The Netherlands · GHOST & DARK HISTORY TOURS
Plague, witch trials and a canal ring with a long memory. These 4 are compared on how much is history and how much is theatre, priced by length, with a note on which suit older children.
Step into Amsterdam’s darker past at the Amsterdam Dungeon, where live actors lead you through witch trials, torture, ghosts, the Spanish Inquisition, and the cursed Flying Dutchman. Expect strong audience participation, dark rooms, comedy, jump scares, and a few hands-on scenes. The attraction is near Dam Square and accessible by metro or tram.
“So much fun and a little scary at times! The actors were fabulous”
Tour Bonton, an upscale brothel in a canal house beside the Heineken Experience, with a former sex worker such as Angel, Gia, Lucy, or Pandora. In 45 to 60 minutes, you’ll hear personal stories, learn about legal sex work and worker safety, explore VIP rooms, scan QR codes, and try the strip poles.
“Angel was very knowledgable, giving a good history of sex work, and how it has evolved over time, and how things such as Prohibition and the Lockdown affected sex workers. The tour was fantastic and Angel encouraged people to look around, and included a free drink for us as well! Good value for money, a good laugh, as well as educational. Thank you very much!”
Spend about 2.5 hours at two central Amsterdam attractions. Pose with George Clooney, Adele, Martin Garrix, Dutch royals, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt at Madame Tussauds, then follow actors through 500 years of grim Amsterdam history at the Dungeon. The Dungeon is darker, funnier, and more theatrical, while Tussauds offers easy photo stops for families and pop-culture fans.
“Both madame Tussauds and the dungeons were both good attractions. My younger daughter(age 11 1/2) didn't like the dungeons so i left after the first couple of rooms, my other daughter (age 14) and partner enjoy the rest of the attractions. Good value for money buy as a combo deal.”
Walk through Amsterdam’s darker past on a two-hour English tour led by guides such as Sunil, Duncan, Jan, or Julia. Starting at Dam Square, you’ll hear stories tied to Nieuwe Kerk, Spinhuis, Begijnhof, Blood Street, and the Waag. Expect strong city history, humor, and ghost tales rather than nonstop scares.
“I got to see a side of Amsterdam I haven’t heard about. Not only ghost stories but tales of the history of the city and how it came to be 10/10”
Pick a canal, a gallery or a road out of town.
