Start underground in the cellar of a historic Amsterdam canal house, where you’ll enjoy your first Dutch tasting and get introduced to the Dutch Golden Age. This is where the big story begins: Amsterdam as the commercial powerhouse that helped build the modern world. Learn how Dutch merchants founded New Amsterdam, the colony that later became New York City, and how a tiny country ended up shaping one of America’s greatest cities.

Visit the historic West India House, headquarters of the Dutch West India Company. This is the company that helped found New Amsterdam and expand Dutch influence across the Atlantic. Hear the story of Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch governor of New York, and how Dutch trade, ambition, and pragmatism helped shape early America.

Walk through the historic center and step into Begijnhof, one of Amsterdam’s oldest hidden courtyards. Here you’ll hear about the Pilgrims, who lived in the Netherlands before sailing to America, and how Dutch ideas around tolerance, trade, and religious coexistence influenced the early Atlantic world.

Stroll through Amsterdam’s iconic UNESCO canal belt while hearing the story of how this city became the financial capital of the 17th century. This is where you can introduce one of the tour’s most memorable ideas: the Dutch helped build modern capitalism. You’ll talk about: • the world’s first stock market • the rise of the Dutch East India Company • the birth of tradable shares • and Tulip Mania, often called the world’s first speculative economic bubble It’s a fascinating stop that connects Amsterdam directly to Wall Street and the financial mindset that still shapes the world today.

Along the route, your guide will connect Dutch food culture to American food history. Guests will discover how classic foods crossed the Atlantic and became part of American life: • Cookies from the Dutch koekje • Doughnuts from Dutch oliekoeken • Coleslaw from koolsla • Waffles and pancakes brought by Dutch settlers • Dutch tavern and beer culture carried into early New York This part of the tour makes the history feel personal, playful, and delicious. Duration: spread throughout the tour

Walk into the Jordaan and stop near the Anne Frank House, one of Amsterdam’s most important landmarks. Here your guide will share the story of Anne Frank, Nazi occupation, and the profound impact of World War II on the Netherlands. This is also where the story becomes two-way: after the war, America helped rebuild Europe, including the Netherlands, through postwar aid and global influence. A meaningful and reflective moment in the tour.

Stop near the famous Fault in Our Stars bench, a small but fun moment connecting Amsterdam to American storytelling and pop culture. It’s a reminder that the relationship between Amsterdam and America didn’t end in the 1600s — it continues today through books, film, tourism, and shared imagination.

Finish in the charming Noordermarkt, one of the most beloved corners of the Jordaan. Here you’ll enjoy traditional Dutch apple pie while wrapping up the story of how two nations influenced each other — through food, commerce, migration, memory, and culture. A warm and satisfying ending to a thoughtful, tasty walk through Amsterdam.