Anne Frank in Amsterdam

Laura Maria is an exceptional guide-deeply knowledgable, thoughtful and completely engaging. Her understanding of Amsterdam’s WWll history is outstanding, but what truly set her apart is the way she weaves personal stories into the larger historical context. The tour was far more than just a history walk. It was a moving and meaningful experience that we will carry with us. Cannot recommend Laura Maria highly enough. Chris and Dave

We spent a morning with Kawika on a World War II walking tour of Amsterdam, and it ended up being so much more than just a history lesson. While he covered the WWII material thoroughly and thoughtfully, he also wove in broader context about the city and the people. Kawika made an effort to get to know our family—what we’d seen so far, what we were curious about and shaped the experience to fit us perfectly. Rather than delivering a scripted tour, he made it conversational, responding to our questions and observations as we went. It felt organic, not rehearsed. He’s warm, personable, and so knowledgeable, never overwhelming. We truly enjoyed spending the morning with him. Time flew by, and both of our teenagers wished the tour had lasted longer… which says everything. We’d recommend him without hesitation.

Laura Marie took my husband and me on a tour of Amsterdam focusing on the experience of the people of Amsterdam, particularly the Jewish people, in WW2. She was so knowledgeable and had so much information to share. She generously shared some of her family’s experience during the war which gave her a unique perspective. Although it is never upbeat to discuss war and Laura Maria shared stories of resistance and bravery as well as the horrors of the Holocaust and its aftermath. The visit to Holocaust Memorial/former theater turned deportation center for Jews was particularly informative. The actual film and recorded first hand accounts of people who were there and survived was fascinating. I had so many questions- Laura Maria answered them all in a way that was comprehensive and easy to understand. She was so warm and engaging. I highly recommend touring with her.

Marten immediately made my granddaughter and I feel comfortable. He was warm and engaging to both of us . His knowledge, expertise and experience makes him a top notch tour guide. His skill at making history and art so interesting to not only me, but also my 16 year old granddaughter, was so appreciated. We were lucky enough to have booked two separate tours with him . The first one was the Jewish history tour, which was very moving, and so worthwhile before we went to the Anne Frank House . It gave us a better understanding of Jewish life in Amsterdam before and after the holocaust. The other tour we took with Marten was of the Van Gogh Museum and Van Gogh himself. His story telling skills made learning about Van Gogh so very intriguing. His ability to draw attention to relevant things that one could easily overlook was so appreciated. Walking and talking while interweaving philosophical viewpoints made it even more thought provoking. It was very special to learn from this wonderful guide. We actually bumped into Marten the day after our tour and we were all so excited to see each other.