Where to Start: the 15 Best Netherlands History Tours

1.Amsterdam: Life of Anne Frank and World War II Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 10,467 reviews · from $37Our pick

Walk Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter with guides such as Jonas, Martina, Yoshi, and Manuel, tracing Anne Frank’s family story, Dutch Resistance sites, and WWII memory. You’ll see the Portuguese Synagogue, Jewish Historical Museum, Auschwitz Monument, and Anne Frank House façade in two focused hours.

“Manuel was the most knowledgeable guide. He was enthusiastic in his delivery and wish to impart as much informationabout the history of Anne Frank's family and the Amsterdam Jewish community during WW11. He made it relevant and interactive for the teenagers and adults alike. I would thoroughly recommend him to all who have the privilege to hear him.”

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2.Rotterdam: Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,477 reviews · 1 day · from $25

Spend a self-guided day at Kinderdijk, seeing 19 historic windmills, two museum mills, a pumping station, and the polder waterways. Your ticket includes the boat trip, film, exhibitions, and online audio guide in seven languages. Transport, food, and drinks are separate.

“Must see to understand the unique Dutch land reclamation ingenuity. No fear of global warming here. “What man’s mind can conceive, man can achieve.””

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3.The Hague: Hop-on Hop-off Heritage Tram Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,311 reviews · 1 day · from $21

Spend a full day riding The Hague’s 65-year-old heritage tram, hopping off at 16 stops from the city center to Scheveningen. A multilingual audio guide covers Parliament, the Peace Palace, Madurodam, Kurhaus, and more. The $21 ticket allows unlimited rides from 10:15 to 16:45.

“It's a very good way to see the city and some key tourist attractions. Far better than by car or taxi.”

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4.Amsterdam: Dutch WWII Resistance Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 951 reviews · 1 day · from $21

Visit Amsterdam’s Dutch Resistance Museum with a self-guided audio tour in seven languages. Follow the occupation through forged papers, hiding places, strikes, underground newspapers, armed resistance, collaboration, and Dutch East Indies stories. Plan on two to three hours, though the ticket is valid all day.

“Very interesting, thank informative and sometimes moving accounts of the invasion of Nazi troopships into the Netherlands. A thoroughly absorbing visit concluded in a lovely restaurant attached. A not to miss excursion.”

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5.Rotterdam: Harbor Cruise on a Historic Ship

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 812 reviews · from $20

Board the historic Nehalennia beside Erasmus Bridge for a 90-minute cruise through Rotterdam’s working harbor. Hear commentary in Dutch, English, or German, including Rotterdam dialect, while you pass container ships, cranes, ferries, ss Rotterdam, Hotel New York, and modern bridges. Drinks and snacks are sold onboard.

“The staff were friendly and made the tour comfortable and enjoyable!!”

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6.Oranjehotel World War II Prison Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 708 reviews · 1 day · from $15

At the Nationaal Monument Oranjehotel in The Hague, you explore the former Nazi prison at your own pace with an audio guide in English, Dutch, German, or French. See Cell 601, hear prisoner testimonies, and examine photographs, letters, and documents about resistance, fear, family loss, and freedom.

“it's a really fascinating place to visit, they've set out the exhibit in a really considerate way, allowing you to have time in each part to learn and respect the people who were prisoners here”

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7.Amsterdam: Historic City Centre Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 659 reviews · 1 hour - 75 minutes · from $16

Cruise Amsterdam’s historic center for about an hour with a local skipper, live commentary, and optional audio in seven languages. Board near the Anne Frank House or Central Station, enjoy a heated cabin and toilet, then step onto the open rear deck for photos. Guides such as Jim, Derek, and Bianca have earned special praise.

“Fantastic tour and the captain showed us the highlights as we were cruising the canals … the Pulitzer, the Waldorf, van Loon House , Opera , Magere Brug .. all within reach including the old Amsterdam defense towers and the film institute like an oyster shell .. please don’t leave Amsterdam without doing this tour!”

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8.Amsterdam: Haunted History and Ghost Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 488 reviews · 2 hours · from $30

Join an English-speaking guide such as Sunil, Duncan, or Jan for a two-hour walk from Dam Square through Amsterdam’s darker past. Hear tales of the Spinhuis, a condemned nun, Blood Street, and the Waag, with plenty of city history alongside the ghost stories.

“Duncan was so knowledgeable and we had a fantastic time. He took us to places that we hadn’t even clocked while doing our walks around the city. The stories were great and we were still talking about the quiet place and wafer hours after the tour as it blew our minds. The bonus added extra was having Rosie with us too… made it extra special. We would recommend this tour to anyone who is planning on going to the dam as it’s worth every penny to see the history you just don’t know about”

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9.Amsterdam High-End Dutch Food & History Tour – Up to 8 guests

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 482 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $157Top rated

Spend four hours walking Amsterdam’s old streets with a guide such as Rudolph, Catharina, Jan, or David, stopping for apple pie, cheese, herring, Indonesian satay, Dutch wine, and bitterballen. The route changes by day, with a maximum of eight people and several seated tastings.

“My friend and I had a wonderful time on this tour and our guide Mark was knowledgeable, friendly and interesting. Dutch food is another story, but it’s really not about the food, it’s more about the context in which the local foods came about (which is why one of the stops is an Indonesian place). So while the food wasn’t mind-blowing (although certain items were fab such as the apple pie), I still thought the tour was worth it. The first stop was probably the best and most unique, although all of the places are local and family owned, which is nice. However, please keep in mind that if you…”

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10.Leiden: Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 445 reviews · 50 min · from $15

Spend 50 minutes cruising Leiden’s canals in a small electric boat with a Dutch and English speaking skipper. Expect old bridges, the university, observatory, Hortus Botanicus, parks, and terraces, plus lively stories and a few low bridges that require you to duck.

“Beautiful and definitely worth for someone who’s visiting Leiden and wants to get a grasp of the city history and important buildings. Guide was very nice and prepared.”

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11.Amsterdam: Historic City Sightseeing Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 444 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $18

Cruise Amsterdam’s canal ring from the Anne Frank House meeting point, passing Westerkerk, Brouwersgracht, Centraal Station, the IJ, and the Amstel. Expect a mobile ticket, English service, and either live commentary or multilingual audio, depending on the boat and crew.

“Pleasant relaxing hour touring the canals. Shame about the rain. Commentary could do with being clearer but overall a positive experience”

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12.Amsterdam: National Holocaust Museum Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 413 reviews · 7 days · from $24

Spend time at Amsterdam’s National Holocaust Museum, housed in the former Hervormde Kweekschool, then visit the Hollandsche Schouwburg memorial. Use the audio guide, personal accounts, artifacts, and interactive holograms to understand Jewish life before the war, Nazi persecution, deportation, and Dutch remembrance.

“A very emotional experience and well worth the money, a must do whilst in Amsterdam.”

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13.Anne Frank and the Jewish History of Amsterdam Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 307 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $95

Spend about three hours walking from the Portuguese Synagogue through Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter, Plantage, Holocaust memorials, Dam Square, and Westerkerk. Guides such as Kaleigh, Chris, Guido, and Inbal add clear wartime context. Anne Frank House entry depends on availability, with virtual reality as the backup.

“Kayleigh was our guide. She is an excellent teacher, knowledgeable and personable. She is a wealth of knowledge and happy to answer questions. We really enjoyed our tour! If we could give her more than 5 stars, we would!”

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14.Amsterdam History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 281 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $6Best value

Walk central Amsterdam with a guide such as Samuel, tracing the city from its founding to the Dutch Golden Age. See Dam Square, Anne Frank House, Spui, Bloemenmarkt, and the crooked Dancing Houses, with local culture, freedom, crime, and tulip fever woven into the story.

“Really nice tour, I would recommend it a hundred times! I did it with my girlfriend and we enjoyed it a lot. Such a cool guide!”

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15.Amsterdam: Highlights & History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 266 reviews · 2 hours · from $32

Spend two hours with a local guide exploring Amsterdam’s Old Town, crooked houses, China Town, Dam Square, Begijnhof, canals, the Royal Palace area, and the Flower Market. Guides such as James, Aaron, Robin, and Andrea are praised for lively stories, humor, and strong local insight.

“Aaron was very knowledgeable about the history of Amsterdam. He took the time to explain and allowed time for questions. There were only 6 people in our group.”

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