Anne Frank Tours in Amsterdam

Not many individual stories embody the horrors of the Second World War quite as well as that of Anne Frank. Today, the house where this young woman sheltered is a museum, and the backdrop to a number of Anne Frank tours in Amsterdam.

They all aiming to keep her story alive and serve as a reminder of the atrocities humans can inflict upon each other.

An Anne Frank tour offers a respectful manner in which to explore the legacy of Amsterdam’s Jewish residents — while providing a glimpse of what life during World War II was truly like.

Here's everything Anne Frank tours, some of the most impressive sightseeing tours in Amsterdam.

What are the best Anne Frank tours in Amsterdam?

Anne Frank tours provide context to Anne’s life and struggles and is a great way to come to grips with history before visiting the Anne Frank House.

Anne Frank guided walking tour in Amsterdam

A guided Anne Frank walking tour in Amsterdam aims to retrace the young diarist’s footsteps as you try to make sense of her day-to-day life in the city.

Start out by exploring Amsterdam's historic Jewish quarter, home to landmarks like the Portuguese Synagogue and the Jewish Historical Museum. Here, your guide will tell you how Amsterdam’s Jewish community helped shape the city and what life was like under occupation.

Following this, you’ll visit the Dokwerker Statue — a monument to the labor strikes of February 1941, one of the biggest mass protests against the Nazi regime during the war. Learn how the Dutch people fought and resisted German occupation and assisted countless others like Anne.

Finally, make your way to Anne Frank’s house and listen to excerpts from her diary as she vividly paints the horror of war.

Our pick: Amsterdam Anne Frank Walking Tour in German or English

• Price: €28 per person
• Duration: 2 hours
• Language: English or German
• Includes: Walking tour of Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter

Anne Frank and WWII free walking tour in Amsterdam

Your expert guide will guide you through the historical Jewish Quarter, constantly weaving stories and tidbits of Anne’s life into the journey. Discover more about her family, their flight from Germany and their time in hiding.

Understand how the Dutch resistance enabled individuals like Anne to escape and remain hidden and gain some insight into the conditions these people lived through.

Another stop of the tour is the somber Auschwitz Monument — a stark reminder of the innocent lives lost during World War II. Finally, you’ll see the house where Anne spent her time hiding before she was caught.

Our pick: The Jewish Quarter, WWII & the Anne Frank Story

• Price: Free walking tour (tip at the end)
• Duration: 2h15
• Language: English
• Includes: Walking tour of Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter

Private Anne Frank and Amsterdam’s Jewish history tour

A private Anne Frank tour in Amsterdam benefits from a dedicated and knowledgeable guide that will make Anne Frank’s stories come alive around you.

You’ll start at the Portuguese Synagogue in the historical Jewish District, exploring the tales that this area has to offer. You’ll also enter into the Hollandse Schouwburg, or the Jewish Theater as it was formerly known.

You'll also learn exactly how ubiquitous the effects of WWII were on the city of Amsterdam and about the Dutch Resistance. You’ll end this bumper tour with a visit to the Anne Frank House.

Our pick: Anne Frank and the Jewish History of Amsterdam Private Tour

• Price: From €89 per person
• Duration: 3h30
• Language: Dutch, English or Spanish
• Includes: Private walking tour of Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter, snacks, tram ride, ticket for Anne Frank's house

COMBO: Anne Frank tour plus Amsterdam canal cruise

One of the best boat tours in Amsterdam, a canal cruise plus an Anne Frank tour is a great option if you want to explore the young writer’s world in a truly unique manner.

You’ll start this tour by boarding a canal cruise and marveling at the grandeur of Amsterdam’s golden age buildings. Here, your guide will also explain how Amsterdam's waterways were used to resist the Germans and provide safety for persons like Anne.

After an hour spent gliding down Amsterdam’s canals, you’ll head to the Jewish Quarter, where you’ll start your tour proper. The walking tour segment of your trip lasts around 2 hours and ends at the Anne Frank House.

Our pick: Anne Frank Walking Tour + Amsterdam Canal Cruise Tickets

• Price: From €45 per person
• Duration: 2h30
• Language: English, French or German
• Includes: Walking tour of Amsterdam's Jewish Quarter, 1-hour canal cruise

Which places will I visit?

The Anne Frank House

The Anne Frank House is where the young writer spent her last years writing her now famous diary. Today the house is a monument and a museum, and one of the most visited landmarks in Amsterdam.

If you want to visit the Anne Frank House, you need to go to the museum’s official website and buy your tickets a couple of days in advance – some tours might purchase your tickets for you, but need to be booked weeks in advance.

The Jewish Quarter

The Jewish Quarter in Amsterdam is an area that historically served as the center of Dutch Judaism. After the Nazi invasion, it subsequently became home to the largest Jewish Ghetto in the Netherlands.

This area is also home to iconic buildings like the Portuguese Synagogue, the Jewish Theater and the Rembrandt House Museum.

The Dutch Resistance Museum

The Dutch Resistance Museum encapsulates the subversive zeitgeist with which German occupation was met in Amsterdam. The museum strives to recreate the atmosphere felt on Amsterdam’s streets during this period.

It provides invaluable insight into how individuals like Anne Frank were hidden, moved and, in some cases, liberated.

The Amsterdam Canals

It’s entirely impossible to visit Amsterdam without crossing one of the canals — they are as part of Amsterdam as Bitterballen is part of an Amsterdam food tour.

The Amsterdam canals also provide a wonderful opportunity to explore the city from another angle — especially when it comes to taking in the impressive building built during the city’s golden age.

How much do Anne Frank tours cost?

The cost of a guided Anne Frank tour in Amsterdam is around €30 per person, but this only covers the tour and your guide. It usually does not include entrance into museums or the Anne Frank House.

The private Anne Frank and Amsterdam’s Jewish history tour costs around €90 per person, due to the sheer number of attractions visited. The cost covers snacks, a tram ride and tickets to Anne Frank's house if you book more than a month in advance.

Where do these tours start?

An Anne Frank tour in Amsterdam starts in or around the area known as the Jewish Quarter — and it typically departs from either the Jewish Historical Museum or the Portuguese Synagogue.

In some cases, tour companies will be able to arrange pickup from your hotel in central Amsterdam, but this should be confirmed when booking.

How long do they last?

A standard Anne Frank tour in Amsterdam will last approximately 2 hours, with some of the longer tours lasting anything between 3 and 4 hours.

When is the best time for an Anne Frank tour in Amsterdam?

Anne Frank tours are best in the morning — this way, you’ll encounter smaller crowds, and you might even be able to procure tickets to enter the Anne Frank House.

The best time to visit Amsterdam is during the months of April and September. During these times, you’ll encounter fewer people and the weather will still be pleasant.

Travel tips

• Wear comfortable shoes and clothes.
• Take extra snacks and drinks.
• Confirm exactly what is included in the tour.
• Behave accordingly when visiting landmarks associated with great human tragedy.