The Netherlands · HISTORICAL TOURS

15 Historical Tours in the Netherlands Worth Booking

78 tours  ·  from $9 a head

Good historical tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

Amsterdam Food and Cultural Tour with Tastings - Bloemenmarkt: flowers, souvenirs, and a quick first stop
Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam Food and Cultural Tour with Tastings

1.Amsterdam Food and Cultural Tour with Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,442 reviews · from $91Our pick

Roman leads a small-group walk through central Amsterdam with tastings of Tom Pouce, Dutch fries, herring, cheese, and other local favorites. You will visit the Bloemenmarkt, Begijnhof, Torensluis, and Jordaan while hearing stories about Dutch customs, monarchy, crooked houses, and city life. The tour is vegetarian, but not vegan or gluten free.

“Roman was excellent, the food was good and the history was very interesting, I highly recommend this tour.”

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Rotterdam: Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage Entry Ticket - Arriving from Rotterdam by water
Historical Tours, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Zaanse Schans & Windmill Tours

Rotterdam: Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage Entry Ticket

2.Kinderdijk UNESCO World Heritage Entry Ticket

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

Spend a flexible day at Kinderdijk, walking among 19 working windmills, entering the Blokweer and Nederwaard museum mills, and touring the pumping station. Your ticket includes the canal boat, film, exhibition, and multilingual audio guide. Transport and food cost extra, and boat service can stop in poor weather.

“It was very good. We had no issues and were happy with our purchase.”

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The Hague: Hop-on Hop-off Old-Fashioned Heritage Tram Tour - Central Station and Malieveld: useful stops for city orientation
Historical Tours, Hop-On Hop-Off & Sightseeing Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in The Hague

The Hague: Hop-on Hop-off Old-Fashioned Heritage Tram Tour

3.Hop-on Hop-off Old-Fashioned Heritage Tram Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,083 reviews · from $18

Ride The Hague’s vintage Tourist Tram for one day, hopping on and off at 14 stops from the city center to Scheveningen beach. An audio guide is available in several languages, while Dutch, English, and German speaking staff help you find your way. The tram runs every 30 minutes from 10:15 AM to 4:45 PM.

“we loved it and it was truely going through memorylane - thank you”

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Rotterdam: Harbor Cruise on a Historic Ship - Why the slow pace works on the Maas
Cruises & Boat Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Rotterdam

Rotterdam: Harbor Cruise on a Historic Ship

4.Harbor Cruise on a Historic Ship

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

Board the historic Nehalennia beside the Erasmus Bridge for a 1.5-hour cruise through Rotterdam’s working harbor. An audiovisual guide speaks Dutch, English, and German, with Dutch commentary in the local Rotterdam dialect. Sit inside or on the sun deck, watch cargo ships and cranes, and buy drinks and snacks at the onboard bar.

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

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Amsterdam: Haunted History and Ghost Walking Tour - Meeting at Dam Square after dark
Ghost & Dark History Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam: Haunted History and Ghost Walking Tour

5.Haunted History and Ghost Walking Tour

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

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”

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Amsterdam High-End Dutch Food & History Tour - Up to 8 guests - Dutch cheese, private tasting room, and a glass of wine
Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam

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

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

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

Walk Amsterdam with a guide such as Rudolph, Jan, or Catharina while tasting Dutch apple pie, farmhouse cheese, herring, eel, Indonesian satay, and bitterballen. The four-hour tour visits local cafés, markets, delis, fish shops, and historic sites. Groups are limited to eight, with some tastings changing by day.

“We had a lovely afternoon with Catharina and 2 other guests. She has lived in Amsterdam most of her life and told us so much about Amsterdam's history and food culture.”

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Leiden: Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide - What you see from Blauwpoortsbrug
Cruises & Boat Tours, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Leiden

Leiden: Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide

7.Cruise through the Historic City Center with Guide

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

Join a 50-minute electric boat cruise from Blauwpoortsbrug for a close look at Leiden’s canals, university, observatory, Hortus Botanicus, parks, terraces, and old bridges. Your skipper gives lively stories in Dutch and English, with an audio app available in other languages. Boats are covered and heated when needed, and drinks are sold before boarding.

“It was sooo nice. The guide was so cool, funny and shared a lot of new information and secrets about Leiden. The boat was comfortable this 50 mins is perfectly enough. It’t worthy for sure.”

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Amsterdam: Historic City Sightseeing Canal Cruise - Canal houses, small waterways, and the Houseboat Museum
Canal Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Historical Tours, Hop-On Hop-Off & Sightseeing Tours, Sightseeing Tours in Amsterdam, Tour Reviews, Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam: Historic City Sightseeing Canal Cruise

8.Historic City Sightseeing Canal Cruise

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

Meet in front of the Anne Frank House for a roughly one-hour cruise through Amsterdam’s Canal Ring. Expect views of 400-year-old canal houses, Westerkerk, Centraal Station, the IJ, and the Amstel, with English commentary that may be live or recorded depending on the boat.

“This canal tour was the perfect way to begin our visit to Amsterdam. We enjoyed cruising through the many canals, seeing highlights of the city.”

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Amsterdam: Historical Highlights Walking Tour with Tasting - Medieval lanes and Golden Age canals
Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam: Historical Highlights Walking Tour with Tasting

9.Historical Highlights Walking Tour with Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 381 reviews · 2 hours · from $34

Start at Dam Square and walk through Amsterdam’s old center with a local guide in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Portuguese. Expect canals, the Royal Palace, Begijnhof, the Flower Market, the Amstel River, and stories about trade and city life. A Dutch tasting is included, though its delivery has varied.

“Edwin was wonderful. He even made sure we knew how to get back to the city center. He was very knowledgeable and told us very interesting things about the history of of Amsterdam.”

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Anne Frank and the Jewish History of Amsterdam Private Tour - Starting at the Portuguese Synagogue
Anne Frank & Jewish Amsterdam, Historical Tours, Private, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam

Anne Frank and the Jewish History of Amsterdam Private Tour

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

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

This three-hour private walk links Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter, wartime memorials, Plantage, Dam Square, Westerkerk, and Anne Frank House. Guides including Chris, Kaleigh, Guido, Inbal, and Martina lead the English tour, add local context, and help arrange Anne Frank House tickets when available. If tickets sell out, a virtual reality visit is provided.

“We learned so much about the Jewish experience in Amsterdam prior to and during World War II. Our guide, Martina was wonderful attending to our needs and interests. We took the trolley and arrived at the Ann Frank House in time for our tour. Martina even arranged for us to have coffee and waffles in the cafe. Thank you so much and I can’t recommend this tour enough.”

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Amsterdam: 3-Course Meal in Historic 1st Class Waiting Rooms - Finding the former first-class waiting rooms
Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam: 3-Course Meal in Historic 1st Class Waiting Rooms

11.3-Course Meal in Historic 1st Class Waiting Rooms

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 292 reviews · from $61

Enjoy a three-course lunch or dinner at Grand Café Museum Restaurant 1e Klas, inside Amsterdam Central Station’s restored 1885 first-class waiting rooms. Expect elegant Pierre Cuypers architecture, views toward the Damrak, a broad menu of meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes, and a relaxed 2.5-hour meal. Drinks cost extra, and window seats are not guaranteed.

“The building was beautiful and the food was delicious”

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Amsterdam: Highlights & History Walking Tour - The Old Church, Chinatown, and Amsterdam’s unusual streets
Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam: Highlights & History Walking Tour

12.Highlights & History Walking Tour

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

Walk Amsterdam’s old center with a local guide, visiting the Old Church, Chinatown, crooked houses, Dam Square, Begijnhof, canals, and Flower Market. Guides such as Robin, Aaron, James, and Andrea mix history with humor and local stories. Groups are limited to eight, with private tours available.

“We enjoyed the tour and the guide was very good. Definitely recommend it!”

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Anne Frank and Amsterdam Jewish History Walking Tour - Finishing at the Anne Frank House
Anne Frank & Jewish Amsterdam, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Amsterdam

Anne Frank and Amsterdam Jewish History Walking Tour

13.Anne Frank and Amsterdam Jewish History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 259 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $29

Walk through central Amsterdam with a licensed English-speaking guide and connect Anne Frank’s story to wartime sites, resistance history, and Jewish life. The two-hour tour visits Dam Square, Kattengat, and Singelgracht before ending outside the Anne Frank House. Guides may include Iris, Tristan, Stein, Leo, Gee, or Madeline.

“Stein was passionate, knowledgeable and answered any questions put to him! So factual. Was a great tour”

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Amsterdam: Jewish Quarter and History Guided Tour - Starting beside the Amstel River
Anne Frank & Jewish Amsterdam, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Amsterdam

Amsterdam: Jewish Quarter and History Guided Tour

14.Jewish Quarter and History Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 210 reviews · 2 hours · from $23

Walk from the Amstel River through Amsterdam’s Jewish Quarter with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. See the Portuguese Synagogue, Jewish Historical Museum, Jewish Council headquarters, Dokwerker, Auschwitz Monument, and possibly the exterior of Anne Frank House. Private and small-group options are available.

“Our guide was terrific. I'm struggling to recall his name, but he is a history major and a reservoir of interesting perspectives on the Jewish Quarter and events of Nazi occupation. He calibrated his talking points to our small group and generously responded to questions along the way. Our group consisted of four Jewish people and all commented that they learned a great deal. Thank you for making this tour and tour guide available.”

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Gouda: Historical Canal Cruise - Boarding the Jan Salie or Jan Kordaat
Canal Cruises, Cruises & Boat Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours in Gouda

Gouda: Historical Canal Cruise

15.Historical Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 158 reviews · 1h 15m · from $18

Spend 75 minutes aboard the historic Jan Salie or Jan Kordaat, two traditional Dutch tow barges, as your skipper guides you through Gouda’s canals and monumental center. You’ll follow the old trade route between Flanders and Dutch cities, pass the Museum Harbour, and hear stories in Dutch or English. A covered deck, sun deck, toilet, and minibar add comfort.

“Het was zotte zaterdag tijdens onze vaartocht waardoor de bemanning verkleed was. Dat was al een bonus maar de reisgids was een ook nog eens een hele leuke verteller. Wij hebben genoten van de reis en raden deze van harte aan.”

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New in Historical Tours

★ 5.0Historical The Hague: Private Tour with Local Guide6 reviews
★ 5.0Discover Historical Delft with an Audio GuideFrom $223 reviews
★ 4.5Drive it yourself electric History and Castle GPS audio tour35 reviews
★ 5.0Rotterdam Must Do Tour: Highlights, History, WW2 and ArchitectureFrom $2920 reviews
★ 4.5MUST DO: Rotterdam highlights & history with a local guideFrom $3357 reviews
★ 5.0Maastricht Highlights, Architecture & Heritage Tour7 reviews
★ 5.0Maastricht Heritage and Nature Tour6 reviews
★ 5.0Discover Maastricht with a Smile! Culture, History and People16 reviews
★ 5.0Historical Private Tour of Delft and Leiden including TransferFrom $2604 reviews
★ 5.0Historical Leiden: Private Tour with Local Guide3 reviews
★ 3.5Cultural and Historical Audio guided walking tour Tour of HaarlemFrom $1513 reviews
★ 5.0Haarlem Self-Guided Taste, Culture & History WalkFrom $547 reviews
★ 5.0Historical Canal TourFrom $2560 reviews
★ 4.5Gouda Private Walking Tour: History, Architecture & CheeseFrom $4028 reviews
★ 5.0Small-Group Women’s History Tour in AmsterdamFrom $4716 reviews

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Museums123Van Gogh Museum Tickets47Rijksmuseum Tickets41Anne Frank & Jewish Amsterdam47Castle & Palace Tours21
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