Amsterdam – Canals, Bridges and Canal Cruises

amsterdam canal cruises

Canals and Bridges

Amsterdam is probably best known for its canals, and for good reason! There are more than one hundred kilometres of canals here, and crossing these waterways are roughly 1,500 different bridges.

With so many canals and bridges the city has long had the nickname ‘Venice of the North’, and the 17^th century canal ring area was added to the prestigious list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2010.

The three main canals are named Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht and they were built during what was called the Dutch Golden Age.

These three canals form concentric belts around the city and they are also linked to numerous other notable, and not so notable, canals.

Walking around the medieval centre of Amsterdam is a real joy, crossing all the canals over its many bridges.

The only drawback with so many canals and bridges is that it’s easier to get lost as many do look similar!

Ask for a good map from your hotel reception desk so that you can navigate the streets successfully.

Canal Cruises

Seeing the canals from the streets is great but you can cover a larger distance on a boat cruise, and you’ll get to see some buildings and areas of the city that you probably wouldn’t otherwise.

As you might expect, there are several different companies offering cruises along Amsterdam’s canals.

Tour times, duration, and routes vary so you may want to compare them and find the one that suits your schedule best.

The cruises they offer can vary, but here are some tips on boat trips that looks exciting.

Hop on hop off cruise

Canal Company also has a variety of different cruise options. The Canal Bus is a hop on/hop off boat for which you buy a ticket that’s valid for one or two days.

You can stop at many of the city’s most popular sites, get off, see the site, and get back on a later boat.

Amsterdam Canals Cruise with Dinner Cooked On Board

A popular evening cruise on the canals of Amsterdam is really nice. The tour lasts approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, and you get a 4 course dinner cooked on board while you enjoy the beauty and sights of the city.

Standard Sight-seeing Cruise

A more typical canal cruise lasts one hour and you listen to a personal audio guide that’s available in 15 different languages.

This tour takes you around all the main places of interest.

Canal Cruises for any taste

It’s very cool that you can take boat tours in several niches, here are some choices;

Hope you find a joyful trip, and enjoy the city and canals.

Hotels in Amsterdam

Picture of De ‘Europe Amsterdam Hotel

There are literally hundreds of hotels located across Amsterdam’s various districts but for tourists wanting to explore around the canals and historic centre you should look for a city centre location.

Picture inside De ‘Europe Amsterdam Hotel

The city has hotels for all budgets – at the luxury end there are hotels like the fantastic, luxurious De ‘Europe Amsterdam; a 5 star hotel set on the Amstel River, and a 10 minute walk from Dam Square.

The Radisson Blu Hotel is also at the high-end. It’s a 4 star hotel situated in a quieter street, only 7 minutes walk to Dam Square.

The building has an historic, grand feel to the outside with modern guest rooms inside.

There are many great budget hotels too if you want to save your money for shopping and sightseeing, or opt for the middle range and choose one of a number of 3 star hotels, an overview here.