Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- West India House
- Amsterdam Canal Belt
Photos & Highlights
- Discover the Dutch Golden Age on Amsterdam walking tour
- Led by a local historian
Select a date
Tour Description
As you wander along the streets of Amsterdam, it is impossible to escape the influence of seafaring trade and the influence it has had on the city. The endless charm of the canals, which brings visitors to the city today, is a direct result of the trade history of the city.
When you meet your expert guide at the West India House, they will immediately transport you to the 1600s in Amsterdam, when the building was the headquarters of the Dutch West India Company. They will paint the picture of the circumstances around some of the most important decisions made in the building, from various trade endeavors to the idea to start a small colony on an island called Manhattan.
As you move away from the economic center, your guide will weave stories together about the domestic and social lives of the upper classes in the Jordaan neighborhood, home to some of the more beautiful and well-preserved canal houses.
You will eventually find yourself in the middle of the canal belt, the perfect backdrop to consider how the development of the canal system has radically determined the city of Amsterdam has become. As you end your time with your expert guide, you will have a deep understanding of how the Dutch Golden Age set the stage for the city that is Amsterdam today.
Experts
- Amsterdam Canal Belt
- West India House
- If you are deeply curious about history and want to learn about how trade, power, and art intersected during the 17th century to produce the so-called Dutch Golden Age.
- You want to get out of the main tourist drag of Amsterdam and explore charming districts without the crowds.
- You like to come home from your trips with intriguing new facts and tidbits to share with your friends.
Tickets
This tour does not include any interior venues, therefore, no tickets are needed.
Additional Trip-Planning Resources
- For more information on planning your travels to the Netherlands, take a read through our Context Stories.
- Is this tour suitable for kids? This tour isn’t part of our family program, but we do have some family-friendly guides who lead this tour and will be able to adjust the content for kids (pending their availability).
- Is this tour suitable for people with mobility issues? This tour covers a fair amount of ground, and while Amsterdam is mostly very flat, the streets can get very busy, and there are bridges that may be a challenge for people with mobility issues. If you have any mobility concerns, please get in touch with our client services team, and we will be happy to advise you further.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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239 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Michael was extremely knowledgeable about Amsterdam and the Netherlands, even about our areas of interest which were far more modern than the topic of his tour. In that we were the only two people in his group we received his full attention. One point though. We almost missed the tour because the directions stated that we were to meet at the FRONT of the West India House, and the actual meeting place was at the SIDE of the very large building. Also, the street wrapped around the building and rhe building number (99) was not easily located and was not part of a logical progression of numbers that we could simply follow.
Michael
Reviewed on:
Sep 1, 2016
Mike was personable and knowledgeable. He was prepared and showed us maps and information from his book. The adults enjoyed peppering him with questions, and talking about the history of Amsterdam. The two boys thought he was quiet when he spoke. Overall everyone enjoyed the walk and we thought we learned many new things about Amsterdam.
Dorothea
Reviewed on:
Aug 25, 2016
I greatly enjoyed the information ,but the walk itself added limited value.Most of the information was not directed toward non financial members of my family.
The walk either needs a video or writeup for that reason.It was not Michael's fault.There is just not enough added value to the walk.I could have learned virtually the same thing in a classroom or a bar.
Jim
Reviewed on:
Jun 25, 2016
