All About Me:
Hi, I’m Chris. I’m originally from England but have lived in Amsterdam for twenty-five years. Before guiding, I had an eclectic career: silversmithing, nearly seven years in the military, a short stint in advertising, bus driving, lifeguarding, and even making rubber clothing when my wife Stella and I first moved here. But photography was the constant. I spent years wandering the city with my camera, getting to know Amsterdam street by street, which eventually led me into guiding, first through photo tours and then full city tours.
I’m fascinated by the idea that we’re still living in a seventeenth-century city. I never cared much for history back in England, but Amsterdam completely changed that. Now I’m always reading and watching documentaries, especially about the Dutch Golden Age and the city’s earlier role as a pilgrimage centre. I love uncovering the “why” behind everything, from the coffee shops to the Red Light District to Amsterdam’s culture of tolerance.
When I’m not guiding, you’ll find me exploring neighbourhoods like the Pijp or relaxing at the Marineterrein. I also enjoy organising unique experiences, from music recording sessions to self-drive boat tours and sunset cruises. Curiosity, passion, and genuine connection shape every tour I give.
Chris guides in the museums as well as on the street. At the Rijksmuseum his photographer’s eye is the whole point: how a painter handled light in a room that had no electric light, where your eye is being pushed and why, and what someone looking at the picture in the seventeenth century would have noticed first. At the Stedelijk Museum he is on more modern ground, and he is good with guests who are not at all sure they like modern art, because he starts from how a piece was made rather than what it is supposed to mean.
Ask Chris how a painter lit a room in a city with no electric light.
You can take the following tours with me:
Amsterdam City Highlights – walking & by bike
The Ultimate Amsterdam in a Day Tour
Driving Tours Outside of Amsterdam
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My favourite place in Amsterdam is Spui Street. When you walk down this street and step into the quiet courtyard of the Begijnhof, it feels like travelling back to the Amsterdam that existed before the Golden Age, when the city was a religious pilgrimage destination. I love starting my tours there because these streets hold the answers to so many questions about how Amsterdam became the city it is today.
