Historic Hoorn, the Netherlands

Hoorn is a historic port city located on the Markermeer, and a very important city in the Dutch Golden Age (1602 - 1702). Many traces of this past can be admired in the historic centre of Hoorn. The city has 368 national monuments and has just over 74,000 inhabitants.

At about 30 minutes from Amsterdam, Hoorn is well worth a visit for a day to wander through the charming streets and alleys. The picturesque harbour area and the main square are a 'must see'. For all practical information about a private guided tour or city walk Hoorn, the Netherlands click here!

Private Guided Tours

If you really want to get to know Hoorn, book a tour! Ideal for families, couples or larger groups. Guided tours are always tailor-made and usually last 1.5 to 2 hours.

For foreign guests I always make a tour tailored to your needs. Guided tours can be extended to a full day. The costs depend on the duration of the tour, the size of the group, the mode of transport, etc. Please contact me for a quote.

Tours can only be booked for private groups or parties. There are no standard tours to join.

Contact

Popular private guided tours Hoorn


Highlight tour Hoorn

Highlight Tour Hoorn - Local Guide Hoorn

During the Highlight tour I will take you along the Highlights of the city such as: the Main Tower, the Statenlogement, the Roode Steen, De Oude Waegh, the Bossu Houses and much more. We will visit the most important ...more info

Dutch golden age tour

Dutch Golden Age tour Hoorn - Local Guide Hoorn

The Dutch Golden Age tour takes us past the beautiful monuments of this time (1602 – 1702). Many stories from the VOC era and the 80 year war are told. During this walk it becomes clear that Hoorn soon benefited from ...more info

Meet the local tour

Meet the local tour - local guide hoorn

Foreign guests appreciate the special ‘Meet The Local Tour’. A combination of the beautiful places in Hoorn, some history, a visit to an ordinary Dutch house and details about Dutch daily life. This tour will suprise you ...more info


Harbour tour Hoorn

Harbour Tour Hoorn - Private guided tour Hoorn

During the Harbour Walk in Hoorn we pass five different harbours of Hoorn. We see some of the most important monuments of the city. During the walk you will discover that the current structure of the harbours originated from the beginning of the 17th century. ....more info

Bike tour Hoorn

Bike tour Hoorn - Local Guide Hoorn

Especially for foreign guests I developed some great bike tours. The bike tours takes us through Hoorn and a few beautiful villages in the immediate vicinity. We pass a classic Dutch windmill, a historic Dutch dike and in spring we pass extensive tulip fields. ....more info

Amsterdam countryside

Amsterdam - Countryside tour

The largest monument from the Dutch Golden Age is located between Hoorn and Amsterdam. This fascinating polder landscape (Unesco World Heritage) with its many dikes, windmills and historic villages got its current appearance in the 17th century ....more info


Book now!

Family friendly tour with treasure hunt

The family friendly tour Hoorn is fun for children and parents. This tour takes us past the most important monuments and a whole collection of beautiful unicorns. While the children go in search of unicorns, I tell the stories about the city.
Click for more information!


Rated with five stars

Janny Mos-SpaansJanny Mos-Spaans
08:48 15 Oct 24
Last weekend we went out with 17 women in Hoorn. We took a very nice city walk with Aletta. What knowledge, humor, clearly understandable story! It was great and we highly recommend this guide!
marian Groenlandmarian Groenland
19:56 22 Sep 24
This morning we took a beautiful walk through Hoorn, led by Alette. A lot was told about Hoorn's rich historical past. This was a fascinating story. Alette can tell it visually and clearly. Nice voice to listen to and up for a joke. Alette is definitely recommended if you are looking for a guide
Margreet Ros HooglandMargreet Ros Hoogland
19:44 18 Sep 24
We enjoyed our walk through Hoorn with Alette this afternoon!Highly recommended, even if you are already familiar with Hoorn. A pleasant waterfall of special stories and facts about the history, people and buildings in Hoorn. Great fun. Thank you Alette ?
Jerry WitteveenJerry Witteveen
16:24 27 Jul 24
Alette, the Localguide of Hoorn, gives great tours of the city. She talks so fascinatingly and with so much knowledge that it feels like you are going back in time. Alette shares interesting stories and facts about the history of Hoorn, and her enthusiasm is contagious. She makes everyone feel welcome and takes the time to answer questions. A tour with Alette is highly recommended for anyone who wants to know more about Hoorn.
Nicole StammesNicole Stammes
07:07 10 Jun 24
Yesterday Alette took us to the Golden Age of Hoorn. She listens carefully to your wishes and her enthusiasm and knowledge keeps everyone focused. Even if you think you already know the city quite well! Thanks Alette!
kim Somerskim Somers
16:26 31 May 24
We saw Alette on the internet once we had booked our trip to Hoorn. Nothing is more fun than learning a lot about the place where you are staying. Well, we did it!Alette showed us and let us experience a historical side of the city. She told a lot, informatively and everything in a logical context. The city is beautiful and definitely recommended to visit! And when you are there anyway? Ask Alette if she has time for a tour! You really won't regret it!! Thank you!
Samira AatiSamira Aati
21:54 11 May 24
Today we received a great tour of Hoorn from Alette. A big 10. Sparkling, adaptive, educational and at the same time light and very natural. Heard, learned and enjoyed a lot. Downright SUPER. Thanks Alette
Vincenzo LeggieriVincenzo Leggieri
15:51 28 Apr 24
It was very nice to walk along the city or the harbor. The bars were rather small so you couldn't go in with a dog because of the narrow space. You couldn't sit outside that day because it was too cold and overcast and it had rained beforehand. Otherwise the city is very beautiful.
Kurt StrauseKurt Strause
15:07 13 Apr 24
We spent a wonderful afternoon getting to know this delightful small Dutch city led by such a friendly, informative, and vivacious guide, Alette Dirkse. She loves her home and it comes through in her enthusiasm and energy. Hoorn would be interesting in it's own right, but Alette made it come alive. We're so glad we booked her Meet a Local Tour.
Sabine P.Sabine P.
18:31 24 Feb 24
Fantastically beautiful old town...great houses from the 1600s...
Leonie VosLeonie Vos
15:28 23 Jan 24
Alette told us so much about the history of Hoorn, we had no idea. Received a lot of nice and interesting information. Now we will never miss a unicorn again. We also received some nice tips from Alette. Alette is a particularly good guide. It was a very warm and pleasant walk. Alette is a very nice person! Recommended!
Ilse Bos-SchruijerIlse Bos-Schruijer
12:12 05 Dec 23
Beautiful city and a very enthusiastic guide who had a lot of knowledge about the history and could tell stories in a fascinating way!
HannahHannah
06:11 14 Nov 23
Just a very nice, good tour with an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide. Doing!
Sophie SandersSophie Sanders
12:51 08 Oct 23
Super fun and informative city walk with Alette through Hoorn, highly recommended!
Tom GibbleTom Gibble
06:50 03 Sep 23
We are so happy that we found Alette, with whom we booked a 2-hour private tour of Hoorn, focusing on the Dutch Golden Age. She arrived on time, she was extremely knowledgable, and her English is excellent. She was delightful. I highly recommend Alette when you come to Hoorn, as she is the best.
Roxanne VijzelmanRoxanne Vijzelman
17:50 30 Jul 23
Fantastic fun tour with Alette. It's special to be able to discover so much new stuff, even from your own city. Highly recommended for residents of Hoorn and visitors to the city.
Frank EwalsFrank Ewals
20:54 09 Jul 23
Had a very nice and very informative tour from Alette. She gives you the space to express your own wishes. She also takes the time to delve deeper into a subject if desired. And besides, she is very sociable! Definitely recommended!
Seth MendelsohnSeth Mendelsohn
22:22 02 Jul 23
My family recently did the "Meet the local" tour with Local Guide Hoorn and it was terrific. Alette is such a great tour guide and an amazing person. You can really tell she enjoys what she does and wants to make the tour a memorable experience.While in Europe we did a lot of tours an this was one of my favorites. It was so much fun and really interesting. Even my kids, whom were getting bored of going on tours really enjoyed it.If you're going to be in Hoorn and want to go on a tour, you can't go wrong with a tour from Local Guide Hoorn. I really can't recommend it enough!
Hans KosHans Kos
07:39 19 Jun 23
I highly recommend city guide Alette for a tour in Hoorn. Her enthusiasm, knowledge and attention to detail will ensure that you have an unforgettable time and get a great picture of this beautiful city. Thank you, Alette, for a great experience!
Bjorn ScholtenBjorn Scholten
14:53 17 Jun 23
Aletta, our guide, was wonderfully enthusiastic and, in my opinion, adapts very well to the group she is traveling with.We, a group of 40+, 50+ and retirees, had the attention span of an adolescent. But nevertheless, Aletta continued to motivate with great enthusiasm until the end of the very fun and educational trip!!!
Wendy FoglemanWendy Fogleman
16:35 17 Sep 22
We joined Alette for a very comfortable and informative walk and conversation about Hoorn, The Netherlands, and today's culture and people. She invited us in her home for coffee and treats as we talked of cooking, sports, pets, and everyday life. It was exactly what we wanted! We saw unique buildings, cheese stores, and even had typical weather!We would recommend her personalized tour as she customizes to your interest and is very personable.
FloorFloor
15:14 08 Aug 21
The tour Alette gave was very insightful and fun to listen to. Through stories and anecdotes she told us vivid stories about the special places and history of Hoorn (and the Netherlands). As new citizens of the area it gave us extra motivation to feel like actual Hoornaren and portray the proudness every Horinees must have felt his or her whole life. Take the tour and enjoy!
Katinka BrysonKatinka Bryson
10:28 06 Aug 21
We were fortunate enough to stumble into Alette's website while we were planning our visit to Hoorn. From the first contact, Alette was responsive and helpful. She met us at the Roode Steen as planned and provided us with an incredible, informative walking tour through the beautiful and historic city. Even the two of us who live in The Netherlands learned a lot from Alette! Alette has a strong command of the English language, which also was very helpful. I have experienced many tours from local guides all over the world, and I would say that Alette was as good as the best of them!
Reeni UrsemReeni Ursem
10:53 06 Jun 20
Had a fantastic walk around my new hometown Hoorn with Local Guide Hoorn. Very informative and learned a lot even though I live in the area. Alette had lots of great tips and recommendations to explore further. I will book another walk in the future for sure!
Mathew GutierrezMathew Gutierrez
00:17 06 Jul 19
Alette is the best tour guide you can pick! She is very knowledgeable of Hoorn and Netherlands history. Never a dull moment in the tour. Definitely recommend 10 out of 10!
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Sights to see in Hoorn

Maria Tower

B&B Maria Toren

This tower was built in 1508 as a defensive tower and gunpowder storage. The tower still stands proudly on the old city wall. In its long history the tower has had many different functions. She has served as an ice cellar, studio and since 2015 it is transformed into a bed & breakfast.

Oostereiland

The Oostereiland is one of my favorite sights in Hoorn. When I take a walk around the city myself, I almost always walk around the Oostereiland. The light, the sky, the wind, the sturdy buildings and the view make this place more than worthwhile in both good and bad weather!

Statencollege

Westfries Museum

The Statencollege is a 17th-century building which was used by the government of the area above Amsterdam. Before 1631 this was the site of the house of the provost, the local representative of the bishop of Utrecht, one of the first stone houses in Hoorn.

More to see



Information about Hoorn, the Netherlands

Where to stay

Where to stay Hoorn | Local Guide Hoorn

Where to stay in Hoorn? Many guests from abroad ask me for advice on the best places to spend the night. I have listed a number of special places and real recommendations: my personal top 5 'where to stay in Hoorn' ....read more

Where to eat

Where to eat in Hoorn | Local Guide Hoorn

Where to eat in Hoorn is quite a tricky question. There is more than enough choice for a drink, lunch and dinner. Which restaurant will suit you best depends on your personal preferences. To help you around I have made a list ....read more

What to do

Stoomtram Hoorn | Local Guide Hoorn

Hoorn is a versatile historical city where you can do many different things. In addition to a guided tour, there are various activities that you can do on your own. I have made an overview of things you should definitely consider ....read more

More info



Close to Hoorn

Hoorn has excellent direct train connections with Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam and a number of beautiful historic cities. With Hoorn as your base in the Netherlands, you have all the advantages of metropolis Amsterdam, but you also enjoy the relative peace, friendliness and affordable prices of a provincial city.

Schiphol - Hoorn: 45 min.

Schiphol airport | Local Guide Hoorn

If you are traveling from Schiphol Airport it is best to take the train to Hoorn. Every hour 4 trains leave for Hoorn, two of them with a direct train connection of only 45 minutes.

Amsterdam - Hoorn: 31 min.

Amsterdam - Hoorn | Local Guide Hoorn

By train from Hoorn you can reach the historic centre of Amsterdam within 31 minutes. The last train back to Hoorn leaves at night at 00.23 hours.

Alkmaar - Hoorn: 23 min.

Alkmaar Kaasmarkt - Hoorn | Local Guide Hoorn

Alkmaar - Hoorn is just 23 minutes by train! Alkmaar has a beautiful historic center and from April to September there is a cheese market every Friday morning.

More nearby towns



How to get to Hoorn

By Train

Amsterdam - Hoorn by train - Local Guide Hoorn

From Amsterdam it is only 32 minutes by train to Hoorn. The train station of Hoorn center is only a 3 minute walk away from the historic center and a single ticket from Amsterdam to Hoorn costs approximately 9.

By Bus

To Hoorn, Netherlands by Bus - Local Guide Hoorn

The bus from Amsterdam to Hoorn takes you along other historical towns such as Monnickendam and Edam. The trip takes about 56 minutes and a single tickt by bus costs about 7 euros. From the bus station you can walk straight into the historic center of Hoorn.

By Car

Parking in Hoorn, Netherlands - Local Guide Hoorn

Hoorn is located along the A7 freeway and is very easily accessible by car. The following parking lots are conveniently located: (1) Parking garage Schouwburg Het Park, (2) Parking lot de Nieuwe Wal and (3) Parking lot Pelmolenpad.

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