Sep 24, 2019

6 Must-Do Tours In Amsterdam

By

Kerry Martin

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Amsterdam is such a vibrant, hip city – a few of the Trtl team have visited and highly recommend Netherland’s capital for its cool architecture and laidback nature.

There’s lots to do here and we really recommend checking out one of the many tours that are available to experience the best of the city. Here’s our favourites:

Heineken Experience

Heineken Experience

Tours like this usually run to a standard format; see how the beer is made, then drink the beer. I won’t lie, the Heineken Experience is no different. It happens in this way because it works. It’s quite enjoyable learning how beer is crafted (did you know Heineken is made with just 4 ingredients?). And of course, I can’t and won’t complain about the part where I get to drink the beer, either.

Amsterdam Dungeons

Amsterdam Dungeons

If, like me, you pride yourself on having a darker sense of humour, then definitely take a trip to the Amsterdam Dungeons. The website promises that you will ‘see, hear, feel and (ahem) smell the chillingly amusing characters of the ‘bad old days’ as they come to life before you.’ Including a torture chamber, witch burning, and a labyrinth steeped in darkness that you are challenged to find your way out of, a visit to the dungeons is ‘dam fun!

Windmill Tour  

Windmill Tour

Windmills? I’m a huge fan. They blow me away.

Take a half-day trip to Zaanse-Schans, a neighbourhood in the town of Zaandam and around 30 minutes away by car from Amsterdam. Zaanse-Schans has around 600 windmills, and a windmill village, which is very cute. Each of the windmills in the village was built for its own purpose, from a saw mill to cocoa, paint and oil mills. 

A visit to Zaanse-Schans brings Dutch history to life, but if that’s not enough for you there’s also lots of craft shops and museums to whet your whistle.

Walking Tour

Walking Tour

If you’re looking for something budget-friendly (i.e. cheap) then there are many walking tours that guide you around Amsterdam’s most iconic sites. There’s no charge for these services, but you should tip the tour guide to your discretion. The tours usually last a couple of hours, and the tour guides makes their money from the tips – something to bear in mind.

Grab a bike

Grab a bike and tour Amsterdam

If you’re looking for something a little more relaxed and unstructured, hire and bike and take a tour around the city at your own pace. Cycling is really common in Amsterdam and makes for an easy and fun way to get around and see what the city has to offer you.

Canal Tour

Canal boat tour Amsterdam

There are over 165 canals in Amsterdam and taking a boat tour is a fun way of discovering more of the city. You’ll be spoiled for choice if you do choose to tour by canal boat as there are so many different types available - it’s a huge hit with tourists. For history and art aficionados, try the Rijksmuseum tour. You’ll take in sights such as Rembrandt’s house and the place where he painted “The Nightwatch” (Google it). Afterwards, you’ll visit the museum to see it for yourself.

For those with curious minds, there’s an actual canal tour of the Red-Light District. Or if you’re looking for something romantic, the candlelight dinner tour might be for you. 

Have you been to Amsterdam and recommend a tour that we haven't talked about above? Then get in touch via our social channels linked below and let us know!