The 15 Netherlands History Tours to Book First

1.Amsterdam Food and Cultural Tour with Tastings

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

Spend 3.5 hours walking from central Amsterdam to the Jordaan while tasting Dutch cheese, herring, fries, bitterballen, apple pie, and more. Roman leads a group of up to 15 through the Bloemenmarkt, Begijnhof, Torensluis, and local food stops. Vegetarian options are available, but the tour is not vegan or gluten free.

“Roman, the French/Nederlander food tour guide left us so satisfied! His kind and personable demeanor was very delightful. We were promised a food tour of a milieu of Dutch treats, and boy did he deliver! He offered wonderful stories and shared his vast knowledge of local history and cultural delights. We’ve been on food tours before, but this one is hands down the best. We left satisfied with what was essentially an 7-course meal. Everything was delicious and the portions were just right! This tour is absolutely with the price of admission. Thank you, Roman! And, I forgot to mention…he added such a wonderful personal touch by speaking with each…”

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2.Rotterdam: Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,477 reviews · 1 day · from $25

Spend a flexible day at Kinderdijk, walking beside its famous windmills, entering two working museum mills, and seeing the pumping station engine room. Your ticket also includes a boat ride through the polders, an informative film, exhibitions, and an online audio guide in seven languages. Bring water, allow several hours, and check boat times before you go.

“Our visit to Kinderdijk was a wonderful experience that greatly exceeded our expectations. We will recommend our friends include Kinderdijk as a "must see" attraction during their time in Europe.”

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3.The Hague: Hop-on Hop-off Heritage Tram Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,311 reviews · 1 day · from $21

Spend a full day touring The Hague on a 65-year-old heritage tram. Board at any of 16 stops, listen to audio in 10 languages, and hop off for Parliament, the Peace Palace, Madurodam, the Kurhaus, and Scheveningen beach. The tram runs every 30 minutes from 10:15 AM to 4:45 PM.

“It was Fun and perfect way to letting know the city better 🎉🎉🎉”

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4.Rotterdam: Harbor Cruise on a Historic Ship

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 812 reviews · from $20

Step aboard the historic Nehalennia beside the Erasmus Bridge for a 90-minute cruise through Rotterdam’s working harbor. See container ships, cranes, ferries, tugboats, ss Rotterdam, Hotel New York, and modern bridges while an audiovisual guide speaks in Dutch, English, or German. Sit inside or on the sun deck, with drinks and snacks sold onboard.

“this is a very nice experience. you can sit down comfortably at the table, both inside the boat and outside, and watch the passing-by landscape while enjoying refreshing drinks. the tour guide offers interesting pieces of information all throughout the trip. the boat isn’t going too fast, so you have a lot of time to appreciate the view and take pictures.”

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5.Historic City Centre Canal Cruise

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

Cruise Amsterdam for 1 to 1.25 hours from near the Anne Frank House or Prins Hendrikkade. Expect a warm, covered boat, toilet, open rear photo deck, and commentary from local skippers such as Jim, Derek, or Bianca. Audio is available in seven languages, with drinks and snacks sold before boarding.

“Relaxing, good value and informative. Really worth using this canal cruiser”

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6.Haunted History and Ghost Walking Tour

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

Join an English-speaking guide such as Sunil, Duncan, or Jan for a two-hour walk from Dam Square through Amsterdam’s darker past. Hear tales of the Spinhuis, a silent nun at Begijnhof, Blood Street, and the Waag. Expect more historical storytelling than jump scares, with small groups and occasional extra stops.

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

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

Spend four hours eating through Amsterdam with a guide such as Rudolph, Catharina, Jan, or David. You’ll visit a brown café, market, butcher, cheese shop, fish shop, and former Dutch West India Company headquarters while sampling Dutch classics, Indonesian specialties, craft drinks, and wine. The small group keeps the pace personal.

“David was a terrific guide! We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Highlights were the apple pie and Dutch wine tasting. The tour was nicely paced and all the food was delicious! I highly recommend!”

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8.Leiden: Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 445 reviews · 50 min · from $15

Spend 50 minutes on a small electric boat through Leiden’s city center. Your skipper shares stories in Dutch and English, pointing out the Hortus Botanicus, observatory, university, bridges, parks, and terraces. Guides such as Tom and Alexander have brought humor and energy to past departures. Drinks are available before boarding.

“Very enjoyable trip with guide Alexander. We had to duck our heads quite a few times under low bridges, exciting! Lovely to see beautiful Leiden from the water, it gave me more ideas for where I wanted to walk.”

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9.Historic City Sightseeing Canal Cruise

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

Meet near the Anne Frank House for a roughly one-hour Amsterdam Circle Line cruise through the canal belt. Expect views of Westerkerk, houseboats, Brouwersgracht, Amsterdam Centraal, the IJ, and the Amstel, with live or recorded commentary depending on the departure. Guides including Robert and Rolif have been praised for warm, funny presentations.

“Just be on time. Easy to locate. Nice overview. Staff very friendly and. Funny too. Easy to get On board.”

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10.Historical Highlights Walking Tour with Tasting

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

Start at Dam Square and follow a local guide through Amsterdam’s medieval center and Golden Age canals. You’ll pass the Royal Palace, Begijnhof, Mint Tower, Flower Market, LGBT street, and Amstel River. Guides such as Mike, Sebastian, Ronald, and Elena have led engaging tours in seven languages. A Dutch tasting is included, though its delivery has varied.

“Edwin was wonderful. He even made sure we knew how to get back to the city center. He was very knowledgeable and told us very interesting things about the history of of Amsterdam.”

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11.Anne Frank and the Jewish History of Amsterdam Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 307 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $95

Walk about 2 kilometers through Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter, Plantage, Dam Square, and the canals with a private English-speaking guide. Hear about Anne Frank, the February Strike, hiding places, and wartime Amsterdam. Anne Frank House tickets may be arranged for early bookings, with a virtual reality alternative if sold out. Apple pie and coffee or tea are included.

“Chris was knowledgeable and polite. Great overview of Jewish history of Amsterdam and. WW2 history..”

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12.3-Course Meal in Historic 1st Class Waiting Rooms

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 292 reviews · from $61

Enjoy a three-course lunch or dinner inside Amsterdam Central Station’s former first-class waiting rooms. You’ll dine beneath Pierre Cuypers’ restored 19th-century design, choose from meat, fish, vegetarian, and dessert options, and finish back at the restaurant after about 2.5 hours.

“service a little bit slow but was nice as you had a break between courses. Very good value for money food was really nice and not small portions which is what you normally get on a set course.”

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13.Amsterdam History Walking Tour

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

Join SideWalks for a two-hour English walking tour through central Amsterdam. Guide Samuel brings the city’s origins, Golden Age, canal houses, Dutch culture, Red Light District, tulip fever, and prison history to life. The small group is capped at 10, and the walk ends at the famous Dancing Houses.

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14.Highlights & History Walking Tour

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

Walk Amsterdam’s old center with a local guide for two hours, from the Old Church and Chinatown to Dam Square, Begijnhof, the canals, and Flower Market. Expect stories about trade, crooked houses, Dutch culture, and the red-light district. Groups are limited to eight, with English, German, or Spanish guides. Guides such as Aaron, James, Robin, and Aarre are praised for humor and local insight.

“Aaron is a superb guide. Just the right mix of history, humour and cultural oddities in the tour to keep you engaged throughout. I learnt a lot but even if you're not after a factual 2 hours it's still a fun experience”

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15.Anne Frank and Amsterdam Jewish History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 259 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $29

Walk from Dam Square to the Anne Frank House with a licensed English-speaking guide. Along the way, hear about wartime Amsterdam, Jewish life, resistance figures, and the Frank family. Guides such as Iris, Stein, Tristan, Gee, and Madeline have led recent tours. Entry to the Anne Frank House is not included.

“Amazing tour despite the rain. Our guide was super knowledgeable, told the story in an explosive way and was very friendly.”

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