Amsterdam 2-Hour Dark History & Myths – Dare to Join!
Description
Discover the haunting history of medieval Amsterdam on this English-language walking tour led by a local guide. Step beyond the city’s free-spirited reputation and explore its darker past of torture, executions, witch hunts, and ghostly legends. Stroll through narrow alleys with ominous street names, uncover chilling myths hidden in centuries-old buildings, and experience a side of Amsterdam most visitors never see. The tour starts and ends in the city center, leaving you ready to continue your adventure through Amsterdam’s historic streets and canals.
Tour Options
Itinerary
"This is just the beginning; from here, we take you to medieval Amsterdam. What happened back then? What was considered normal? And most importantly, what were people afraid of? Stories suggesting you were a witch could cost you your life."
From this former town hall on Dam Square, judgments were delivered, marking a crucial place for justice in Amsterdam's history.
Amsterdam was once a harbor city, and from here you could look across the water to the gallows field on the other side of the IJ.
Do you know the painting by Rembrandt? It was here where the anatomy lesson took place, and Rembrandt painted it. The story goes that the arm was difficult to paint, so he took it home to replicate it.
These were just a few of the stops; there are many more on the tour. But to find out what they are, you have to join us—if you dare!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- No catching up with the group if you are late (please book a new time slot)
- Bookings accepted up to 5 people, larger groups will not be taken by the guide
Reviews(5)
Informative walk. Learned some interesting things about Amsterdam. We thought we would be returning to the starting point, but we did not. I would recommend but make sure you have Google maps or some other mapping system to find your way back.
Sebastian was an incredible wealth of knowledge and so entertaining. Highly recommend booking with him. We loved it.
Could not find guide at designated spot as it is a huge meeting place at a central square! Very disappointed as arrived 25 min early to insure enough time!
Dear guest, Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry that you were unable to find the guide and that this caused disappointment. The tour did take place as planned, and our guide was present at the meeting point. We also tried to call you when we noticed you were not with the group. Our meeting point is at the National Monument on Dam Square, not elsewhere on the square. We understand that Dam Square can feel busy and confusing, especially if you are visiting for the first time, and we are sorry this was not clear enough for you. We appreciate you letting us know and will review how we can make the meeting instructions even clearer for future guests. Kind regards, Free Walking Tours Amsterdam
A wonderful walk around Amsterdam listening to a brilliant history of the darker side to Amsterdam. Interesting facts and a delicious sweet treat!
Had an absolute blast on the "Dark History" Free Walking Tours Amsterdam with our guide Wendy! We were a party of 10 of friends and family and it turned out to be basically a private tour. Wendy took us around the heart of the city, on Halloween no less, telling spooky stories and histories of Amsterdam. Five of us from the party had done the Classic Tour (with Sebaastian) the day before, and it was great to spend another two hours learning completely new/different information about this dynamic world city. Wendy was so engaging and we all had a great time. Would highly recommend checking out the 'Dark History' tour when in Amsterdam!
Hi there, Thank you so much for your amazing review of the Free Darkside Tour Amsterdam. We’re thrilled to hear that you and your group had such a great time exploring the city’s darker history with Wendy — and on Halloween, no less! That’s truly the perfect night for spooky stories and mysterious corners of Amsterdam. It’s great to know that even after joining the Classic Tour with Sebastiaan, you still discovered so many new and different sides of the city. That’s exactly what we aim for — each of our tours offers its own unique atmosphere and storytelling style. Wendy will be so happy to hear your kind words. She’s a fantastic guide who loves diving into the eerie legends and hidden tales of Amsterdam, and we’re glad her passion came through. Thanks again for recommending the Free Darkside Tour Amsterdam. We hope to see you again for another adventure soon! Kind regards, Tim Free Darkside Tour Amsterdam
