History Trips
History Trips
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About
Our tours are very much personalized because they are limited to 8 persons and guided by a qualified historian. Enjoy Amsterdam in the Golden Age (walking tour). Starting from Amsterdam, other tours discover the Middle Ages, WWI, and WWII. Examples of trips: A day in the Middle Ages (Bruges or Castle tour), Battlefields of WWI (Ypres), Retrace the Battle of Arnhem (Market Garden 1944).
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2023
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5.0
309 reviews
Excellent
298
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11
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Teebird60
Santa Clara, UT52 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
Tour of a Lifetime! My grandfather was killed in WWll so I wanted to go to his gravesite at the American Military Cemetery in Margraten Netherlands and also go visit the Hurtsgen Forest where he fought and died. Found Murk on TripAdvisor. He is truly an historian. He did the research on my grandfather’s battalion/division and I was able to learn more about my grandfather and his sacrifice. I can’t even put into words the emotions of what we experienced in those two days. Murk truly is incredible. You will not be disappointed as this is his passion.
Written 28 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neale Clark
2 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
This is the second year we have used Murk as a guide to second world war battle fields, this year being the battle of the bulge. He was punctual when he collected us from our hotel, and upon reaching the area of the battle, he was engaging with maps and diagrams to show what had taken place. We found it all extremely informative and we are planning a third battle field tour next year to include the liberation of the Netherlands. We found it to be good value for money and would not hesitate to recommend Murk and History Trips.
Written 25 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin62_2012
Adelaide, Australia39 contributions
May 2023 • Solo
It was an excellent three day trip with Murk, two days in the area around Ypres and Passchendaele for WW1 and a day covering the American drop zones from Market Garden. There were supposed to be two of us on the tour, but when my friend had to drop out, Murk very kindly agreed to run it just for me. Murk is very knowledgeable and interesting, but also very flexible in the itinerary. It was also good to be able get to know him a little as well. Highly recommended!
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Zanis M
Santa Monica, CA28 contributions
Jun 2023
My father in-law and I did a Market Garden tour with Murk and it was absolutely fantastic. While I'm by no means a WW2 expert, my father in-law is, and he was blown away by the knowledge Murk provided as well as the sites we saw. We've done other WW2 tours like Normandy/D-Day which were great, but the difference here was Murk. The other tours were informative but they were given by tour guides. That's not a knock on them, but the difference is that Murk was a historian by trade and then started doing tours. The amount of knowledge he posses is incredible. Would highly recommend Murk to anyone who wants to learn more than what you can just find online. He's fantastic.
Written 15 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff I
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Solo
I've toured with Murk twice now and will definitely join him on a third trip if we can arrange it. Why? As a former classroom history teacher, Murk infuses his love and respect for history into his tours. His research is incredible, yielding details that provide important color and depth to the canvas of events and the people who participated in them. Maps are two-dimensional; Murk makes the experience three-dimensional. I also appreciated our off-tour hours — the conversation at breakfast and dinner around U.S. politics and history — he knows more than most of my fellow citizens! — and Dutch culture. Overall, the value you get from one of Murk's tours is unparalleled. I'm a podcaster, and I've invited him to come on my show. That should tell you a lot.
Written 11 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
OzzyB
Bury, UK52 contributions
Mar 2023
I’m an avid reader of military history and thought I knew a lot about market garden but the knowledge Murk has is fantastically detailed, the whole experience from the landing zones, hartenstein hotel, the cemetery and the bridge itself (and all stops in between ) brought the history to life and was a very emotional experience, Murk is a very amiable fella, very easy going and a pleasure to be with. We will definitely go back at some point to do another tour with him , I can’t recommend him highly enough if you get a chance do not hesitate you won’t regret it ..... John & Anne
Written 21 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J R
Old Malton, UK12 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
A day with Murk is a rare learning experience. He is knowledgeable, personable and a skilled navigator of the battle timeline and geography. If, when you start your day with him, you have a general understanding of what happened at Arnhem, by the end of it you really know the human, military and strategic story. My brother and I had Murk as our guide for the day. Annoyingly he was knowledgeable about football as well, and able to offer an informed critique of our team’s abject performance in the Premiership this year.
Written 22 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jwjyoy
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia21 contributions
Dec 2022
Excellent Operation Market Garden tour with Murk, who is an excellent communicator. His knowledge on the geography and human stories are fascinating and we learn so much on this trip. Murk is great fun to be with and we will always value his generosity. 2 days was not enough to cover everything and Murk did his best to make sure we experience and appreciate the sacrifices of the war. We hope to join him on our next trip in Europe.
Written 26 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SarahEHLD
London, UK15 contributions
Oct 2022
Extremely high quality, interesting, and informative tour. This was my second time touring with Murk and it won't be my last. I've recommended his tours many times to my friends and family, and I wholeheartedly recommend these tours, especially to any traveler interested in history and architecture.
Written 4 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert M
Pound Ridge, NY2 contributions
Sep 2022
My wife and I were led by Murk Dijkstra on a 3 day Market Garden Tour September, 2022. I was familiar with the battle, yet Murk's in-depth knowledge and outstanding maps, which he personally annotated, were a revelation. Murk, a former history professor has clearly thought deeply about this particular battle and its context within the framework of World War II in Europe. His mastery of the terrain, the units which fought and the general ebb and flow of the battle provided insights impossible to get from reading books. Murk also proved to be a delightful traveling companion. I recommend Murk unreservedly and hope to join him on other tours in the future.
Written 9 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael L
Stuttgart, Germany1 contribution
How do i book a trip with this guy? No info on here about how to buy tickets - just reviews.
Thanks
Mike
Davidbell98
Bangor, UK58 contributions
Could you please provide me with the contact info for this tour. ill be in amsterdam from march5th till the 11th. Thank you so Very much.
brixton456
Indianapolis, IN227 contributions
Here you go;
Tel - +31 0(20) 6 83 98 38
Website - historytrips.eu
Hope this helps & good luck.
Tony
leotabone
Pretoria, South Africa
Hi , my name is Leo Tabone, my son and I will be taking a trip to Bastogne and the Hurtgen forest early May, 11 to the 17. I need some pointers and hopefully a guide to take us to the forest battle sights. Can you help?
leotabone
Pretoria, South Africa
Hi , my name is Leo Tabone - myself and my son will be taking a trip to Bastogne and the Hurtgen forest early next month, 11 - 17 May. I would like to visit the battlefield sights in the Hurtgen forest ,pillboxes dragons teeth etc - I'll need a guide or some pointers on how and where to go, can you help?
Helen C
Cambridge, UK19 contributions
Hi,
We would like to book a trip for June 2016 and have emailed several times to enquire how to book with no response.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Helen
Charlie T
Gainesville, FL4 contributions
Following is contact info I have. Murk is pretty much in demand and fortunately I booked 6 months in advance last year. Good luck.
History Trips
St. Gilleshof 36,
1066PZ Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)20 6 83 98 38
Mobile: +31 (0)6 42 53 10 61
Skype: murkdijkstra
pistachioann
Huntington Beach, CA68 contributions
How can I book the Murk tour that goes to Bruges?
T W
Atlanta, GA2 contributions
Go to the web site:
The email is on the site and Murk will email you back.
Wen L
Rome, GA
Hello. We will be in Amsterdam the week of June 1, 2016 and would like to book a tour with you. How would we go about doing this?
Thank you,
Wen L.
danmajor
Montreal, Canada9 contributions
we booked a special history tour with murk. It was only our familly and related to our family in Zwolle. The tour was just awesome, Murk is wonderful. He picked us up in Amsterdam and went several places in relation to ww2 and the regiment de la chaudiere from Canada. He did a big research with what we gave him as information. He is a history teacher so he knows his stuff. search in the net for Murk Dijkstras
historytrips.eu
laurence152014
Houston, TX
Are you near the train station (from Amsterdam)?
Is there a Catholic Cchurch near by for Sunday Mass?
Patusie
22 contributions
We were not near the station, but I believe there is an old Catholic church in the old part of town, which is by the station.
Vicki M
Phoenix, AZ27 contributions
Hello!
We would like to take the Market Garden tour in July 2016. We will be staying in central Amsterdam. How long does this tour take and does Murk pick us up or do we meet somewhere else? Also, when should I contact him for a reservation?
Thanks so much!
Doug Murray
Historytrips
Amsterdam, The Netherlands18 contributions
Hi Doug,
Thank you for your inquiry. Did you really mean 2016 or is it July 2015? All the same it will be my pleasure, although I need a specific date for checking availability. I pick you up at your hotel and the trip runs from 9 am to 7pm. There are 3 options for this trip , featured on my website ( check out TRIP INFO-section).
Regards,
Murk Dijkstra
Vicki M
Phoenix, AZ27 contributions
Hello!
How long is the Market Garden tour from Amsterdam?
Also, is the trip to Brugge much longer?
Thanks so much!
Historytrips
Amsterdam, The Netherlands18 contributions
To be specific:
Arnhem is a 1 hour drive to get there, the Market Garden tour takes about 9 hours. Bruges takes a 2 1/2 h. drive and is a full day ( 12 hours ). Both including traveltime. Hope to hearing from you.
Murk