‘Best tours in Amsterdam – Recommended by a former tour guide’ article was first posted on Culture Tourist on November 8th 2019, and updated on June 21st 2022.
Joining a guided tour while travelling is one of the best ways to learn about the place you’re visiting. It’s a fun way to learn more about its history and culture, but also about the everyday life of locals. However, sometimes it could be challenging to choose the best tour to join. That’s why, as a former tour guide, I compiled this list of the best tours to join in Amsterdam.
Best tours in Amsterdam
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Before entirely focusing on creating content for this blog, I worked as a guide in the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam for three years. During that time, I joined numerous tours in Amsterdam and met many guides organising them. I also did some research and looked for the best tours in Amsterdam that will give you a great glimpse into that beautiful city. So here they are, my top recommended tours in Amsterdam.
⤷ Read more: Complete Amsterdam Travel Guide
1 – Small-group walking tour in Amsterdam
The best way to get to know the city, especially if you’re visiting it for the first time, is on one of those small-group walking tours. You’ll learn about its history, get introduced to Amsterdam’s neighbourhoods and learn about the symbols of the city.
Amsterdam is one of the cities suffering the most from over-tourism, so small-group tours are definitely a good way to explore it.
Price: starting from 36 euros / Duration: 3 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
2 – Anne Frank tour
Anne Frank’s Diary is one of the best-known books of all time. She lived most of her life in Amsterdam and spent two years hiding in this city. On this tour, you can follow in her footsteps, visit some of the places linked to her and learn about this sad part of Dutch history.
Price: starting from 25 euros / Duration: 2 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
3 – Private photoshoot in Amsterdam
With its fairytale-looking houses, dreamy canals and beautiful bridges, Amsterdam is such a picturesque city. A great way to explore it while at the same time creating beautiful memories is by hiring a private photographer during your visit. I did a few photoshoots with Dana already, and you can read everything about my private photoshoot in Amsterdam on a link here.
Price: Starting from 150 euros / Duration: Starting from one hour
⤷ Book your photoshoot on a link here
4 – Amsterdam history tour: The Dutch Golden Age
The most glorious part of Dutch history is its Golden Age. Amsterdam was one of the most important cities in the world during that time. Its famous canal belt with most of its houses was built during that time. During this tour, you’ll discover places still showing all the glory of the Dutch Golden Age. This tour is organised by Context Travel, meaning your guide is a local history expert. And their tours are, in my opinion, some of the best tours you can join in Amsterdam.
Price: from 85 euros / Duration: 3 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
5 – Self-guided tour Rembrandt in Amsterdam
Painter Rembrandt van Rijn lived most of his life in Amsterdam. Places where he created some of his most famous paintings, where he lived and worked, could still be found in the Dutch capital. This is the tour I made myself after researching his life and work for the last few years. You’ll only need your phone and a set of headphones to go on this journey into the time of Rembrandt.
Price: 10 euros / Duration: 1,20 hour
⤷ Buy your tour on a link here
⤷ Read more: Self-guided tour Rembrandt in Amsterdam
6 – Secret food tour in Amsterdam
If you’re more a type of traveller that loves to explore a new culture through its flavours and food, then this Secret Food Tour could be the right choice for you. Although not the most famous for its food, Dutch cuisine could be pretty surprising, too. During the tour, you will visit small local, often family-owned businesses. And try some of the most popular Dutch food.
Price: 84 euros / Duration: 3 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
7 – Jewish history tour in Amsterdam
Did you know Amsterdam was a diamond-cutting centre before the Second World War? And that some of the most famous people living and working in it were Jewish? You can learn more about that part of the city’s history during this Amsterdam tour.
Price: starting from 40 euros / Duration: 2 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
8 – Van Gogh Museum & Rijksmuseum tour
This is a perfect tour for all the art enthusiasts visiting Amsterdam. Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum are the most important museums in the Netherlands. You can explore them, see their highlights and learn about the famous paintings in them during this combo tour.
Price: starting from 169 euros / Duration: 5 – 5,5 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
9 – Street art tour in Amsterdam
Street art is definitely the most important art movement of our time. And Amsterdam has some incredible murals and street art scenes you can discover during this guided tour in Amsterdam.
Price: starting from 80 euros per group / Duration: 2 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
10 – Romantic canal cruise in Amsterdam
With its dreamy canals, Amsterdam is, without a doubt, one of the most romantic cities in the world. You can feel that poetic vibe while wandering its cobbled streets. But the best way to immerse into it is by going on a romantic canal cruise in Amsterdam. It’s also quite extraordinary to explore the city from its canals. I went on this tour a few years ago, and it was definitely one of the best tours in Amsterdam I ever joined.
Price: from 39 euros / Duration: 1,5 hours
⤷ Book your tour on a link here
⤷ Read more: Romantic canal cruise in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is such an interesting city, and the best way to explore its history, food scene and the life of some of its famous former residents is on one of these best tours in Amsterdam. Do you have any other tours you would recommend in Amsterdam? Let us know in the comments below.
⤷ TIP: Would you like to explore more Dutch cities filled with art and culture? Check out Maastricht, Haarlem or Rotterdam.
This post contains some affiliate links.