I booked this well in advance (6 - 8 weeks). You pay a nominal booking fee (maybe a Euro or two…read moreper person) to book, the tour is free, and you are expected to tip a decent amount at the end (at least 10 Euros). I figured it would be a good orientation and we'd have some flexibility if our plans changed late. We ended up sleeping later than planned on our first full day in Amsterdam (thanks, jet-lag). We did, however, manage to arrive at the rendezvous point (the monument in Dam Plaza) at least 5 minutes before tour time (10:30 a.m.). There were about 3 tour groups assembling at the same time. The company divided us up among appropriate guides and the tours began. Our guide was Paul Bierman. He was a lifelong resident of Amsterdam and had the associated level of knowledge about things. The tours are somewhat free form, and can focus on whatever the group likes - architecture, history, etc. Our group wasn't super decisive so we got a broad overview (which was fine). Paul walked us around the city center pointing out old churches, the first stock exchange, whimsical local canal lore, canal-side houseboats (one of which was a dedicated cat sanctuary), etc. It was a bit of a potpourri of local facts and trivia but everyone enjoyed it. We ended up back near the starting point close to 2 hours later. Overall, I thought this was a good introduction to the central city. It is a good option for a first-time visitor's first day in Amsterdam.

I've visited Amsterdam four times, but I just discovered the free tours by Free Walking Tours. On…read morethe day before my departure, I was thrilled to find one available in the afternoon. With a big group, It was split into two groups and I was assigned to Sebastiaan. His passion for history and sense of humor made the tour truly enjoyable. His familiarity with New York also helped me draw interesting connections between the two cities. This experience made my trip memorable, and I highly recommend him. I plan to return for more tours in the future. Thank you Free Walking Tours!

From the owner: FREE SELF-guided CITY WALK in ancient AMERSFOORT showing 50 historic highlights with a total…read morewalking distance of just 4.9 kilometer with English guidance and explanation. That is ONE highlight per 100 meter walking on average! SEE lunch-lijn49.nl/city-walk

A wonderful, informative and hugely entertaining tour from Taco. His stories brought the history of…read morethe Hague and the Netherlands to life. Thank you.

Had a great tour with Taco! Did a great job of adjusting to all the different backgrounds and…read moreinterests in the tour group.

Maybe it was all tour guide, but at the end of trip, our group (8 of us) didn't feel it was a good…read moreuse of our time and kind of wish we had just gone exploring on our own. I guess it really depend on the guide, as I've been on these type of "free" tours where we learned a lot about the city and greatly enhanced the rest of our stay with local tips about restaurants etc. For this tour, it started out fine, the guide talked to us about the unique architecture of the houses and how they can become tilted. Unfortunately afterwards it was mostly just a lot of walking, and as it was a big group (the company had split the participants into several groups already, but it was still a good-sized group that formed a long line on the narrow streets), the few closer to the tour guide may have gotten a lot more out of the experience as they chat with the guide along the way, but the rest of us felt excluded. The little info we got was mostly history with a dry presentation. Early in the trip, I have asked the guide about something, and she said she'd explained more about that later. Towards the end of the trip, I mentioned to another traveler that I never did find out more about that something, and the lady said, oh, the guide did talk about it. I was a bit bummed to have missed it, and also felt that a more attentive guide would have sought to include me in that part of the talk. As said I've enjoyed many of this type of tours, so when we visited Amsterdam we did a bit of research and signed up for this one due to its good rating. Unfortunately the experience didn't live up to our expectation.

Gotta give it up to Shanna for an awesome tour! The weather was cold, grey and drizzly but she…read morestill brought positive energy and a good attitude. There were also moments where random interlopers interrupted her or the group got separated by traffic and she handled it all professionally. What I enjoyed the most was her depth of knowledge about the different social groups living in the city. Our group got into some detailed discussion around the history of the slave trade and sex industry in the city and at all points she gave a balanced perspective. I liked the combination of fun history with socially aware commentary on what it means today. I would totally recommend the tour, and Shanna to anyone visiting Amsterdam.

When I travel, I sometimes go on a tour of the city I am visiting as I like to learn about the…read morehistory of the area. I prefer to go on tours at the beginning of my trip as it helps with figuring out how to get around the city as well as discover attractions and sites I may not have been aware of. When I went to Europe in 2015, my friend recommended Sandeman's New Europe tours. The tour is free, but you're expected to tip the guide at the end of the tour, which is a win-win for everyone -- you don't need to pay more than you can afford, and the guide ends up making a decent amount. And because their wage depends on what people will pay them, the tour guides make an effort at being knowledgeable, entertaining, and personable. Sandeman's also offers paid tours to certain attractions. I've previously been on free Sandeman's tours in Berlin and Prague (as well as some paid tours), and the tour guides have been excellent, so I signed up for a free tour on our first full day in Amsterdam. Unfortunately it was raining at the beginning of the tour, but despite the weather, I had a good time and learned a lot about Amsterdam's history. The tour was two hours and started in Dam Square. The name of our tour guide was Pau, and she was knowledgeable and enthusiastic. If you like learning about the history of the cities you visit and don't want to spend an arm and a leg, I highly recommend Sandeman's New Europe tours. [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Cheap Thrills]

Took the 10:30 tour today with Danny the tour guide…read more Thanks for all the stories, a few opportunities to sit down, and answering all our questions

Their website says it is a tour you will never forget...and that may very well be the case! With 22…read morevery low bridges, you will not only have to duck, but may have to crouch on the floor since there is one specific bridge that the boat itself (and seat backs) barely fit under and you can here the cars over head. Though it is a great tour and great experience, I would not recommend this to the elderly, or anyone that gets claustrophobic! I'll admit, I even got scared at times. Our captain was lovely and she gave the tour in at least Dutch and English, there may have been German as well. But the sights are worth the trip, and we were very happy with the price as well.

From the owner: Zoals de naam al doet vermoeden verzorgen wij rondvaarten door de grachten van Alkmaar. Dit is een…read moreleuke en spannende manier om de stad beter te leren kennen. Samen met een kapitein en een gids vaart u 45 minuten door Alkmaar. In deze tijd proberen wij u een beeld te geven over hoe Alkmaar is, en hoe Alkmaar was. Deze rondvaart is ook erg geschikt voor kinderen. Ze hoeven namelijk niet stil te zitten. Tijdens de tocht komen wij 22 bruggen tegen waar ook zij voor moeten bukken. Hierdoor is de tocht een ervaring om nooit meer te vergeten! Vertrek vanaf de Mient, schuin tegenover het Waaggebouw. Voor vragen kunt u mailen met info@rondvaartalkmaar.nl of even bellen met 0653714608