Discover Amsterdam With These City Walks

Canals, parks, a rich history: there is a lot to discover in Amsterdam. Known for its canal belt, the Red Light District, the many coffee shops, and the masses of tourists, Amsterdam offers so much more. Dive into the history of the city, learn more about what happened to the persecuted Jews during the Second World War, and discover trendy and modern Amsterdam North. One day is not enough!

4 Walking Tours of Amsterdam to Try

Heading for the Dutch city of Amsterdam? Here’s a guide to tour by foot:

The Golden age

The canal belt and stately mansions characterize the city center of Amsterdam. It is not for nothing that the 17th century was called the Golden Age. The trading city of Amsterdam grew and prospered.

Wealthy merchants had their trading houses and merchant houses built along the canals. Especially on the Herengracht and Keizersgracht, you will find palaces on the wide canals. This walking tour leads you through the historic heart of Amsterdam, where you can imagine yourself back in the Golden Age with a little imagination.

This city walk of 8 kilometers can be walked with a Free Tour Amsterdam accompanying guide. The guide can give a lot of information about the special buildings that you pass during the walk. Wander along the canals and discover the stories behind the facades, such as the Huis met Hoofden, ‘De Groote Keijser’ squatting complex, and the Pulitzer hotel. Also visit the 9 streets, the Noordermarkt and De Waag on the Nieuwmarkt. You will also pass several museums located in canal houses, such as the Museum of the Canals and the Van Loon Museum.

• start: Amsterdam Central Station;
• distance: 8 kilometers.

You may refer to their page for more details.

A walk in the Jordaan

Where the canal belt was characterized by prosperity, the Jordaan was the district of the working class. Here, there was a lot of poverty and social tensions over the centuries. However, the face of this neighborhood has changed a lot over the centuries. In the fifties of the last century, the Jordaan was renovated on a large scale, but many monumental buildings have been lost and these have been replaced by housing blocks. Many Jordanians have left, but in the meantime, the neighborhood is on the rise again.

This walk through the Jordaan takes you along striking Jordanians, the Palingo riot on the Lindegracht in 1886, the statue of Anne Frank, and the gay monument and leads you to hidden courtyards. Enjoy the many cafes and eateries along the way and immerse yourself in the warm bath called the Jordaan.

• start: Café Thijssen, Brouwersgracht 107;
• distance: 4 kilometers.

You can check online for more details.

Touring the Westerbork Pad

The  Westerbork Pad is a walking route of a total of 336 kilometers from Amsterdam to the former camp Westerbork and consists of 31 stages. It is a historic route that follows the path of the Jews and Gypsies who were deported during the Second World War through monuments and memorial sites.

During the Second World War, the Hollandsche Schouwburg was a place where Jews were gathered. From here they were transported to Westerbork via the Muiderpoort station, our end point of this walk:

• start: Amsterdam Centraal Station;
• end: Station Amsterdam Muiderpoort;
• distance: 8.5 kilometers.

The tour of the Westerbork Pad starts at Central Station and takes you through the lively city center past numerous Jewish historical monuments and memorials, such as the Anne Frank House, the Oudemanhuispoort book market, the Jewish Historical Museum and the mirror monument by Jan Wolkers.

Amsterdam forest

The Amsterdamse Bos is a landscaped forest. In the 1930s, Amsterdam had a large number of unemployed people due to the crisis. The construction of the forest served as employment. Today we can still enjoy the English landscape-style forest with parks and many recreational opportunities. Seven marked walking routes have been set out in the Amsterdamse Bos, ranging from 4 to 15 kilometers. Our tip: enjoy the blossom of the Japanese cherry trees in the blossom park in spring. The Long Forest Walk and Pool Walk take you past the splendor.

• start: at various locations in the Amsterdamse Bos;
• distance: varying from 4 – 15 kilometers;
• notes: dogs are not allowed on some of the routes.

You can check online for more details.

Conclusion

From the Canal Belt to the Amsterdam forest, there’s a lot to discover in Amsterdam but for the sake of not overwhelming you with too much information, we’ve kept it brief. We hope you’ll have an amazing tour of Amsterdam.