Sandra's Tours

My Story

How I became a city guide


In January 2023, I became a certified guide by the The Dutch Guide Organization Guidor, after concluding with good grades the practical exams in The Hague (city walking tour) and at the National Museum (Rijksmuseum) in Amsterdam (paintings presentation). 

But how have I ended up as a city guide in the Netherlands? You'll find my story below. ;-)


I’m from Portugal, a country of seafarers that reached between the 15th and the 16th centuries faraway countries like India, Brazil, China and Japan, becoming a world trading maritime empire. Discoveries and travelling are in our veins and the contact with other cultures always fascinated me. In Lisbon, I studied History at Nova University, in front of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Also there, I finished a Post-Graduation to become a qualified History teacher.

In December 2007, I came to the Netherlands with my husband, also Portuguese. We didn’t have any friends or family here to guide us and show us the way. So, when we moved to Almere, I said to him: “Let’s travel around the Netherlands to get to know the country”. Meanwhile, I began to write a blog, sharing our trips in the Netherlands and across Europe. Many times, I was told “You should be a tour guide”, but I needed to wait some time due to health reasons.

In 2017, I underwent a complicated surgery and I spent great part of the year between homecare and the hospital, managing very delicate situations. After everything was fine, I restarted slowly, doing some voluntary work with local organizations such International Almere, Corrosia (Team Franc 2018) and the Heritage House (during the Heritage Days). 

In September 2018, I became Portuguese teacher at Volksuniversiteit Almere and started to follow a course in Amsterdam to become a National Guide in The Netherlands. For 14 months I studied History of the Netherlands, Architecture, Dutch Landscape, Cities Geography, Dutch Painting History and Guiding Methods and Techniques. All the training was in Dutch: lessons, books, study visits, presentations, training (guiding in a bus, on the boat, during a city walking tour or at museums). I studied hard and I got very good grades that I’m very proud of.

In December 2019, I finished my studies but soon afterwards, the Covid- 19 pandemic started.

Meanwhile, in March 2021, I had the pleasure to do the first virtual city tour for the “Welcome to Almere” event first online edition organized by Almere's City Hall. In the same period , I launched my professional website and  Instagram account. 

My aim is to help expats in their journey by organizing for them city walking tailor-made tours (solo/with partner/kids) and welcome their friends or relatives when visiting the Netherlands. Also if you are a  Portuguese native speaker, I would love to show you this beautiful country where I live for 15 years already.

If you wish to visit Amsterdam, Utrecht, Den Haag or Almere, come with me! 

I’m in permanent discovery mode! You can always reach me at sandra@sandrastours.nl to discuss other possibilities. Let’s keep in touch!

Education and Work & Volunteering in NL

Work

Languages: Portuguese, English, Dutch 

Awarded Photo

Co-winner of the first prize Tourism Flevoland 2009 Photography Contest

Education

Volunteer Work

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