✅ These free tours are really an excellent way to get to know this Dutch city.
I recommend it as one of the first things to do when you arrive in Amsterdam.
Why? The guides will tell you a lot of things you need to know about the city, from the most important tourist attractions to insider tips that only locals know about, and the best restaurants and bars in town.
During the tour, questions can be asked at any time and the tour guides will do their best to answer all of them in detail.
✅ As the name suggests, these tours are free of charge. But it is expected that participants give a small tip at the end of the tour! But don’t be in a rush, you can give the guide as much as you personally think the tour was worth!
What is a free guided tour?
The concept has been around for many years. Locals have the opportunity to work as tour guides and show tourists their hometown, providing lots of interesting information for first-time visitors to Amsterdam. But the tours can also be very interesting for repeat travelers. There is always something new to learn.
Some of these guides do this as a full-time job. Therefore, it is natural that they really try hard to do a good job, because as already mentioned, the guides make a living from the tips that the participants give at the end of the tour. Tips between 5 and 15 euros per person are usually appropriate.
These tours are very interesting because there are some things you just can’t always know about the city. And on a tour like this, you get a complete package with summarized and interesting information in an average of 2 hours per tour.
👍 One possibility: You don’t have to go the whole duration of the tour. Normally, these tours take about 2 hours, as already mentioned. But if you can only participate for 1 hour, please let the tour guide know, leave a small tip and say goodbye politely. You have your own daily schedule and the guides understand if you can’t be present for the whole tour.
✅ Have you just arrived in Amsterdam and don’t really know where to start your city tour? Are you unsure about the most important tourist attractions? Would you like to get some insider tips for Amsterdam? Then these free tours are perfect for you!
How can you book the tour?
Various websites offer this type of free tour. There are several ways to make a booking. Please take a close look, there are many different free tours and once you have made a specific choice, check the language options, the day and the time.
🎟️ The process is as usual: You enter your personal data and book the tour. Since the tours are free of charge, you will not be charged.
The websites listed are safe ways to book such tours.
After booking, you will receive all information by email, including the meeting point for the tour.
✅ Please note: Cancellation – Understandably, just because the tours are free, it doesn’t mean that you can just book and then not show up at the meeting point. To make the tour an experience, there is always a maximum number of participants, which is usually around 20 people. So if you can’t attend, please cancel the tour on the same website where you booked it, for the sake of fairness to the guide.
Information about the tour
😱 Exciting stories about Amsterdam: The guides always try to make the tours as exciting as possible. Amsterdam is full of secrets and you will learn a lot of them. These are not Wikipedia facts, but things that you can only learn from a local in Amsterdam. Get ready for some amazing stories about the Dutch capital.
🗣️ Languages: Not so easy. There are tours in all languages. Most participants prefer tours in their mother tongue. But be aware that the most popular tours and therefore the best guides sometimes offer these tours in English to make them accessible to as many tourists as possible. In both cases, you won’t be disappointed, just book what you think is the best option!
🚽 Restrooms: There will be opportunities and access to restrooms throughout the entire tour. Please let the tour guides know if you need to use the restroom!
💵 Price: As already mentioned, these are free tours. A tip at the end of the tour is very much appreciated. You can also book tours with advance payment on the above websites. However, I recommend the free tours. They are a great way to have a great experience and learn a lot about Amsterdam, as the guides always go to great lengths.
♿ Wheelchair: This must be checked for each tour individually. All information can be found on the booking page. Therefore, please always check whether the tour you have chosen is suitable for people with limited mobility.
🗓️ Duration: The tours take about 2 hours on average. Some are longer, some shorter. As mentioned earlier, you can leave at any time if the tour is too long for you. But please let the tour guide know, give him a small tip and say goodbye politely. Every tour guide will understand if someone does not take the whole tour. There are no breaks and 2 hours usually pass quickly! Don’t forget to bring drinks, appropriate clothing, suitable shoes, an umbrella, sunglasses and, of course, your camera!
📍 Meeting point: Sometimes already mentioned on the booking page. Information at the bottom of the page if you scroll down. Otherwise, you will receive all the information in a separate email when you book! You won’t be left in the dark, don’t worry!
What can you see on a tour like this in Amsterdam?
There is so much to see in Amsterdam, but the guides will point out the most important aspects of the city. The best-selling tours are mainly for first-time visitors who have never been to the Dutch capital before.
Therefore, most tours also take place in the lively city center. The Royal Palace Amsterdam, the canals, the Rembrandt House Museum and the Waterlooplein are the main stops on the tour.
✅ Note: Tours that include the Museumplein are not likely to be among the best-selling tours. However, there are other tours that can be booked separately and cover these districts. Please bear this in mind when booking the tour.
Besides the main attractions, the guides will also tell you a lot about local Dutch culture.
Do you already know which museums you want to visit? The guides will tell you all about them, but you can always ask if certain museums you have in mind are worth visiting!
You will also get lots of tips about restaurants, bars and clubs in the city.
✅ So here is a brief summary of the topics that the guides will cover:
✓ Facts about the city of Amsterdam
✓ Tips for restaurants, bars and clubs
✓ Recommendations for the best places of interest
✓ Tips on which museums to visit
✓ Many different stops for buses and canal cruises: Beursplein, Oude Kerk, Nieuwmarkt, Waterlooplein, Rembrandt House Museum, Damrak, Zuiderkerk, etc.
Is the Rijksmuseum or the Anne Frank House part of the tour?
This depends on the description and must therefore be checked before booking. However, most tours take place in the city center. There are already many attractions and the tour guides will tell you a lot. However, the tours do not include access to museums, churches or other attractions.
The Rijksmuseum is located on Museumplein, which is not in the city center. So it may be that the best-selling tour you want to book does not pass through this particular district.
The Anne Frank House is centrally located, but can only be viewed from the outside. However, the guide will also give his personal explanation of this. All the attractions can of course be visited separately later.
✅ If you want to learn more about these two highlights, please note that there are special tours that cover certain parts of the city or specific monuments. In particular, visitors who want to visit the Anne Frank House should find out about ticket purchases in good time.
How much should you tip?
The tours are free of charge. That is the concept and the tour guides will never insist on a fee at the end of the tour. But of course it is understood that after so much information and so much effort on the part of the tour guide, who will really try to offer you the best possible experience in a short period of about 2 hours, some kind of compensation is expected.
I suggest giving between 10 and 20 per person at the end of the tour. With 10 to 20 participants, you can easily calculate that this is a fair price for the participants and also acceptable for the tour guide. It is thus pleasant for everyone involved.
Of course, higher tips are also given if the tour was truly extraordinary.
✅ But the concept is simple: You tip a guide based on the value of the tour. It’s as simple as that!
More free things to do in Amsterdam
Amsterdam doesn’t have to be expensive. Aside from the free city tour, there are a number of free activities in the city.
🚶 A walk along the canals: The beauty of these canals is absolutely astounding and even repeat visitors will be thrilled every time they see these unique canals. Perhaps more of a summer, spring or fall activity, but even in winter, walking along the beautiful canals has its charm. Not entirely free, but an alternative is to have an inexpensive coffee at one of the cafés near the canals. Perfect after a long free tour of Amsterdam.
🐈 The cat boat (Poezenboot): It was built with love for these animals. They have a pretty good life, no, on this boat? It’s free to walk on the boat. Donations are more than welcome.
📖 Amsterdam Public Library (OBA): It is a welcoming library. Borrow a book, take a break and enjoy the silence in the library. There is also a roof terrace with a great view of Amsterdam.
🏛️ Open Space Contemporary Art Museum (OSCAM): Museum for art, fashion, design, arts and crafts, and development in Amsterdam. Admission is free. This very modern museum celebrates diversity, young subcultures and innovative art forms.
What can you do after a free tour?
Depending on where the tour ends, I definitely recommend taking a short break in a restaurant or snack bar in Amsterdam. You probably heard about it during the tour, but the local specialty is the delicious patat frites or bitterballen. Why not take the opportunity to try them right after the tour ends?
Here are a few addresses that I can recommend!
📍 Friteshuys Amsterdam: Paleisstraat 23, 1012 RB Amsterdam
📍 De Belg: Reguliersbreestraat 49-A, 1017 CM Amsterdam
📍 Fabel Friet Runstraat: Runstraat 1, 1016 GJ Amsterdam
✅ Please be patient. These French fries are easy to prepare and customers are served quickly. This is not a restaurant, but a takeaway. So even if you see a long line in front of these French fry shops, it usually goes quite quickly and the lines are usually gone quickly.
