If you don’t manage to get any tickets online, arrive early in the morning to beat the queues.
Amsterdam’s Anne Frankhuis is a museum inside the very house in which Anne Frank and her family hid for two years during World War II. Particularly if you have read Anne’s famous diary, it makes for a sobering visit.
The exhibits at 263 Prinsengracht are simple, informative and well-presented. The Secret Annex in which the Franks lived, whose entrance was hidden behind a movable bookcase, is a remarkable sight. The wall of photographs Anne used to brighten up her room are particularly moving.
Anne’s original manuscripts are also on view; extracts from her writing accompany different areas of the house, which has been reconstructed to appear as it was in her time there.
The house is one of Amsterdam’s most popular tourist attractions, so is always busy: the queue can be very long indeed if you haven’t reserved tickets in advance, and the inside can get rather crowded.
Amazingly, the building was almost demolished in 1955 before a campaign led by Otto Frank - Anne’s father, and the only member of the family to survive the Holocaust - called for it to be saved. Today it is the focus of careful conservation by a dedicated team, who aim to preserve for future generations the important tale it tells of the Dutch Jews’ persecution.
Explore the highlights of Amsterdam, the charming Dutch capital famous for its cobblestone streets, iconic canal network, hundreds of old stone bridges, kilometres of cycle paths, beautiful architecture, and vibrant culture on this half-day walking tour with an expert guide. Also included, are tickets for a scenic cruise along the city's famous canals to enjoy at your leisure after the tour.
On your private tour, you will:
Your tour begins in the beautiful Jordaan District, historically an impoverished neighbourhood, that later attracted artists and poets, including Rembrandt and the famous 17th-century Dutch writer Joost van den Vondel. Now, it is a bustling centre of creativity, full of young artists, entrepreneurs, and students taking their coffee in the myriad of artisanal cafes and restaurants.
As a centre of Calvinist religious reform, you will also see Amsterdam's Westerkerk, which at its completion in 1631, was one of the first-ever Protestant churches. Amsterdam’s Oude Kerk and Nieuwe Kerk were originally built for Roman Catholic worship before the ‘Alteration,’ the bloodless Calvinist coup of 1578, that saw them converted.
See some of the city's hundreds of kilometres of cycle paths, admire the old stone bridges and especially the iconic Torensluis Bridge. Learn about the rise and fall of the Dutch East India Company and Amsterdam as the centre of the Dutch Golden Age.
From there, your guide will take you to Dam Square, which, along with the River Amstel lends its name to the city! It began life as a dam of the Amstel river nearly 750 years ago. As the city grew so did the dam, until it became large enough for a town square; the dam of Amstel became Amsterdam!
Paved with the Dutch capital’s distinctive cobblestones, the square today is a great place to browse and people-watch among some of the city’s most notable attractions: Madame Tussaud’s, the 15th century Gothic Nieuwe Kerk, the Royal Palace and the swish department store De Bijenkorf are all here.
You’ll also have the chance to see the famous Bloemenmarkt, which has floated on Amsterdam’s innermost canal since 1862. Historically, barges used to sail up the Amstel from their smallholdings; today daily fresh flowers arrive by van, and fifteen florists and garden shops display their colourful wares in an array of covered stalls.
Your tour will finish with tickets to board a canal cruise, to see the city from the water, one of the most iconic things to do in Amsterdam!
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