Rotterdam is often described as a phoenix rising from its ashes. After much of the city was destroyed during World War II, it chose to reinvent itself. From the ruins emerged a bold cityscape, defined by daring architecture, vast avenues, and a battle-scarred, blue-collar spirit.

Yet behind its contemporary exterior lies a far older history. Rotterdam began as a small 13th-century village around a dam in the Rotte River. Trade flourished and brought wealth, but also crime, disease, unrest, and repression.

On this immersive guided tour, I will take you on a haunted journey through old Rotterdam and its darker buried past, carefully reconstructed from historical accounts. You will walk in the footsteps of plague doctors, executioners, witches, and spies…

Are you brave enough to join?