Amsterdam: WWII & Anne Frank Free Walking Tour

The brass plaques on Amsterdam's pavements tell stories the city almost lost

You walk through Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter for roughly two hours, stopping at ten key sites including the National Holocaust Monument, the Resistance archive, Anne Frank's street, and Europe's largest synagogue. The guide covers the rise of Hitler, the occupation, the deportations, and the Dutch Resistance: all grounded in the specific streets and buildings where these events unfolded. You pay what you think it's worth at the end, and you leave knowing the neighborhood differently than when you arrived.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Amsterdam WWII and Anne Frank sites

• Begin at National Holocaust Monument
• Visit Jewish Quarter memorial for deaf victims
• Learn about Hitler's early years in secret park
• Hear story of tram in Jodenbuurt
• Stop at old archive to discuss Resistance
• Discover part of the Memory Plates artwork
• Listen to Anne Frank's story on beautiful street
• Reflect at monument about extermination field
• Discuss unique event at Europe's important synagogue
• Conclude with last phases of the war

The experience

You'll hear them before you see them: the sound of footsteps on wet cobblestones in the Jodenbuurt, Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter, where the tour starts at the National Holocaust Monument. That's where the guide begins, not with grand history but with the specific: how a neighborhood that was home to thousands became a place of absence. The walk moves through streets that look ordinary now, but the guide stops you in front of ordinary buildings and tells you what happened inside them, what families lived there, what choices people made when the world shifted.

The tour threads through the quarter's hidden parks and past the memorial to deaf Jewish victims: a detail most visitors never find on their own. You'll stand in front of the old archive building where the Dutch Resistance worked, then move to the Memory Plates, brass markers set into the pavement outside homes where people were deported. Each one is a name, a date, a life reduced to a rectangle of metal. On one of Amsterdam's most beautiful streets, the guide talks about Anne Frank's diary and the house where she hid, the story that made the war personal for millions of people who never lived through it. The walk doesn't shy away from the worst parts (the extermination camps, the scale of the loss), but it also tells you about the synagogue nearby, about a moment unique to Amsterdam during the entire conflict, about how some people chose to resist.

This is a free tour, which means there's no entry fee and no booking required. You just show up. The guide is paid by tips, and the pace is walking speed through a real neighborhood, not a museum. It takes about two hours, and you're moving the whole time, so wear shoes that don't hurt. The tour is wheelchair accessible, and the streets are flat enough that strollers work fine too. If you're coming to Amsterdam and want to understand what the city lost and how it survived, this walk does that without turning it into a performance.

What’s included

• Your tour includes a professional guide who leads you through ten stops across Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter and WWII sites, starting at the National Holocaust Monument and ending with the final phases of the war.
• You'll visit the memorial to deaf Jewish victims, walk past the old Resistance archive, see the Memory Plates embedded in the pavement, stand on Anne Frank's street, and stop at Europe's largest synagogue.
• The tour is wheelchair accessible throughout, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.
• You pay the guide a tip at the end.
• There's no upfront booking fee.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SundayDeparts at 16:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (1 to 17 years)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by SideWalks

Is this one for you?Right for anyone who wants to understand what Amsterdam lost during the war and how the city's Jewish community lived before it. The free format means you can decide what the experience was worth to you, and the walking pace lets you absorb each stop instead of rushing through a museum.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (1 to 17 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Is there an entry fee for this tour?

No. It's a free walking tour. You pay the guide a tip at the end based on what you thought of the experience.

How long does the tour take?

About two hours, walking at a steady pace through the Jodenbuurt.

Do I need to book in advance?

No booking is required. You show up at the starting point, the National Holocaust Monument, and join the group.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and the streets are flat.

What language is the tour in?

The tour is offered in Spanish, though it operates in Amsterdam and covers sites relevant to all visitors.

Where does the tour start?

At the National Holocaust Monument in Amsterdam's city center.

Are service animals allowed?

Yes, service animals are welcome on the tour.

What should I wear?

Comfortable walking shoes. The tour covers about two hours on city streets, and Amsterdam can be wet, so waterproof shoes are a good idea.