Top 10 Best Tours in Amsterdam – Not To Be Missed Amsterdam Excursions

With world-class museums, a buzzing city centre, pretty bridges and quiet canals, there are plenty of ways to fill your time with 48 hours in Amsterdam. Fall in love with the “Venice of the North” as you glide along the waterways, discovering its rich cultural history and enjoying the liberal Dutch attitude to modern day living.

If you’re interested in Amsterdam coffee shops click here and here is also a great guide to the best hotels in Amsterdam.

Evening Canal Cruise

Duration: 1.5 hours

No trip to Amsterdam is complete without experiencing the sights and sounds of this beautiful European city from the water. This classic 1.5 hour canal cruise gives you the opportunity to see the city at its very best, as the sun starts to sets and the streets and buildings are beautifully illuminated. Taking in some of the most scenic waterways in the world, you will float along Amsterdam’s famous Canal Belt, admiring the local landmarks, as well as famous restaurants and nightclubs, before passing through the infamous Red Light District on your return to dry land.

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Half Day Tour Of Daanse Schans Windmills

Duration: 3 hours

The Zaanse Schans is a popular open air museum that offers a genuine taste of 18th and 19th Century Dutch living. Visitors can explore the green wooden houses and historic windmills, whilst learning all about the cottage industries that produce a range of spices, oil paint, flowers and even cocoa powder whilst remaining ecologically friendly. During this half day tour you will be able to walk around the working windmills, pay a visit to a traditional Dutch clog maker or taste a wide variety of typical Dutch cheeses at a dairy farm. You can also enjoy a stroll through the region, admiring the elegant houses of the rich merchants and windmill owners, or explore the shops and stop for a sweet treat in the pancake house.

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Volendam, Marken and Windmills with Free 1-Hour Canal Cruise

Duration: 5.5 hours

Leave the city far behind and explore the beautiful Dutch countryside on this half day tour that encompasses wonderful windmills, tasty Dutch cheese and quaint fishing villages along the way. First stop is the Zaanse Schans outdoor museum with its green-timbered houses and warehouses producing traditional wooden clogs, Dutch cheeses and plenty of other goods. From here, you will visit the quaint island community of Marken where you can meet with a traditional wooden shoemaker, before heading on to Volendam to sample traditional cheeses and see traditional Dutch costumes being worn, before heading back to the bright lights of the city once again.

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Cultural Ganja Walking Tour of Selected Coffee Shops

Duration: 2 or 3 hours

During this tour, your guide will help to dispel some of the negative’s associated with Cannabis and quaff some of the rumours about Amsterdam’s more liberal approach to smoking pot. Starting off in the legendary Dam Palace, your guide will walk you through the coffee shop culture that the city is so famous for. You will get to visit 1 or 2 coffee shops during the two hour tour and a third coffee shop on the 3 hour tour, before discovering the fabulous O’Reillys Irish pub and taking a stroll down the legendary gay streets of Reguliersdwarsstraat. Learn all about the history of Ganja in Amsterdam and the city’s liberal drug policies, while you sample some of the very best produce from a few of the local shops.

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History Of Anne Frank Walking Tour

Duration: 2 hours

Take a trip back to the dark days of the 2nd World War, as you get to experience the city through the eyes of Anne Frank. Follow her compelling life story as a young girl living in the Jewish Quarter when war broke out, and the subsequent hardships she had to endure. Anne Frank’s diaries became an iconic account of the brutality of German oppression during the occupation of the Netherlands. You will also get to see the Portuguese synagogue and museum, as well as the locations offered by the Dutch Resistance as hiding places for Anne and fellow Jews throughout the war years. Her story is captivating and inspiring and your guide will be able to tell you all about her life.

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Guided Bike Tour Of Historical Amsterdam

Duration: 3 hours

Explore the Dutch capital just as the locals do. Jump on a bike and ride your way around this beautiful city, taking in the sights from the comfort of two wheels. As one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world, your cycling tour will take you past the New Market, the Old Church, the Red Light District, the Royal Palace, the Western Church, the Jordaan district, the 17th century Dutch East Indian Company ship and the Salt Harbour – with beautiful views over the river, before you enjoy a pleasant break in the Vondelpark. You will also get to visit some of the city’s most beautiful but lesser known spots that are only accessible by bike.

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Amsterdam Red Light District Walking Party Tour

Duration: 2 hours

The city of Amsterdam is famous for its Red Light District and well regulated sex industry. On this one-of-a-kind walking tour, your local guide will walk you through the area, allowing you to take a peak at the districts unique nocturnal delights from a safe distance. The tour will show you the Condomerie, the Old Church, Warmoestraat, also known as the hardcore leather neighbourhood, a variety of S&M specialist sex shops, video cabins, the Prostitution Information Centre and much more. At the end of the tour you can gather at the famous Belushi’s Bar for a free shot, before you head out to enjoy the bars and nightclubs in the nearby area.

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Day Trip to Giethoorn by Bus and Boat

Duration: 9 hours

This full day excursion will take you on a unique boat trip to visit the enchanting village of Giethoorn – also known as the “Venice of the Netherlands”. Departing the city by bus, you will soon enough be at your destination, where you can spend the day exploring this magical village with a population of less than 3,000 inhabitants. Take to the water and enjoy an English language guide through the idyllic countryside as you watch locals travel the waterways on traditional flat bottom boats, or stroll through the village on foot to find over 150 bridges dotted throughout this peaceful village.

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Henry Willig Cheese Tasting Tour With Wine

Duration: 45 minutes

The Dutch cheesemakers at Henry Willig have been producing fine Dutch cheese since 1974 and are considered to be one the very best cheesemakers in the country. This tour is designed to let you sample a variety of cheeses, whilst learning all about the traditional cheesemaking process at their Amsterdam factory. Born and raised in the picture perfect Dutch countryside, Henry Willig and his team create great tasting cheese made using the freshest local ingredients. You can also combine your samples with wonderful local wines as you enjoy some of the finest culinary delights Amsterdam has to offer.

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Holland by Electric Scooter: Windmills, Clogs & Cheese

Duration: 1 day

For a modern take on a traditional cycling tour, this 1 day scooter rental enables you to explore the numerous local towns, villages and attractions at your own pace. Your route starts in the small village of Landsmeer, which is a short 20 minute car, bus or taxi journey from Amsterdam. Once here, you can learn more about the road maps and the scooters themselves, before heading out on your own. You will also be provided with a map of how to get to the Zaanse Schans outdoor museum with it’d traditional Dutch houses, windmills and cheesemakers.

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