Begijnhof to the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam: free self-guided walking tour
Quick answer. A free self-guided walking tour from the Begijnhof to the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam: 3 stops, about 1.5 km, about 20 minutes of walking plus about 19 minutes of listening. Start in the Begijnhof, the only inner court in Amsterdam founded in the Middle Ages, which lies at medieval street level, about a metre below the old centre. Walk north to Dam Square and the Royal Palace, which began life as the city’s town hall in 1655. Finish at the Oude Kerk, the oldest parish church in the city, consecrated to Saint Nicholas in 1306 and now surrounded by the Red Light District. Entry to the Royal Palace is ticketed.
- Stops:
- 3
- Distance:
- about 1.5 km
- Walking:
- about 20 min
- Listening:
- about 19 min
Begijnhof to the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam: how long does the walk take?
About 39 minutes in all: about 20 minutes on foot over about 1.5 km, plus about 19 minutes of audio at the 3 stops. Time inside the sites is extra.
Begijnhof to the Oude Kerk, Amsterdam: in what order should you visit the stops?
Follow the stops in this order: Begijnhof, Royal Palace, and Oude Kerk. The longest stretch between two stops is about 0.8 km, about 11 min on foot.
Route and map
Navigate with Google Maps, listen with Mappu: the stories keep playing while you follow the route.
Opens Google Maps with walking directions through every stop.
Stop 1
The Wooden House at number 34 has front and back facades made entirely of wood, a rarity since Amsterdam banned timber houses in 1521.
about 6 min of audio
Next stop: Royal Palace · about 0.7 km, about 9 min on foot
Stop 2
In the Citizens’ Hall, nearly thirty metres high, you walk across marble maps of the eastern and western hemispheres and of the northern stars.
about 7 min of audio
Next stop: Oude Kerk · about 0.8 km, about 11 min on foot
Stop 3
Around 60,000 people lie beneath more than 2,000 tombstones, among them Rembrandt’s first wife, Saskia van Uylenburgh, buried here in 1642.
about 7 min of audio
The stop stories are AI-generated audio guides and can contain mistakes. Check opening hours and tickets on the official sites.
How does this self-guided walking tour work?
The audio guides on this page stay free: open any stop to listen in your browser.
Walk Mode uses your location to narrate places as you walk. It opens in the Mappu app at the first stop, Begijnhof. Your first walk is free for three stops with a free Mappu account.
Walk Mode: 2 hours for 50 credits (€4.99 Starter pack)
Self-guided audio walk. No guide accompanies you. Not affiliated with the sites.
Before you go
- Check opening hours, tickets and access on each site’s official page before you go.
- Distances and times are estimates: the walking route between stops, from OpenStreetMap, at 4.5 km/h. Your route on the street may differ.
Route checked by Mappu on October 21, 2026. Stop descriptions come from each place’s published Mappu audio guide. Mappu is a Fenutech product.