Free walking tours in Amsterdam
"Free" means three different things for Amsterdam tours, and it is worth knowing which one you are signing up for. This page explains each, then lists the free guided tours and walks that are on this week.
Tip-based walking tours
The "free walking tour" you see advertised around the centre is free to join and paid by tips at the end. Pay what the tour was worth to you. Groups are capped, so book a place online.
Free guided tours inside institutions
These are less common here, because entry to most big museums is paid. One standing example is the complimentary tour of the former diamond factory at HOUSE of GASSAN, which is also a place to buy diamonds. Other free tours tend to be one-offs, and they appear in the listings below when they are dated.
Self-guided routes
The 17th century canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage site and costs nothing to walk. The ferries behind Centraal Station are free, so a walk can start across the IJ in Noord. I amsterdam, the city’s visitor service, publishes walking routes on its site.
Free tours and walks this week
More free things
Frequently asked questions
Are free walking tours in Amsterdam really free?
They are free to join, and the guide asks for a tip at the end. There is no fixed price, so give what the tour was worth to you.
Do museums in Amsterdam run free guided tours?
Not many that we can confirm, because entry to most big museums is paid. When an institution runs a dated free tour, it appears in the listings on this page. The free museums page lists what you can visit without paying.
What is a good free self-guided walk in Amsterdam?
Take the free F4 ferry from behind Centraal Station to NDSM, walk around the former shipyard and come back by ferry. In the centre, follow the Prinsengracht from the Brouwersgracht to the Amstel, through the canal ring.