Amsterdam Travel Forum

Hello, me again. Assuming that we are able to find our way from Hoek van Holland via rail, I will be arriving NEXT SUNDAY morning - (whoo hoo!) in Amsterdam. I have found infomation about a free walking tour by http://www.newamsterdamtours.com . Is this a gimmick or a church group? I don't mean to sound cynical, but it seems pretty awesome that you would get 3 hours of someone guiding you around the sights for nothing. (Tips, maybe?)

If anyone has any information about this or suggestions for other tours, I would be grateful. We will only be in Amsterdam for about 36 hours and in the words of Aerosmith, "I don't want to miss a thing."

Cheers,

Julia
Woodinville, WA, USA

Hi - wow! This sounds like a great! Of course, it's not totally free - tips seem expected, which is how the guides make their money. If you do try it out, please report back and let us know since they're offering these tours in several cities. If you don't try it out or would like another suggestion, I can recommend Randy Roy's Red Light Tour. Guided by Kimberly, it's a funny and informative tour of the RLD. (www.randyroysredlighttours.com/)

Happy Travels!

free-tour-mark

Don't know anything about the free tours, but I can very strongly recommend the
"Mee in Mokum" small group walking tours.

This is a group of senior citizens that know Amsterdam very well and are happy to share it with you. Very small groups only. I lucked out and was alone - a private tour for Euro 4 !!

All tours begin at 1100 hours.

The tour was originally supposed to be 2 1/2 hours but became extended...we took a coffee break, started to talk and altogether spent almost 4 hours chatting, walking and visiting the inner city.

The site is in Dutch only, but if you write to them in English they will answer in the same language.

Phone: [020] 625 44 50
Address: Meet at Amsterdam Historical Museum
Directions: In the museum's cafe/restaurant: Kalverstaat 92
Trams 1 or 2 or 5
Short walk from Dam Square to other entrance to the museum; Spui
Website: http://www.gildeamsterdam.nl/mee.htm
Email: info@gildeamsterdam.nl

Have fun!

I don't know this Amsterdam Tour but I do not think there is any reason to believe it is anything othere than what it says and you have nothing to worry about. Similar free tours were offered in Gent in Belgium when I was there last November. And an aunt of mine was an official guide for free tours in Bath, England until she retired 10 or more years ago. She used to hate being offerd tips and always refused. She said she did it to share her love for her home city with visitors.

I haven't heard of this guide offer before, but it looks genuine. Last month I encountered many groups are noon in the RLD area, so it could easily have been a NewAmsterdam tour. Please report back if you join a 3 hour walk with them (I normally do a 4 hour walk if I guide visitors).

Enjoy,

PJ

yes, you are a savvy suspicious American, just like me! I just came back from Amsterdam last Tuesday, and my wife and I just walked around on our own. As far as a free tour goes, they may solicit tips, of course, and they may also steer you to restaurants or bars that they or their friends own. That may be the "price" you pay. And keep your money and passport in your front pocket!

I recalled seeing tips about this tour some time ago:

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/184669/
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/1b0e0b/

It seems to be the real deal and worth it!

Cheers
Dennis

BTW, for finding your way around with the trains, see www.ns.nl

For all public transport, see this tip http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/tp/1aa687/

Good luck
Dennis

It's perfectly OK to walk around on your own - especially if you know the local language, have a good guide book and/or have picked up from the Tourist Office maps and walking tours in a language you can read and understand.

But if your "listening" capabilities are less advanced - as mine now are in French, Spanish and German, (or even these days in my native English sometimes ) to have a guided tour in a language you understand fully is a great bonus.
To get the most from your travels may sometimes mean stumping up for the benefit!

You'll probably have read Pijlman's earlier reply about public transportation.
Hoek van Holland has 2 stations: Strand (beach) and Haven (harbour).
Hoek van Holland Harbour-Amsterdam is an easy train ride:
you take the train from HvH Harbour, change trains at Schiedam Centrum (26 minutes) and then on a direct train to Amsterdam Central station.
The total travel time is 1 hour 45 minutes.
A single trip is 15.70 euro.
On Sunday, trains leave every half hour: at 7 minutes past the whole and the half hour.

Have fun!

In response to my own question, the Sandeman Free New Amsterdam tour is a GREAT DEAL! I just got back from my trip and I have to say the walking tour with Kevin (tall red-haired kid) was a highlight. I feel like I learned so much in that 3 hours - history, culture, sights that I never would have discovered on my own in that short time. (Even though I research every city to the nth degree.) We tipped Kevin 6 euros but I wished we had more (smaller) currency to bump it up.

I recommend this tour.

Julia

From their site: We walk in all weather and never cancel. There is no need to pre-book; simply meet us at our tour's PICK-UP point near Centraal Station right outside the Tourist Information Office at 11am AND 1pm EVERY DAY, or join us at our start point next to the national monument in dam square at 11:15am and 1:15pm every day! (Julia's note - you can't miss them at The Dam in red shirts and people hanging out with them.)

Thanks for your feedback.

I assume you will write an Amsterdam tip on the subject.

I already included the link at my guided tour tip (at the end of all my transportation tips).

PJ

It's great to read feedback on something after someone has returned. Thanks heaps for posting :-))

Thanks for letting us know. Really nice when someone comes back and tells how it was!

Excellent info, Julia. Thanks!