podtour
From the Dam to the Begijnhof
A dam gave Amsterdam its name. Walk from Dam Square to the Begijnhof through changes of rulers, faith and everyday life.
The Red-Light District and the Old Harbour: audio walk in Amsterdam
From the harbour to the red-light district, without looking in any windows: the station built on islands, the weepers' tower and the Hudson plaque that gets it wrong, Chet Baker, the Zeedijk of the heroin years, the law that banned brothels and the statue that asks for respect, the Oude Kerk and its sixty thousand dead, the grave Rembrandt sold, Jacob, born enslaved, a church hidden in an attic, Bet van Beeren's café and the Waag, where the bodies of executed criminals were dissected.
What this walk is about
The station stands on artificial islands and, according to a chronicler writing around 1903, blocked the view of the harbour. By the water, a tower from the old city wall carries a legend of weeping women, already put into verse in 1671, and a plaque about Henry Hudson that gets its date wrong. Along the Zeedijk you reach Chet Baker's plaque and the street that in the eighties was the most feared in Amsterdam. Beside the Oude Kerk, the history of sex work told through laws and names, not windows. The Oude Kerk, the sailors' church, holds some sixty thousand people beneath its floor: Saskia, whose grave Rembrandt sold, and Jacob Matroos, born enslaved in Suriname. A Catholic church hidden in an attic, the café where Bet van Beeren let gay men and lesbians be themselves from 1927 and, at the end, the Waag: city gate, weigh house and anatomy theatre where executed criminals were dissected, on the square that rose up against the metro in 1975.
- Start
- Islands for a Train
- Finish
- The Square That Fought the Metro
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about the red-light district, with its history and mystery and the dark side. Written for adults and teenagers.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
Islands for a Train
- 2
The Weeping Tower: A Legend from 1671
- 3
Hudson and the Plaque That Gets It Wrong
- 4
Chet Baker's Last Note
- 5
The Zeedijk in the Heroin Years
- 6
A Port, a Law and a Statue
- 7
Sixty Thousand Beneath Your Feet
- 8
The Grave Rembrandt Had to Sell
- 9
Jacob: Born Enslaved, Buried Among Regents
- 10
A Church Hidden in the Attic
- 11
Bet, Queen of the Zeedijk
- 12
The Gate That Became a Weigh House and Aris Kindt's Coat
- 13
The Square That Fought the Metro
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Amsterdam, before you go
Canals, bridges and narrow façades invite aimless walks. Enjoy them attentively: between the water, trams and bicycles, the best place to look is a clear patch of pavement.
More walks nearby
From the Old Harbour to the East India Company
From the harbour to the boardroom, follow the trade that transformed Amsterdam. Along the way, meet sailors, refugees and neighbours who fought for their street.
The Jewish Quarter: Sephardim, Spinoza and Resistance
Walk the old Jewish quarter through the lives of its neighbours and those who never returned. Rembrandt, Spinoza and the workers of 1941 share these streets.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.