This page is about walking tours of Amsterdam’s historical highlights. Some attractions are more than 700 years old! They are medieval. This theme will be hot in the coming year, as Mokum’s 750th anniversary is coming up! :) (In 2025 and the festivities already start this year).
Recent opinions/reviews on Lex and the City
Which attractions are part of the historic city tour “Round the Red Light District on foot” below?
Many highlights. The Central Station, The Zeedijk with ‘t Aepjen, the picturesque Oudezijds Kolk, the Schreierstoren (anno 1487!), the Scheepvaarthuis and the bridge next to it: both icons of Amsterdam School Architecture.
Then “Malle Jaap”, pardon the expression: the Montelbaanstoren. Then across the water with another chance for a top photo, and then past Gassan Diamonds. Around the corner is impressive with the Rembrandt House on one side and the Sint Antoniesluis with its accompanying Sluyswachthuis on the other. This is part of the Waterkeringpad.
Past the Zuiderkerk and then that picturesque Raamgracht.
Then the Kloveniersburgwal with Hotel de Doelen at the beginning, with its fine history with Rembrandt, Sissi and the Beatles.
Then we dive into the Oudemanspoort. Out the other side and on to the Waalse Kerk.
Then…Dam Square lies loud and clear in front of you. Off we go!
Via the Damrak we reach our destination: the Beurs van Berlage with its bistro.
PS: a tour OVER the Red Light District has been banned for several years. Except along the edges such as the Zeedijk, the Dam, the Nieuwmarkt, Warmoesstrat, along the smallest house and over the Kloveniersburgwal (update 2024).
Graphic example of such a city tour: “Around the Red Light District”
We drew this city tour ourselves in this social media programme for fun, self-made tourist routes. (The descriptions of highlights along the way that accompany it are often not ours).
“Rondje om de Wallen” means “around the Red Light District”.
Other similar walks: Example of a company outing: 4 company groups starting at the same time for 4 city walking tours.
February 2022 we had 4 walking groups of 8 people (4*8) at a time from a company .
These were 4 city tours on foot through Medieval Amsterdam with 4 local Lex and the City guides that started at the main entrance of Amsterdam Centraal in front of the I Amsterdam Visitor Center. (Centrum exit, south side)
Participants will arrive individually, and can offer these themes from there:
– Scheepvaarthuis / Lastage / Oosterdokseiland
– Red Light District (not along the red lights, as this is no longer allowed. Yes, the corners and edges of the Red Light District, such as the Zeedijk, the Nieuwmarkt, the former VOC headquarters… Those edges, by the way, are very attractive…. But what is banned by the municipality is going past the windows. With local guide then).
– Damrak, Beurs, Dam
– The new bike park for 7,000 bikes with art too, Singel, Martelaarsgracht, Brouwersgracht
– North. (EYE, Adamtoren, van der Pekbuurt.)
The first 8 participants to arrive at the Visitor centre immediately go out with the guide. Then the next ones again. And so on. This way, we make sure that the participants of the city tour through medieval Amsterdam are not crammed together on the square.
Times of certain days to avoid the historical town center of Amsterdam
Saturday afternoons in spring and autumn have become too busy for a nice city tour of the historic centre. (We think.)
The busiest times in Amsterdam’s historic city centre? Namely, those are the Saturday afternoons from 1 to 5 in spring and September. Groups tend to choose precisely this time of day and it’s not so pleasant in the city centre then. We therefore prefer not to do this anymore with groups.
Conditions are much better in the morning.
Presentation of the local private who has written this page. (including Lex and the City pricing and the small print)
Local private bike tours organized by Lex and the City
