The Jordaan area and glorious Canal Belt Tour

Nice to meet you! My name is Monique, which is a French name, but my roots are very much in the Netherlands. My grandfather came from a family of famous tulip traders and there’s even a bulb named after the family. I’ve always lived close to Amsterdam and fell in love with the city as a child. I moved here 25 years ago, and it’s still my favorite place in the world. What I love about guiding is that I get to open up Amsterdam for you. Because behind the beautiful canals, crooked houses and famous paintings are incredible stories. Those are the things that make a city come alive. I’m a journalist and creative writer by background, so curiosity and storytelling come naturally to me. Give me a Rembrandt, an old canal house, a hidden courtyard or a wonderfully strange piece of Amsterdam history and I’m happy. I love finding the details and stories that make you suddenly look at something with completely different eyes. The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum are two places I especially love to guide. There is so much more to these paintings than what you see at first glance. The people, the emotions, the ambitions, the drama, the time they lived in. I love bringing that world closer and making art exciting, whether you know a lot about it or nothing at all. I also have a special interest in Amsterdam’s Jewish history, including WWII and Anne Frank. I find it especially meaningful to share this important part of Amsterdam’s story with my guests. But Amsterdam is also a city to enjoy! We can wander through beautiful neighborhoods, find hidden places, talk about Dutch life, stop for something delicious, dive into history or art or mix it all together. I’ve been guiding private tours for more than 10 years, and what I still enjoy most is the people I meet. Every guest brings different interests, questions and energy, and that’s what makes every tour different. So tell me what excites you about coming to Amsterdam. I’ll take it from there. Credentials: *Experienced tour guide (11 years) * A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism * A registration at the Chamber of Commerce * License to guide in Amsterdam *Official guide in the Rijksmuseum *Official guide in the Van Gogh Museum