Amsterdam
CITY TOUR
DATES
Every day
STARTING POINT
DAMSQUARE
LANGUAGES
ENGLISH & SPANISH
DURATION
2,5 HOURS
FINISH
ANNE FRANK HOUSE
ORGANISATION
SANDEMAN
Ask tourists what the first thing that pops-up into their minds when thinking of the Netherlands, or even more specifically; Amsterdam. You can fill in the answers almost immediately yourself. All prejudices about this city are reviewed. From weed and prostitution to canals, tulips and of course cycling.
Everyone is cycling
And let’s be honest, that is the most remarkable thing about this European capital. Everyone is cycling here. Day and night, in summer and winter. It doesn’t matter if you are fat, thin, big or small. Alone or with the whole family. If you have to go from one place to another in this city, you take the bike. A tourist need to adapt to this way of life and it takes some time to get used to it. It is weird to walk through a city where the ringing of a bicycle bell is one of the most heard sounds. And it is certainly not without danger. A moment of inattention and you are involved in a traffic accident with a furious Amsterdam cyclist.
"It is weird to walk through a city where the ringing of a bicycle bell is one of the most heard sounds."
Amsterdam and its prejudices
The guide of today’s free walking tour through Amsterdam is Jacob, a true Amsterdam resident. He starts his story about the city by making an inventory of all prejudices about the city. Hereby he is carefully undermining some of them. But he certainly warns about the bicycle. The Amsterdammer is described as a very friendly and helpful person. But when this person gets on a bicycle, he or she changes into a “Cyclopad” self-proclaimed by Jacob. Cycling gives the Amsterdammer a license to behave very antisocial. Something good to know before you start walking through the city in a group formation.
Before the tour starts (and this continues during the tour), one fact after the other about Amsterdam is knocked down or confirmed. Do tulips really come from the Netherlands? And why is orange the national color of this country? Questions like that are answered during the tour.
A new view on Amsterdam
During the tour you will get to know Amsterdam (and the Netherlands) in a new, different way. It provides insight into the history and culture of the city and country. For example, Jacob shows that the Jewish quarter in the city center has a completely different architecture than other parts. And of course he explains exactly why this is the case. Get acquainted with the influence of Amsterdam on the global economy. You will find out which historical people have had a major influence on the city. All kinds of hidden treasures are part of this city tour.
After this free walking tour you will walk through the city of Amsterdam with different eyes. You have become wiser and you absorb the things around you in a different way. You better see the differences between the canal houses and you know where they come from. And you recognize the three crosses of Amsterdam. Those according to one of the theories stand for water, fire and the plague. The three major dangers for the city. This is the only fact I give away here. For everything else you will really have to walk through the city yourself. Book the Free Walking Tour in Amsterdam here.