The 15 Best Historical Tours in Amsterdam

1.Amsterdam Food and Cultural Tour with Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4,315 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $95Our pick

Amsterdam’s small-group food and culture walk with tastings, Jordaan sights, and Roman’s e-book. 3.5 hours in English.

“Roman is an EXCELLENT host. I was impressed by the food at each of the venues he took us to. There was a great variety: cheese, herring, fries, bitterballen, appeltaart, etc. It's clear he has a great relationship with all the shop workers as everyone greeted me and my companions cheerily as we came and went. And beyond the food, Roman also had some great stories to tell about the history of Amsterdam as he guided us through various charming neighborhoods. He even held traffic for us so no one got hit by a stray bike. I'm so pleased with booking this experience and will be recommending it to anyone…”

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2.Historic City Centre Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 659 reviews · 1 hour - 75 minutes · from $16

Warm 1-hour Amsterdam canal cruise past Anne Frank House and Central Station, with live skipper stories and 7-language audio.

“Good activity. Lasts about an hour. Warm and comfy inside great to get away from the rain for the money you can’t complain. Would recommend”

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3.Haunted History and Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 488 reviews · 2 hours · from $30

Haunted history on a 2-hour Amsterdam walk from Dam Square to Spinhuis, Blood Street, and Waag, guided in English for $30.

“Duncan was great! He really did his research and was able to answer any additional questions we had. We learned a lot about Amsterdam and were satisfied with the tour. Thank you!”

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4.Amsterdam High-End Dutch Food & History Tour – Up to 8 guests

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 482 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $157

A small-group Amsterdam food and history walk with Dutch apple pie, cheese and speakeasy wine, Indonesian bites, fish, and bitterballen.

“This was a really good tour. All the food was excellent. The guide was very knowledgeable about the area. I highly recommend it.”

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6.Historic City Sightseeing Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 444 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $18

See Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed Canal Ring from the water on a 1-hour cruise near Anne Frank House, with English audio and a great sight mix.

“Driver was great, boats were great. Great way to explore Amsterdam by its waterways. Worth the price.”

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7.Historical Highlights Walking Tour with Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 381 reviews · 2 hours · from $34

Walk Amsterdam’s old center from Dam Square through Golden Age canals, palace sights, flower market, then finish with a Dutch food tasting. 2 hours.

“It was a pleasant and informative walking tour. Our guide Sebastian is a nice guy who let us feel in good company. The title of the tour is wrong, because there's no tasting. I already knew it, since I read the comments before. But it should be definitively corrected. Anyway it's an enjoyble tour, so it's recommended.”

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8.Luxury Canal Cruise with Historic VR Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 305 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $51

Luxury 75-minute Amsterdam canal cruise with 17th-century VR scenes, Dutch or English audio, and a drink, starting near Leidseplein.

“One of a kind tour! Really cool to see Amsterdam in the old times, I can definitely recommended it to everyone.”

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9.Amsterdam History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 281 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $6

Amsterdam history walking tour in English for $6.05. Small group, mobile ticket, 2 hours, key landmarks, plus extra optional tickets.

“Samuel is a very good tour guide, open to questions, dynamic, interesting and open to any topic. Recommendable walking tour.”

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10.Highlights & History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 266 reviews · 2 hours · from $32

A small-group 2-hour Amsterdam walk covering the Old Town, Anne Frank area, Royal Palace, canals, Flower Market, and Dam Square.

“Really loved this tour. Aaron was our guide for the tour and we found out so much about Amsterdam and some hidden gems you would not see if looking yourself. Aaron was extremely knowledgeable, and very friendly it was almost like being given a tour of the city by a friend. Definitely recommend this tour 2 hours just flew by.”

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11.LGBTQI+ History Tour of Amsterdam

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $42

Join Henk on a 2-hour walking tour of Amsterdam’s LGBTQI+ landmarks, from the Gay Monument to an old gay bar.

“This was definitely one of my favorite tours the whole time I was in Amsterdam. Learning about the history of LGBTQ persons in Amsterdam was an eye opening experience. The tour guide being a gay man made it so authentic. I loved the stops along the tour and would definitely recommend this tour to others.”

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12.Ghost Walking Tour and Dark History

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 118 reviews · 2 hours · from $29

2-hour Amsterdam ghost walking tour led by an English guide. Haunted alleys, dark history, disappearances, and unsolved crimes.

“Maria was excellent very knowledgeable and engaging We were the only ones on the tour which was a bit disappointing but Maria tailored it to our interests”

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13.REDKULT: Red Light District & Historical City Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 107 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $34

A small-group German walking tour linking Amsterdam’s historic center, canal belt, and the Red Light District, with context and local stories.

“Die Führung war richtig gut. Weder langweilig, was man ja bei vielen Stadtführungen hat, noch zu lang oder zu kurz. Unser Tourguide Anne war einmalig, sie führt nur Kleingruppen so daß sich jeder angesprochen fühlt und man merkt, dass sie die Stadt in und auswendig kennt und vor allem auch liebt!”

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14.Zen Amsterdam Tour : Alternative History and High Experiences

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 102 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $42

smart shop stops, Dam Square sights, and seasonal breaks in English.

“Amazing tour, great route of the city and learned a lot of interesting facts along the way. Muha was the best -- super funny and knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend!!”

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15.Iconic Canals & Historic Sights Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 90 reviews · 2 hours · from $4Best value

A 2-hour Amsterdam walking tour linking **Dam Square**, **Oude Kerk**, canals, the Jewish Quarter, and the **Begijnhof** with an expert guide.

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