Tours & activities in Amsterdam

World War II & Jewish Quarter Tour

Explore Amsterdam's lesser known Jewish Quarter with a local guide

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Due to the unusual tourism situation currently developing, we have temporarily suspended this tour.

ABOUT THE World War II & Jewish Quarter Tour

While Amsterdam today is known as one of the most liberal cities in the world, it was an entirely different story when the city was under Nazi occupation during World War II. On this 2.5-hour tour, your expert local guide will take you through the Jewish Quarter and past some of the major sites of Amsterdam’s dark Nazi occupation history.

 

Your World War II and Jewish Quarter Tour starts at Rembrandt Square, next to the sculptures of the Night Watch, and finishes at Dam Square.

 

The Nazis’ arrival in Amsterdam

On this walking tour, you’ll hear about Amsterdam before the Nazis arrived. Your expert local guide will tell you about the Dutch reaction when the Nazis came to power in 1933, the bombing of Rotterdam and eventual march into Amsterdam in 1940. Learn how the Queen took charge of the Dutch government in exile and stayed in contact with her people through illegal late-night radio broadcasts.

Amsterdam resistance

On the Amsterdam WWII and Jewish Quarter Tour, you will also hear the stories of those Amsterdam residents who strongly resisted the Nazis. Discover Hannie Schaft, also known as “the girl with the red hair”, who sabotaged, and even assassinated Nazi soldiers; learn about the February Strike, when Amsterdam’s workers protested in defense of the Dutch Jews; and find out why the Amsterdam Zoo is known as a key site in the Dutch resistance.

The Jewish community under Nazi occupation

Anne Frank’s story in Amsterdam is well-known worldwide, but sadly is not unique. Your expert guide will take you to the Hollandsche Schouwburg, a deportation center from where Amsterdam’s Jewish population were sent to concentration camps, and to the memorial for victims of one of the most infamous camps, Auschwitz. You’ll also visit Amsterdam’s Jewish WWII memorial, and the Shadow Wall, where the names of over 200 of Amsterdam’s murdered Jewish residents are displayed across from their former homes.

 

Please note that the Anne Frank House is included on our Amsterdam FREE Tour, and is not included on the WWII and Jewish Quarter Tour.

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TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
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The World War II and Jewish Quarter Tour starts at Rembrandt Square, next to the sculptures of the Night Watch

  • Learn about the persecution of Amsterdam’s Jewish residents under the Nazis
  • Discover the Dutch resistance and the attempts to protect Jewish citizens
  • Visit some of Amsterdam’s most powerful memorials, including: the Auschwitz Memorial, the Monument to Jewish Resistance, the Jewish WWII Memorial, the Shadow Wall
  • Hear about the Hunger Winter, also known as the Dutch Famine over 1944-45
  • See the outline of where the Jewish boy’s orphanage once stood before the boys were sent to their deaths
  • Visit the Hollandsche Schouwburg deportation center, with the eternal flame and wall of names

TOUR SCHEDULES

Today

This tour doesn‘t run today

Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
  • Expert English-speaking local guide
Additional Information
  • Participants on all tours and activities (no matter which provider) in Amsterdam are subject to a €1.50 "entertainment tax". This additional cost is already included in the price of your tour. Please note that this tax is not retained by SANDEMANs, nor by the freelance guides leading your tour, but is a compulsory, additional tax that is passed on directly to the Amsterdam municipality. Thank you for your understanding
  • Our business is connecting great guides and smart travelers, and we're proud that so many local guides employ us to welcome travelers like you on their journey through some of the world's best cities. No two tours are alike, and the sites, stories, and length of the tour will vary depending on what your freelance guide decides is best. That's why the tours we promote never get stale or feel scripted, and why both independent guides and savvy travelers prefer SANDEMANs
  • Wheelchair accessible
MAP
The World War II and Jewish Quarter Tour starts at Rembrandt Square Open in Google Maps
Tour start Tour starts here
End start Tour usually ends here

What is a Select Tour?

 

Select Tours focus on a particular area or district of a city, a certain aspect of its history or culture, or take you outside the city on a day trip. Select Tours are perfect for those who have enjoyed an introduction to the city and wish to delve deeper into the stories the city has to offer. These tours often venture further afield and make use of local public transport.

As with the Free Tour, Select Tours are provided by local freelance guides in partnership with SANDEMANs NEW Europe, who bring their personal flair and expert knowledge to these specifically themed tours. Select tours have a fixed ticket price - we recommend purchasing your ticket in advance, either during a Free Tour or online.

Delve deeper with themed select tours

  • Expert local guides
  • Theme specific tours
  • Location specific tours
  • Full-day and half-day tours on offer
  • Affordable prices

WALKING TOURS & ACTIVITIES IN AMSTERDAM

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Participation in tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe is strictly on a voluntary basis. Neither SANDEMANs NEW Europe, nor the self-employed freelance guides who are the providers of the tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe, will be held responsible in any way for injuries to body or property incurred during tours. The tour guides reserve the right to deny participation in any tour, to any person, for any reason. Thank you for your understanding.

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