--- title: Absolutely Amsterdam - the Essential Introductory Walking Tour lang: en type: tour city: Amsterdam country: Netherlands price: 5 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.9 reviews: 4271 duration_minutes: 150 languages: [en] free_cancellation: "true" rank_in_category: 11 of 33 (Walking Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-22 data_updated: 2026-10-22 canonical: https://guidekin.com/netherlands/amsterdam/tours/absolutely-amsterdam-the-essential-introductory-walking-tour/ --- # Absolutely Amsterdam - the Essential Introductory Walking Tour In our comparison: #11 of 33 in Walking Tours, by rating weighted by review volume (table below). ## Overview Join us for a fun, thought-provoking, and genuinely local experience through the heart of Amsterdam, and discover the stories, history, and strange contradictions that make Amsterdam so… Absolutely Amsterdam. Together with one of our passionate local guides, you’ll explore how freedom, tolerance, trade, rebellion, and creativity shaped the city, and why Amsterdam still feels unlike anywhere else in the world today. This isn’t a generic, scripted tour filled with endless dates and names you won’t remember. We keep things personal, interactive, and honest. Expect fascinating stories, dark history, local gossip, humor, awkward Dutch habits, and the kind of insights you only get from people who actually live here. Every guide brings their own personality, expertise, humor, and perspective, which means no two tours are ever the same. Be prepared to challenge all your preconceived ideas about this city because after this tour you will never look and think of Amsterdam the same way! ## Before you book - Meeting point: We meet IN FRONT of the stock exchange… - Starts 10:30, 14:00, 17:30: 3 departures a day - Wheelchair accessible: operator-marked - Strollers OK: infants accepted **Pickup:** No hotel pickup: everyone meets at the start point ## Key facts - Price: from €5 per person - Duration: 2h 30m - Rating: 4.9/5 from 4271 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Operator: FreeDam Tours - Group: Shared tour - Guide languages: English - Start times: 10:30, 14:00, 17:30 - Booking: Instant confirmation, mobile ticket - Price checked on Viator: 2026-10-22 ## Reviews 4.9 from 4271 ratings on Guidekin, Viator & Tripadvisor. 98% of ratings with a star breakdown are 4 or 5 stars: 4183 of 4271. - 5 stars: 4016 (94%) - 4 stars: 167 (4%) - 3 stars: 48 (1%) - 2 stars: 9 (0%) - 1 star: 31 (1%) ## What's included - Our guides support their tours with pictures, paintings and maps that help bring history back to life! - A unique souvenir - Super Local Guides who are are also happy to share their (restaurant) recommendations with you ## Itinerary 1. **Beurs van Berlage** (20m) - In front of the stock and commodities exchange buildings, built where the Amstel River used to flow, we discuss the origins of Amsterdam and how water and finance influenced the city. 2. **Damrak** (15m) - In the old harbor, we discuss the origins of the Red Light District, the role of the Church, and how the holy and the profane have found surprising ways to work and profit from each other over time & the state of prostitution in the 20th and 21st Century: how and why... 3. **Ons' Lieve Heer op Solder** (15m) - Here we discuss how (Religious) tolerance worked in practice once Catholicism became illegal in the 17th Century but was 'tolerated' under some very peculiar conditions. Form the underlying principles we draw parallels to how tolerance works today, in the 21st Century. (note:... 4. **Chinatown** (15m) - Dutch drug policies explained. Find out how this area became an absolute no go area in the 1970's and how this sparked the beginning of the infamous ‘Coffeeshops’ dedicated to the selling of Marjauana. 5. **The Waag** (10m) - Discovering where Rembrandt painted his first major work ...and how it revolutionised the art of portrait making. We have a copy of the painting to show you all the details! 6. **Oostindisch Huis** (15m) - In a stunning 17th Century Courtyard hidden inside this building (only accessible during week-days) you will learn how Amsterdam was able to become the center of a global trading empire, making Amsterdam the richest city on the planet in the17th century (aka 'The Golden Age),... 7. **Waterlooplein Market** (15m) - The Oldest Market of Amsterdam located in the (former) Jewish Quarter, that was almost completely destroyed at the end of the Second World War - but not why who you think! Find out about the disastrous consequences of the Nazi occupation, that decimated the Jewish populations... 8. **The Amstel** (15m) - Here, or (depending on weather / guide) at another canal we discuss why Amsterdam has canals, and the architecture of the famous canal houses: why are they so skinny, why do they lean in all kinds of directions (some of it is on purpose), why do all the houses have a hook,... 9. **Oudemanhuispoort** (10m) - In this beautiful, hard to find former monastery, turned into hospital and now part of the University of Amsterdam we discuss the unique Dutch Bike Culture: find out why there are more bikes than people and why in the most famous, proud cycling city on the planet most of the... 10. **Royal Palace Amsterdam** (15m) - Learn about the very peculiar history of our Royal Palace, why and how we made the transition from a Republic to a Monarchy. Meet our current Royal Family (we have pictures), and get up to speed with the latest juicy Royal gossip! Dam square is also where the tour ends. ## Schedule - Runs: daily - Departures: 10:30, 14:00, 17:30 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-22 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point We meet IN FRONT of the stock exchange on Beurplein 5. The guides will be at the meeting point 15 minutes before the start of the tour, holding a yellow umbrella. You can also find directions by looking for FreeDam Tours on Google Maps. !!ATTENTION!! It does NOT start on the nearby Dam square! Ends: back at the meeting point ## Good to know - Wheelchair accessible - Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller - Service animals allowed - Public transportation options are available nearby - Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap - Transportation options are wheelchair accessible - All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible - Suitable for all physical fitness levels ## Compared with other Walking Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #11 of 33** | €5 | 2h 30m | 4.9 (4271) | shared | | [Small Group Walking Tour in Amsterdam with Friendly and Fun Guide](/netherlands/amsterdam/tours/small-group-walking-tour-in-amsterdam-with-friendly-and-fun-guide/?format=md) | €34 | 3h | 4.99 (355) | shared | | [Humans of Amsterdam - Unique Cultural Walking Tour](/netherlands/amsterdam/tours/humans-of-amsterdam-unique-cultural-walking-tour/?format=md) | €119 | 4h | 4.98 (348) | shared | | [Hello Amsterdam: Small-Group Introduction Walking Tour](/netherlands/amsterdam/tours/hello-amsterdam-small-group-introduction-walking-tour/?format=md) | €29 | 2h | 4.95 (770) | shared | Ranked #11 of 33 in Walking Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €3 to €165, median €30; typical length 2h. 10 of 33 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/netherlands/amsterdam/walking-tours-amsterdam/?format=md ## More in Amsterdam - All Amsterdam tours: https://guidekin.com/netherlands/amsterdam/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/netherlands/amsterdam/tours/absolutely-amsterdam-the-essential-introductory-walking-tour/ Filters, the full catalogue and the URL contract for this city: https://guidekin.com/netherlands/amsterdam/?format=md