Knowing where to direct your steps in Amsterdam is far more complicated than just keeping an eye out for the constant onslaught of bikes: between the major museum renovations, the cutting-edge architectural innovation, and the chameleonic food scene, the city is enjoying a renaissance akin to its Golden Age glory days. While there are brilliant specialist operators running tours of the highlights—whether of food, art, or local photo opportunities—others, lingering longer in the memory, focus on the shadowy flipside to that 17th-century luminosity, from Amsterdam’s colonial past to its misprized sex industry.
We’ve rounded up our favorites—be it an Amsterdam canal cruise, Amsterdam bike tour, Amsterdam walking tour, or one of the many highlighting the city’s cultural offerings—including one standout through the Red Light District, to lead you in the right direction. No matter which one you choose, one thing remains: take to two wheels or the water if you really want to go Dutch. Read more…