Guided Walking Tour Amsterdam - Legends, History & Ghost Stories
Description
Explore Amsterdam through its legends, history, and ghost stories on this small-group walking tour through the historic city center. Wander through old streets and dark alleyways as you hear tales of witches, mysterious events, and reported ghostly encounters. Visit places such as the Spooksteeg (“Ghost Alley”) and the Schreierstoren (“Tower of Tears”) and uncover stories that have been passed down in Amsterdam for centuries. This tour goes beyond simply telling legends and ghost stories. We dug into Amsterdam’s archives to uncover the real events behind these centuries-old stories and show you original historical documents along the way. As you explore, search for the seven deadly sins and seven virtues hidden within the stories with our Urban Legend Bingo, enjoy a typical Dutch treat, and take home a small souvenir.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We start the tour with the legends of the Skinny Bridge and the mysterious House with the Bloodstains, where strange markings have puzzled Amsterdammers for generations.
In 1888 a Poltergeist near Waterlooplein became one of the biggest mysteries of the city. You'll hear more about it at this stop.
In 1833 crowds gathered for days to see ghost appearances. What were they really witnessing — trickery, rumor, or mass imagination?
Zuiderkerkhof, once a burial ground in the heart of Amsterdam. Almost all the graves have disappeared, but two historic gravestones remain, hiding a remarkable story.
Discover how a personal tragedy led to the founding of a remarkable Amsterdam institution that would remain here for centuries.
Discover the dark history of Amsterdam’s former house of correction for women and the centuries-old legend of a mysterious monk connected to this narrow alley and a haunted hotel.
Hear the remarkable story of a group of orphans who were confined here after they began behaving in ways no one could explain.
At the Nieuwmarkt we recount the story of a woman accused of witchcraft in 1624, while also exploring the history behind the nearby ‘Blood Street’ and what its name tells us about the city’s past.
Walking along the Zeedijk, we encounter three tales of Amsterdam’s colorful and mysterious past: Ghost Alley, sailor's café ‘In ’t Aepjen’ and the "Tower of Tears".
Near Central Station, we uncover the odd grandeur of a historic hotel and step into one of Rembrandt's drawing, where a mysterious woman is depicted on the gallows fields — her identity has been a mystery for centuries.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(51)
We love, my daughter and I, interesting facts about the city!! I expected fantastic stories but impressed me they are real and picturesque stories!!! It's worth it!!!
We had a wonderful time on this tour thanks to an incredible guide. We learned so much about Amsterdam and the legends and folklore. It was very engaging. Our guide was knowledgeable and shared this knowledge openly. The stories were fun and interesting. I would go on it again the next time I’m in Amsterdam.
Very fun tour! Our guide was engaging and told the spooky stories well. We also got a few recommendations on places to eat or shop which was nice. Would recommend this to anyone visiting Amsterdam!
The guide was very friendly and cool, his English was very easy to understand, and he included tips on where to eat and drink; overall highly recommended if you like such stories.
Luke was great. Very friendly and we enjoyed he made the walk and storytelling into a game. Great tour.
Luuk was a very insightful and engaging host! Very relaxed and fun tour.
For our first day in Amsterdam, we wanted to get to know the city a little better in a special way, so it didn’t take us long to arrive at Urban Legends City Quest. We were on time, just like our guide Luuk, at the starting location. We turned out to be the only ones who had booked at the time, so we had Luuk’s incredibly fascinating stories to ourselves. He showed us some well-known, but also lesser-known stories that were passed on as folk legends for years. In a very passionate and compelling way, Luuk was able to answer all of our questions without blinking. We have been guided through several cities in recent years, but none were as interesting as this one about the dark history and ghost stories of Amsterdam. An absolute must for those who love history and unlikely stories! And a big thank you to Luuk for a fantastic walking tour!
Luuk was an excellent guide. Some very interesting stories and a good way to explore Amsterdam. Family friendly.
Nonstop walking at a brisk pace no actual seating opportunities. Be prepared for was walking. Meeting place was confusing but communication with tour guide was quick and helpful. Guide was very knowledgeable and offered interactive teaching Guide occasionally left slower part of group behind when walking to the next stop. He did wait for everyone before starting the ghost story at each stop. Would recommend with awareness of activity level
Informative and fun! Luke was wonderful! He was engaging, played a fun game with us to keep the kids engaged and was very accommodating.
