The 5 Best Tours in Amsterdam to Book So You Don’t Get Stuck in Tourist Traps
If you were one of those people who wanted to visit Amsterdam after watching The Fault in Our Stars back in 2014, you probably already know it’s an amazing city to explore. But if you really want to dive into all it has to offer, booking a tour is a great idea.
Don’t worry, though—we’ve got you covered. My team and I went undercover to test out some of the tour agencies to see what they were really like.
Keep reading to find out which one might be the best fit for you and your travel style!
How much do tour agency services cost in Amsterdam?
Tour agency services in Amsterdam typically cost €20–€50 per person for group walking or bike tours, while private tours or specialized experiences can cost €100–€200+. The final cost depends on the duration and inclusions.
1. Free Walking Tour Amsterdam
Address: Spuistraat 68 F, 1012 TW
Phone: +31 85 016 3654
Business hours: Monday to Wednesday: 9 AM – 9 PM
My team and I had a fantastic time with Free Walking Tour Amsterdam. The guides, all locals, made everything feel so personal.
Instead of just sticking to boring scripts, they shared fun stories and interesting cultural details. They also shared some intriguing historical facts that really helped us connect with the city.
What’s great is that they avoided the super touristy spots. Instead, they introduced us to hidden gems that gave us a fresh perspective on Amsterdam.
Plus, there’s a lot of variety in the tours. A former client mentioned that they were offered different themes, so picking one that matches their interest wasn’t particularly hard.
If you’re more into exploring at your own pace, they have an AI-guided walking tour on WhatsApp, which is pretty cool. You can wander around whenever you want while still getting all the info delivered to your phone. It’s a nice mix of old-school walking tours and modern tech.
The only downside we noticed is that the group sizes can get pretty big—sometimes over 50 people. That can make it harder to hear the guide or interact with them, which takes away some of the charm.
Highly recommend this tour
“I just finished my walking tour with Craig and he is absolutely fantastic! He is very thorough and has a lot of passion when explaining the history and culture of Amsterdam. Highly recommend this tour and hopefully, you will be lucky enough to have him as a guide!”
– Nisha Lalchandani, Google review
They did a great job giving us a tour of the city
“Ana did a great job giving us a tour of the city. We did the “classic” tour and we were given tons of information about the city, brought to some cool sights, and we were given local recommendations. This set up the rest of our day for success as we were able to go to many of the suggested food spots! Would recommend.”
– Eric Armbrust, Google review
2. Toms Travel Tours
Address: Derde Hugo de Grootstraat, 1052 LK
Business hours: Monday to Sunday: 9 AM – 8 PM
We loved that we could customize our itineraries with Toms Travel Tours. We told Tom, the guide, we wanted to try some local cuisine and check out the city’s hidden gems. He made it all happen flawlessly.
The small group size for each tour was a big plus too. It gave us more chances to chat with Tom, who is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about his craft. His insights and stories added so much depth to the experience.
The range of tour options is equally impressive. Some of his past clients mentioned enjoying walking and biking tours, while others opted for private canal cruises or countryside escapes.
Tom also has a knack for weaving in local traditions, so you get an authentic taste of Dutch culture.
That said, we wished there were more breaks during the longer tours. Spending hours on the go without a proper breather was a bit much. Adding some downtime to the itinerary would definitely make the experience even better.
He has a great energy and is a pleasure to be around
“Outstanding 2nd time with Tom! We first met Tom in 2018 and were so impressed we reached out again. Tom is both a great guide and a very gifted photographer. He has great energy and is a pleasure to be around. He is also a bargain because you get a guide and a photographer for the same price. The photos are memorable. Enjoy! Here are some photos from this trip as well as from 2018!”
– Anthony Pollak, Google review
He had a plethora of information, history and tales to share
“Kristy and I were privileged to have Tom himself take us on a private tour of AMS!! Having grown up here in Amsterdam, he had a plethora of information, history and tales to share.
I’m sure all his employees are just as versed in history, culture and information and would provide a remarkable bicycle perspective of this amazing city!! I highly recommend this tour!!!”
– Carl Nelson, Google review
3. ZOYO Travel
Address: Herengracht 280, 1016 BX
Phone: +31 20 700 8300
Business hours:
- Monday to Friday: 9 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM
- Sunday: Closed
One of our researchers gave ZOYO Travel a try and was impressed by their warm, personal approach. As a family-owned travel agency, they really excel at making trips feel special.
What we really love about ZOYO is how they focus on quality. They made sure the whole experience was tailored to what our teammate wanted.
The highlight was how they helped him connect with the local culture. Rather than sticking to the typical tourist spots, he experienced some truly unique activities.
He found himself learning from local artists in workshops and even making Dutch cheese with an expert. These unique and hard-to-find experiences really set them apart.
Some of their former clients also appreciated how easy they made everything by handling all the details. From booking transport and accommodations to sorting out activities, it was all taken care of. Our teammate could attest to this since he also experienced the same thing with them.
That said, their services are on the pricier side, so they might not be the best fit if you’re on a tight budget.
Both the guide and drivers took exceptional care of us
“Zoyo organized an amazing group trip to Amsterdam, handling all the bookings and maintaining excellent communication throughout the process. Both the guide and drivers took exceptional care of us, ensuring we had memorable days packed with great experiences.”
– Caroline Storeide, Google review
It is evident that this is more than just a business
“ZOYO Travel stands out as an exemplary provider of van services, combining reliability, personalized service, and a commitment to customer satisfaction. From the moment you engage with their team, it is evident that this is more than just a business—it’s a family dedicated to ensuring that every customer’s needs are met with care and professionalism.”
– Alexandra Bourou, Google review
4. Freedam Tours
Address: Beursplein 5, 1012 GZ
Phone: +31 6 50278397
Business hours: Monday to Sunday: 9 AM – 9 PM
Another researcher from our team tried Freedam Tours, and found that storytelling is their strongest suit. The guides mix interesting stories with sightseeing, giving a deeper look at Amsterdam’s history and culture.
The guides themselves are all passionate locals with a lot of knowledge about Amsterdam. Many have backgrounds in fields like history and culture, which means you get more than just surface-level facts.
Another thing that sets them apart is their small group sizes, which are a maximum of 15 people. This makes the experience feel more personal, and you can easily chat with the guide, ask questions, and get more attention.
That said, some past clients have mentioned that the guides can be a bit pushy about how much to tip, which made things a little uncomfortable for them.
He was great at making everyone in the tour feel included and involved
“Had a wonderful tour with Karel – we highly highly recommend. Karel explained the history behind Netherlands while also touching on current events, showing pictures of the past to help connect centuries, spoke of art history and architectural history, and of course made the group smile and laugh a good bit along the way. He was great at making everyone in the tour feel included and involved as well. Highly recommend a tour with Karel!”
– Aimee and Tyler Carlson, Google review
Very knowledgeable and showed us a lot of fun and interesting things about Amsterdam
“Our tour was so fun with Annelieke! She was very knowledgeable and showed us a lot of fun and interesting things about Amsterdam. It was so cool to learn about this city, and we really enjoyed our time here. I recommend this walking tour for anyone coming to Amsterdam and wanting to explore and learn more about it!”
– Rose Downey, Google review
5. Who Is Amsterdam Tours
Address: Marnixstraat 66-1-R, 1015 VW
Business hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 10 AM – 7 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Who Is Amsterdam Tours stands out because it’s all about connecting you with the local vibe of the city. The tours are run by locals who know Amsterdam like the back of their hand. We also enjoyed listening to their personal stories.
The focus is on meeting real Amsterdammers—whether it’s artisans or regular residents—which gives you a chance to see how the city’s culture really comes to life.
One example is the “Humans of Amsterdam” Cultural Walking Tour, where locals share personal stories that highlight important parts of Amsterdam’s culture.
They’ve also earned some recognition, like the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award for 2024, which puts them in the top 10% of tours worldwide. The tours are small, so it feels more personal rather than just being part of a big tourist crowd.
That said, we’ve heard from a few past customers that they had trouble with slow response times and some issues when it came to booking.
Fun, interesting and informative
“We did this tour between 7-9 pm and loved it. Fun, interesting and informative with some absolutely beautiful opportunities for sunset pictures in this amazing city. Thanks Adam for a really nice evening!”
– Connie Cooper, Google review
FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE!!!
“FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE!!! If you’d like to get and authentic glimpse into Amsterdam and hear the real stories of some lovely locals you absolutely must book this tour! It was a very personal VIP tour around the area and we left feeling like we’d made some local friends. We would highly recommend it!!!”
– Sara Hadad, Google review