners are also among the most memorable attractions in Amsterdam for people traveling alone.

In my travel guide Amsterdam, I usually recommend three full days in Amsterdam as the sweet spot. That gives you time to settle into the rhythm of the city: an unhurried canal walk at dusk, a museum morning, and a neighborhood like De Pijp or the Jordaan where Amsterdam feels lived-in rather than staged. When I visit Amsterdam myself, I find two days can work if you stay central and choose carefully, but four lets you add ferries to Noord or a slow afternoon in the Plantage. For me, the best things to do in Amsterdam reveal themselves when you leave space between plans.

When I want a break from the center of Amsterdam, I head just beyond it to places that still feel connected to the city’s history. The ferry to NDSM is one of my favorite short escapes; in Amsterdam, it gives you a rawer, creative side with street art and old shipyard buildings. I also recommend taking the train to Haarlem for an afternoon, especially for quiet hofjes and excellent small museums. If you’re comparing attractions in Amsterdam with what to see in Amsterdam nearby, these are the places I mention first. Unlike many tours in Amsterdam, they let you feel how the city opens outward into very different neighborhoods and towns.

If you plan to visit Amsterdam around a major event, I’d time it for King’s Day in April or the Grachtenfestival in summer. King’s Day shows Amsterdam at its most exuberant, but I prefer the smaller pockets: families selling old treasures on the streets of the Jordaan and canal-side music drifting through quieter blocks. In my travel guide Amsterdam, I also highlight Open Monumentendag in September, when historic buildings in Amsterdam open doors usually closed to the public. For me, these are among the most memorable things to do in Amsterdam because they reveal the city’s character, not just its postcard image.

When families ask me where to go in Amsterdam, I often suggest the maritime area around Het Scheepvaartmuseum. For me, it’s one of the smartest things to do in Amsterdam with children because the old harbor setting already feels like an adventure, and the full-scale VOC ship draws them in immediately. From there, I like walking toward the Oosterdok, where Amsterdam opens up with wide views and room to move, which parents appreciate. Among the classic attractions in Amsterdam, this area feels less cramped than the canal core. It also works well if you’re deciding what to see in Amsterdam without relying on standard tours in Amsterdam.

In my travel guide Amsterdam, I always say the city makes most sense on foot, with trams for longer stretches. When I visit Amsterdam, I walk the canal belt and Jordaan because distances are shorter than they look, and you notice the details that make Amsterdam special: crooked gables, hidden courtyards, flower boxes leaning over bridges. For neighborhoods like Amsterdam Noord or the eastern docks, I use the free ferry or tram rather than a bike; locals know cycling here can feel hectic if you do not know the rhythm. For me, combining walking with public transport is one of the most practical things to do in Amsterdam.

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