Take A Walking Tour Of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Last updated on 14 January 2025

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One of the best things I did in the Netherlands was a walking tour of Amsterdam

2013 saw me headed to Amsterdam for 2 days. That’s it. Just 2 days. I was tagging along on a work trip, and we stayed in a youth hostel quite centrally. One of the things that the good people of the hostel offered was a free walking tour of Amsterdam. This was probably the highlight of the trip.

If you’re headed to Amsterdam (or any other city, really!) and you get the chance to jump on a walking tour, then I highly recommend it.

Not only did it mean I got to hang out with about 20 of the other people from all over the world, but it meant that I saw a lot of things off the main roads, and things that I wouldn’t have seen had I done an official tour, or took myself off wandering.

A walking tour is a wonderful way to see parts of a city that you wouldn’t perhaps see if you were to head on a bus tour or head out wandering by yourself. The hostel guides who took us around lead us down side roads and alleyways, past historical buildings and local stores, told us stories of the locations we visited and gave us local knowledge for the rest of our time in the city.

Many European cities offer walking tours as part of their tourism packages. You can usually learn about them online (especially the city’s official website), or in brochures left at central locations like airports, train stations, and libraries. Often hostels and hotels will have information to tell you about the sites to see in their cities, and these will sometimes include walking tours. If you can grab a walking tour for a decent price, then jump on that. But if you’re at a hostel, just check with the hosts and see if there are any walking tours planned. You may find you can tag along on a free walking tour of Amsterdam, or wherever you’re visiting.

Top tips for talking walking tours

One of the best ways to see a new city is on foot. Taking a Hop On Hop Off bus is another great option, but if you have the chance to join a walking tour, absolutely do it.

Here are some tips for taking a walking tour:

Wear sturdy shoes that are comfortable
Take a water bottle with you
And snacks unless you know you’ll be stopping somewhere for a bite to eat
If you’re walking in the summertime, take a hat and sunscreen
If you’re walking in winter, rug up with a coat (or at least take one with you)
Ask questions about the places you’re seeing
Talk with other people on your tour and make friends
Thank you host at the end of the tour (especially if it’s free!)
Try to soak in everything you can.

That hostel-run walking tour of Amsterdam was so much fun. I met so many amazing people from all over the world, and I saw spots around the city that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

10/10. Would walk again.

Have you been on a walking tour?