Canal cruises and boat tours in Amsterdam
Amsterdam is known for its many breathtaking canals. The canal rings of Amsterdam are not only pretty, but also provide plenty of family friendly entertainment. Taking the boat through Amsterdam’s vast network of historical canals is one of the best ways to explore Amsterdam, as almost any area of the city can be reached by boat. As this is easily one of the most distinctive traits of Amsterdam you haven’t really visited Amsterdam until you have seen it from the water. So let’s find out more about all the different ways you can explore Amsterdam by boat.
The canals of Amsterdam
From the 17th century and on Amsterdam has build 165 canals. Thanks to brilliant planning almost every part of the inner city can be reached by canal so the extensive canal network of Amsterdam formed an excellent way for the seafaring Dutch people to supply their trade oriented cities with heavy loads of cargo without having to carry everything around. The canal ring area of Amsterdam is considered an UNESCO World Heritage site as it’s an unique piece of human engineering.
Over 3 million visitors per year enjoy a canal cruise in Amsterdam. This makes it not only the most popular attraction in Amsterdam, but also the most popular attraction in The Netherlands. Famous people like the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Winston Churchill, Hillary Clinton, Michail Gorbatsjov and Nelson Mandela have all enjoyed the canal tours in Amsterdam. It is a memorable way of sightseeing, because the city is even more beautiful with the views from the canals.
Be aware that the canals can be very crowded at some days of the year, especially with major events. On April 27th the Dutch national holiday King’s Day, formerly known as Queen’s Day, is celebrated and Amsterdam will be packed in orange and the canals will be filled with boats. Somewhere mid-August the annual Gay Pride celebration will also bring lots of party people and boats in the canals. Later in August the annual Grachtenfestival (Canal Festival) will bring stages and boats with classical music performances to the canals.
Scheduled hop-on hop-off cruises
The perfect way to combine a relaxing boat ride with sightseeing is by taking a hop-on hop-off canal cruise. The beauty of this concept is that you can get off the boat whenever you wish, preferably on the most captivating spots of Amsterdam, and when you are done there, you can get on a different boat to continue your journey. This means you can create your own sightseeing tour through Amsterdam and do everything at your own leisure.
The operators of the cruises have made sure their stops are always near the most popular landmarks of Amsterdam. Think of popular touristic sights, museums and attractions such the Skinny Bridge, the Jordaan district, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and the Anne Frank House. The canal tour operators in Amsterdam also offer different routes through the canals.
So booking a hop-on hop-off cruise is perfect for travelers who want to keep an open mind about what they are planning to do during the day. It offers the flexibility of being able to take canal tours to all the hotspots of Amsterdam, while still being able to enjoy the city at your own pace.
Lunch- / cocktail- / dinner cruise
Dinner is the most important moment of the day, so when you are on vacation you want to get the most out of it. Which is why it’s a good idea to enjoy your dinner on an intimate boat cruise through the historical canals of Amsterdam.
Several boat tour operators allow you to book cruises through the beautiful canals of Amsterdam in combination with a cocktail, lunch, snack, pizza, dinner or even a romantic candlelight dinner. So there is plenty of variety of dinner cruises to choose from. While some dinner cruises are more suitable for a family dinner, others might be more suitable for a romantic dinner with your partner.
These dinner canal boats are generally more luxurious than regular canal boats. The canal cruise and restaurant in one combinations are a very comfortable way to see the highlights of Amsterdam from the canals, while indulging yourself with delicious food and fresh drinks. Booking a dinner cruise is a great way to turn your dinner in Amsterdam into an unforgettable moment.
Tourist information cruises
During your vacation you will probably want to immerse yourself into the local culture. As Amsterdam is a world city with a long history it can be quite an enriching experience to take an informational cruise through the canals of Amsterdam, to find out more about the history of the different buildings and districts in the city.
The tourist information cruises will pass lots of the famous attractions of Amsterdam. In these canal cruises a guide or an audio system will inform you about the historical facts, legends and stories of the attractions and places that you see. So you will find out why the canals rings are protected by UNESCO as world heritage site. During the canal tour the commentary from the audio systems is usually available in several languages. For cultural travelers an informational canal cruise is a great way to get acquainted with the city of Amsterdam. If you have a passion for culture then checking out the canals of Amsterdam is certainly one of the things you must do in Amsterdam.
Pedal boats
The Netherlands and Amsterdam are fanatical about bikes and cycling. So it is not surprising that you can even rent a pedal boat and cycle through the canals of Amsterdam. It is a fun way to discover the city from the canals, especially on a carefree sunny day.
Most tourists aren’t really aware that renting a pedal bike is even an option. While this is actually one of the favorite activities of both locals and the Meet The Cities crew on hot summer days. Don’t forget to bring some snacks and enjoy a relaxing afternoon on the water.
The beauty of pedal boats is that its very intuitive even without any experience. You just book a boat, use the steer to go left and right. And use your feet pedals to increase in speed. Everyone can do it. And it’s a great way to enjoy a sunny picnic on the water in the romantic canals of Amsterdam.
Boat rentals
If you desire more freedom and want to explore the canals of Amsterdam at your own leisure, then you could just rent a boat. This way you can explore the historical canals of Amsterdam at your own pace and take your own routes. This is especially fun if you are traveling with your family. As you spend some quality time with your family you get the appreciate the beautiful sights everywhere around you.
A lot of Dutch locals tend to rent a boat in the summer to just cruise around and enjoy the sun. This is why there are multiple rental boat companies in Amsterdam who offer boats where no license or former experience is needed. These are boats smaller than 15 meters or have speeds up until a maximum of 20 km/h. Hiring a boat with a captain is also possible at some boat rental companies, but it’s all quite intuitive anyway. Renting a boat and cruising through the canals of Amsterdam is also a sure way to create some lasting memories of your stay in the Amsterdam.