Touring The Canals

The canals, a complex and intertwining system of waterways that is larger than those of the more famous Venice, define Amsterdam’s cityscape, and some of the best tourist activities center on these captivating roads of water. One of the best ways to experience the canals is through a canal-boat cruise. Locals will tell you it is a tourist trap, but popular tourist activities become so for a reason – they are fun and interesting. There are numerous boat operators from which to choose, and the highest concentration of them is located near Centraal Station, the main train depot. The cruises usually last about an hour, and they afford you the best and most memorable views of the city.

 

Another way to view the canals is through a slower-paced water bike. These are exactly what they sound like they would be: bikes on the water. You ride the canals at your own pace, renting the bikes by the hour. There are several pick-up/drop-off locations, so you can start in one part of town and drop your bike off in another when you are finished.

 

In the winter you can also skate the canals, provided the weather has cooperated and the surface has sufficiently hardened into safe ice.