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Amsterdam<\/a> is one of my favorite cities in the world. I\u2019ve been visiting it regularly for close to twenty years and even spent some time living there. Amsterdam just has so much more to offer.<\/a><\/p>\n If you want to explore the city, there are really only two ways to get around: biking and walking. And fortunately, for those who like to walk (and\/or bike) the Dutch capital offers a legion of picturesque strolls: along leafy canals, past centuries-old churches and cozy canal houses, and down narrow cobblestoned lanes. <\/p>\n To really get a glimpse below the city\u2019s surface, take a walking tour. I take them in every city I visit. They\u2019re the best way to learn about the history and culture while connecting with an expert local guide who can share their tips and insight.<\/p>\n Amsterdam, unsurprisingly, offers an array of unique tours: from sex worker-led tours through the famed Red Light District to tours that explore the city\u2019s recreational drug culture to strolls that focus on the history of the city. Here\u2019s my list of the best walking tours in Amsterdam!<\/p>\n Take Walks is my go-to tour company. Their tours are fun, detailed, and use expert local guides so you always learn ton. They also get you behind the scenes with special access to attractions that other tours just can’t get (they have an early-access tour to the Rijksmuseum so you can beat the crowds). If you want to really learn about the city and connect with a knowledgable guide, this is the company for you! I love their tours the best.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Sandemans does free tours in many big European cities and they know what they\u2019re doing. With a local guide leading the way, their three-hour walking tour hits all the major sites in Amsterdam. Start at the National Monument and end at the Anne Frank House and in between stroll along canals while stopping in the Jewish Quarter, various churches, bridges, and canal-side houses along the way. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n This tour with AmsterBike<\/a> a perfect way to connect with the local pace of life. AmsterBike offers a few different types of tours, including a cycling tour around the canals and tours out into the countryside. <\/p>\n For their Amsterdam city tour, spend three hours pedaling along canals and down narrow atmospheric streets of this loveable city, learning the history of the place as you go along while stopping at some of the city\u2019s most iconic spots.<\/p>\n Dutch gouda cheese, scrumptiously sweet and gooey stroopwafels, deep-fried savory bitterballen, and fresh herring are all on offer during this free two-hour walking tour that explores the food of Amsterdam. The expert local guides give a nice overview of the history and culture of Dutch cuisine while you nibble on samples of traditional foods. And yes \u2013 you really do get free food on the tour (just be aware that these are tasting bites, don\u2019t expect to get full here). Just tips the guide at the end.<\/p>\n For nearly a decade this female-owned tour company has been feeding hungry visitors with knowledge and food of Amsterdam. \u201cMother birds,\u201d as they refer to their guides, lead food-loving visitors around this charming Dutch metropolis for 4.5 hours, snacking on all manner of edible Dutch delights. Tour-goers get the chance to sample street food, traditional Dutch fare including herring and stroopwafels, some non-Dutch treats like Surinamese and Indonesian cuisine, as well as food at an old-school atmospheric food market. <\/p>\n Despite the country\u2019s neutrality during World War II, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands in 1939 shortly after the war broke out. Led by a retired history professor, their \u201cWorld War II and the Holocaust in Amsterdam\u201d tour takes visitors on a whirlwind around the city viewing it through the lens of World War II. It\u2019s a fascinating three hours and the guides really know their stuff. If you\u2019re a history buff like me \u2014 or if you just want to learn more about the war from a Dutch perspective \u2014 this is the tour for you.<\/p>\n These wild, party-themed pub crawl tours are festive and fun. Hop on the Red Light District pub crawl where the tour begins with unlimited vodka shots for the first 30 minutes (and then at every stop you get another free shot of booze). The tour concludes with free entry into Amsterdam\u2019s biggest nightclub. This tour isn\u2019t all just about getting drunk (though that\u2019s a big part of it) but is a good way to discover some cool party spots so you can come back later and explore more on your own. It’s a great way to meet people too if you’re traveling solo. <\/p>\n Started in Italy a decade ago, Eating Europe now has tours in many big European cities, including Amsterdam. The local guides know how to eat \u2014 and where! The food tour through the hip neighborhood of Jordaan gives a great taste of the amazing food scene there. The 3.5-hour walking tour hits some of the coolest spots in the neighborhood, plus street food and food markets to sample traditional and creative takes on Dutch food as well as some great international food. The knowledgeable guides also give a great account of the history of Dutch cuisine and the history and culture of feasting in Amsterdam. <\/p>\n Amsterdam is famous for its tolerance of recreational drug culture, particularly marijuana. In certain cafes, it\u2019s totally fine to light up a joint and get higher than a kite. This 2.5-hour tour takes a bong-sized hit of drug culture and history in Amsterdam, leading curious visitors to cannabis grow rooms and the marijuana museum, among other spots, all the while explaining drug culture here. The guide even explains the difference between bad weed and good weed. It\u2019s a real trip! <\/p>\n The Prostitute Information Center, or PIC, in Amsterdam aims to dispel some myths and misconceptions about prostitution, in general, and in Amsterdam, in particular. Every Wednesday to Saturday at 5pm, a current or former sex worker leads tours around the Red Light District, explaining the practices of the trade and taking tour-goers into an actual room where prostitutes entertain customers. And of course, you can ask a lot of questions. It\u2019s everything you ever wanted to know about sex work but were afraid to ask. <\/p>\n This Dutch metropolis has a huge alternative culture scene. And the best introduction to it is to take a guided walking tour. AllTourNative Amsterdam\u2019s \u201cStreet Art and Alternative Amsterdam\u201d tour takes visitors to see some of the city\u2019s best street murals, galleries, and coffeehouses that support and create alternative culture in Amsterdam. The 2.5-hour tour will definitely take you to spots you would not normally have heard of as a tourist. They even have a street art bike tour for a different perspective of the city\u2019s vibrant murals. <\/p>\n Amsterdam<\/a> is an amazing city that really does have something for everyone \u2014 and every budget. Whether you want to learn about the drug scene and the Red Light District or have tamer tastes and are interested in the city\u2019s storied past, there\u2019s a walking tour for you. Start with Take Walks<\/a> and go from there!<\/p>\n My detailed 200+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel while in Europe. It has suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off the beaten path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n Get all my best Europe travel tips as well as free planning guides sent straight to you and see more of the country for less! <\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\n\nBEST PAID TOUR<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
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\nFor more suggestions, here’s a few other walking tours worth checking out in Amsterdam:<\/p>\n 1. Amsterbike<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n2. Free Food Tour Amsterdam<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n3. Hungry Birds<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n4. HistoryWalks<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n5. Ultimate Party Amsterdam<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n6. Eating Europe<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n7. O My Amsterdam Tours<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n8. Prostitute Information Center Tours<\/h3>\n
\n <\/p>\n9. AllTourNative Amsterdam<\/h3>\n
\nGet Your In-Depth Budget Guide to Europe!<\/span><\/h3>
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