Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]The city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands is celebrating its 750th Anniversary this year and Minor Hotels have revealed a walking tour of the city. This tour allows guests at its Anantara, Tivoli, Avani and NH Collection hotels to experience the best of the city. Titled Minor Hotels Walking Tour – 750 Years of Amsterdam, the city walking tour takes them through its rich history, narrow alleys, hidden courtyards and centuries-old gable stones.
About the Minor Hotels Walking Tour – 750 Years of Amsterdam
Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]To celebrate Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, Minor Hotels has launched a city walking tour, taking visitors past the capital’s hidden gems. Moreover, it connects three of the hotel group’s historic hotels, allowing guests to discover the city’s rich history, museums, art and more.
Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]Amsterdam is renowned worldwide for its canals, the Anne Frank House, and the Rijksmuseum. However, the city’s history can also be found in the small details: in narrow alleys, on street corners, and within hidden courtyards. Guests at the Minor Hotels’ properties in the city will discover hidden gems and gain a fresh perspective on Amsterdam.
A specially designed map is offered to all suite guests free of charge at the three participating luxury properties in the city, namely Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam on Dam Square, Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel, NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace, and Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel.
NH Collection Barbizon Palace [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]Moreover, the walking tour is also available at NH Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, NH Collection Amsterdam Flower Market, and nhow Amsterdam ARI.
Meanwhile, guests at the three historic hotels in the city’s center can pick up a small local treat along the way, inspired by the city’s rich variety of flavors.
Features of the Amsterdam walking route
Tivoli Doelin Amsterdam [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]Those participating in the walking tour will visit unique features along the way, each including QR codes placed at strategic points along the way. When scanned with a Smartphone or Android, guests can listen to stories about the history and cultural significance of each historic location.
On the walk, guests stroll past notable sites, including the old Sint-Olofspoort near Barbizon Palace, the former anatomical theater near Nieuwmarkt, and the Begijnhof – one of the oldest parts of the city. Moreover, they can also discover the Bank van Lening, Amsterdam’s oldest operating bank.
About the hotels participating in Minor Hotels Walking Tour
NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace
NH Collection Barbizon Palace [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]The NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace is located in the oldest part of the city and combines several historic buildings, including the city’s oldest wooden house. Moreover, a portion of the hotel was once the Sint-Olofskapel, a 15th-century chapel, and the city’s oldest remaining religious structure.
The chapel was built beside one of Amsterdam’s original three entrance gates: the Sint-Olofspoort. This gate was primarily used by traveling merchants, including timber merchants from Scandinavia, symbolizing the strong trade connections between the Netherlands’ capital and the north.
Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel
Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]The city’s oldest hotel, Tivoli Doelen Amsterdam Hotel, stands on the site of the city’s former medieval city wall and includes a historic tower that once defended the city. The historic tower was not held by an army, but by wealthy citizens serving as part of the city militia.
In 1638, a large ballroom was added, which notably housed Rembrandt’s masterpiece, The Night Watch, for many years. Meanwhile, the hotel’s facade still reflects this history, with two militia figures carved beside the clock, keeping watch over the city just as they once did centuries ago.
Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]Nestling in Dam Square, the historic heart of the city, Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam has a rich history dating back to 1866, when Polish tailor Adolph Wilhelm Krasnapolsky opened a coffee house that would eventually grow into a grand hotel.
A unique feature of the hotel was the elegant Wintergarden – a Belle Époque indoor tropical garden with ceilings of glass and iron, an innovative design for the time. Moreover, the venue was hailed as “the miracle of the century,” thanks to the thousands of Edison light bulbs that illuminated it.
In 1924, when Amsterdam’s dance ban was lifted, Mr. Krasnapolsky secured one of just six coveted dance licenses. Due to this, the expanded Wintergarden now features a spacious dance hall and quickly became a great success and an important aspect of the city’s social life.
Guided tours at the Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel
Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam Hotel [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]In addition to the self-guided Minor Hotels Walking Tour, Avani Museum Quarter Amsterdam, which opened in 2024 as the first Avani Hotels & Resorts property in the capital, now offers guests guided cycling and walking tours. Led by a local guide, and on foot or Avani bicycles, the tour begins at the hotel in the Museum District and takes visitors through key landmarks tied to the city’s 750-year history.
NH Collection Barbizon Palace [Photo Credit: Minor Hotels]The Minor Hotels Walking Tour – 750 Years of Amsterdam is now available to suite-level guests at Minor Hotels properties across the city through October 31, 2025.