Small Group Tour to Muiderslot & Castle de Haar from Amsterdam
Description
This small group tour takes you through centuries of history: from Europe’s Middle Ages to the era of the 17th century and the splendor of the 20th century! After picking you up at our eeting point, we start the day at the famous Muideslot castle, first built in the 13th century by count Floris V. In the 17th century the castle was the favorite residence of writer and poet P.C. Hooft. Restored by Architect Pierre Cuypers it is now open to the public to explore. We tour the castle as well as the beautiful gardens! After lunch we visit the magnificent Castle de Haar, reconstructed in 1890 on its medieval foundations, where Baron and Baroness van Zuylen entertained their famous guests! We will bring you back to Amsterdam at the end of the afternoon. This tour can also be booked as a private tour!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The Muiderslot (Amsterdam Castle) is a remarkably well-preserved, 700-year-old medieval castle near Amsterdam, founded around 1285 by Count Floris V. Located in Muiden vey close to Amsterdam. It features iconic round towers, a moat, and historic gardens. The next famous owner of the castle shows up in the 16th century, when P.C Hooft (1581-1647), an author, poet and historian took over sheriff and bailiff duties for the area. In the summer he invited friends, scholars, poets and painters, called the “Muiderkring” to the castle. At the end of the 18th century the castle was abandoned and became derelict. Luckily around 1900 enough money was raised to restore it, for which famous architect Pierre Kuypers was hired. It now serves as a national museum, showcasing 17th-century life, and armor. We have plenty of time to explore the castle! If you don't like narrow stair cases, you can discover the beautiful gardens!
We will have an hour here to have lunch, wander around the old harbor, defence walls and little shops in the picturesque center.
In the afternoon we take you into a magical fairy tale to the most impressive medieval castle in the Netherlands! Castle de Haar is characterized by its rich and extravagant history and the many special stories hidden behind the castle walls. First built in the 13th century it came in the van Zuylen family in the 15th century. The castle found itself in ruins after centuries of wars, and several bad storms, until Baron Etienne van Zuylen, who married Baroness Hélène de Rothschild, took it upon himself to rebuild the castle at the end of the 19th century. He enlists architect Pierre Cuypers for this project, the same architect who designed the Rijksmuseum and central station in Amsterdam! In the 1950’s the castle becomes a sought-after hotspot for the international jet set with guests such as Roger Moore, Brigitte Bardot, and Maria Callas visiting Etienne’s grandson: baron Thierry. The baron’s daughters and grandchildren still come to the castle for their holidays!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Due to the many stairs in the castle this tour is not suitable for people having difficulty walking. infants seats on request, need to contact before. Foldable wheelchairs can be brought upon request if the user can get in and out of the van unassisted.
- Travel time is included on the total duration
- For babies and children under 6 please bring or ask for an appropriate car seat!
Reviews(6)
A small group tour to these two castles is the way to go. The castles have been extremely well preserved and showcase the rich history they have. Muiderslot offered a self-guided audio tour. The tour of Castle De Haar was provided by our guide and was very good. The castle is much larger and more recently inhabited with really interesting stories. Lots of small narrow stairs so make sure you’re fit with sturdy comfortable shoes!
Fantastic trip for lovers of history! The castle stairs are narrow and plenty so make sure you wear comfortable shoes and can climb stairs.
A great tour, such a beautiful palace, our tour guide was so informative it's a mazing that people lived like this, just lovely inside.
isn't it just mindblowing, all those details in the architecture? We're very glad you enjoyed it as much as we always do. See you hopefully soon again! Best regards, Eva - Dutch Tours
Sarah was an amazing guide throughout our day from Castle De Haar to The windmill village! Full of knowledge, entertaining and knew how to keep our kids happy and interested all day long! Highly recommend!
Thanks Todd, we had a great day and your kids are lovely :-) Kind regards, Sarah, Dutch tours
We had a great experience, tour started on time with great interaction and knowledge of the castle and the family history. It was nice to have a small tour without a large crowd. Would highly recommend.
We took the private tour to Nobles and Castles with Eva. She was very knowledgeable, personable, and overall a great person to have as a guide with us all day. Ever since we met her in our hotel lobby, we felt very much at ease. Eva made sure we were in comfort all the time. I highly recommend Dutch Tours.
Thank you again for a lovely day and for this warm review! Next time that you are here, we will drive by Johan Cruyff's house :) All the best! Eva - Dutch Tours
