
Top 5 Photography Ideas For Amsterdam
In this blog Historical Amsterdam Tours has curated some of the most iconic spots, as well as several snappy ideas to capture this vibrant old city.
We start in front of the Rembrandt House Museum on Jodenbreestraat 4
We end at the Dam.
3 hours | -/+ 3 km (1.4 ml)
Visit to the Rembrandt House Museum (and Etching workshop), Rembrandt square, Original locations of Rembrandt paintings, The Anatomic Theatre, Royal Palace
See booking
We start in front of the Rembrandt House Museum on Jodenbreestraat 4.
We end at the Dam
3 hours | -/+ 3 km (1.4 ml)
Visit to the Rembrandt House Museum, Rembrandt square, Original locations of his paintings, The Anatomic Theatre, Royal Palace
See Booking page
Experience the 17th-century “Dutch Golden Age” through the eyes of its most famous resident, Rembrandt van Rijn. Led by professional art historians, this tour goes beyond the museum walls to explore the real-life locations where the Dutch Master lived, worked, and created his masterpieces.
Discover the architectural landscape of the 1600s that still stands today. Our journey connects Rembrandt’s life with his contemporaries and the intellectual heart of the era:
The Inner Circle: See where friends and famous contemporaries like Jan Six and the philosopher Spinoza lived.
A City in Flux: Learn how Amsterdam’s rapid expansion during the Golden Age provided the backdrop for Rembrandt’s career.
Rembrandt’s life was a dramatic arc of immense wealth and sudden bankruptcy. We visit the poignant sites that shaped his personal world:
Romance & Loss: Stand where he announced his marriage to Saskia van Uylenburg and visit the burial grounds of three of his children.
Financial Ruin: Visit the locations tied to his 1656 bankruptcy and the later years of his life.
First Commissions: See the site where he painted his first major group portrait.
Equipped with high-quality reproductions, your guide will perform an “on-site reconstruction” of Rembrandt’s most iconic works. We visit the original intended locations for:
The Night Watch (Militia Company of District II)
The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp
The Syndics of the Drapers’ Guild
Maarten & Oopjen
What was Rembrandt really like? We explore the complex personality that both fueled his creativity and alienated his patrons.
The Rebel Artist: Learn about his tumultuous relationships with Amsterdam’s authorities and the women in his life (Saskia, Geertje, and Hendrickje).
Posthumous Fame: Discover how Rembrandt’s reputation evolved. Was he always a “Great Master”?
Rembrandt Square (Rembrandtplein): Uncover the history of the iconic statue and whether the artist ever actually set foot in the square that now bears his name.
Academic Insight: Skip the tourist traps with a private guide who specializes in 17th-century Dutch art.
Historical Context: Understand not just what he painted, but why it mattered in the socio-political climate of the Golden Age.
Tailored Experience: A private walk allows for deep-dive discussions into Rembrandt’s unique use of chiaroscuro and impasto techniques.
This was an amazing walking tour of Rembrandt’s steps, where he lived, about his work, the good and bad, etc. It was extremely informative and our guide was Tijs who... read more did an outstanding job. He was funny, and professional, and it was obvious he is passionate about history. Definitely worth doing!
WW2 history isn’t new to me - I’m of the age that I have had the privilege to have met veterans, victims and witnesses of this horrible era in world... read more events. However, I am relatively new to life here in the Netherlands and wanted to learn of their time in this period and must say this tour by Tijs was excellent in every way.
His attitude to the events that took place in Amsterdam was respectful, clear, concise and truthful - the latter part painfully so. I wont spoil his details but we ended the tour in a very solemn place which totally tied all of his previous comments and explanations to the grim reality. So glad to have taken this tour.
Gerben Post is an outstanding and knowledgeable tour guide. He provided a moving experience about a topic that is difficult and painful. His ability to provide important and... read more meaningful stories about people made the walk come alive. His sensitivity and ability to describe the impact...More

In this blog Historical Amsterdam Tours has curated some of the most iconic spots, as well as several snappy ideas to capture this vibrant old city.