Canal cruises in Amsterdam – All tickets & offers

Canal cruises in Amsterdam | The best thing about Amsterdam is always the canal cruises. This applies to adults, families with children, groups, couples, and lovers.

The best way to discover the beautiful old town is from the water. You can experience the charm of the beautiful canals with their magnificent and ornately decorated merchant houses at any time of year. I have already written a lot about canal cruises in this blog’s article Overview of canal cruises. Here, I give you another overview of worthwhile trips from the wide range of tours on offer.

It’s best to get the necessary tickets at home and avoid any queues at the ticket counters. Canal cruises are the biggest tourist attraction in the Dutch capital.

Advance notice: This year’s Light Festival in the canals of Amsterdam will take place from November 30, 2023, to January 21, 2024. All information, tours, and tickets are in the Light Festival in Amsterdam article. Advance notice.

Classic canal cruises

The classic canal cruises start near Central Station Centraal and at the Museum Square with the world-famous Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. You can book your tickets here:

Departure: Centraal Station Prins Hendrikkade 25

West side of Centraal Station, near the cab rank or Damrak Pier 5, from the jetty.

Departures occur daily from mid-March to October from 9:00 to 22:00. The rest is from 09:30 to 21:00. December and January only until 16:30. No canal cruise on King’s Day, April 27.

Departure: Opposite the Rijksmuseum

520 Stadhouderskade, 1073 AX, Amsterdam

Departures approx. every 30 minutes. Daily from 9:00 to 18:00. No canal cruise in Amsterdam, and you get to know the city in a completely different atmosphere. King’s Day, April 27.

✅ Tip for early risers: We start early at the Anne Frank House. Now it’s quiet in Amsterdam, and you get to know the city in a different atmosphere.

Canal cruise in the early morning

The image of Amsterdam is characterised by the crescent-shaped canal system – the so-called Grachtengordel (canal belt). Due to their great historical and cultural significance, the canals were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010, as already mentioned. For every visitor to the city, a walk along these small canals or a trip on them is part of the sightseeing program.

Extra tip: In addition to the well-known traditional canal cruises, the luxury version of the classic canal cruise departs from in front of the Anne Frank House – the VIP version with a luxury boat, drinks, and typical Dutch cheese specialties.

Book a luxury boat with drinks and cheese

Alternatively, you can take a more extended canal tour to Jordaan, the most romantic part of Amsterdam.

If that’s not enough, you can also hire your boat with a skipper for two hours.

🛥️ Evening Cruise on the Canals: One of the classics is, of course, the traditional 60-minute night cruise. One of the most famous canal cruises in the canals of Amsterdam. There is also the option of a more extended evening tour, which lasts around 90 minutes.

Canal cruises + museums in a combined ticket

Canal cruises can be booked as combined tickets together with museum visits. When booking, consider a time slot for access to the museum. The canal cruise can take place at any time. The canal cruise’s respective details and landing stages can be found on the provider’s website.

Please note that booking a combined ticket may only be a one-off booking fee. The details of the offer can be found on the provider’s website.

Canal cruises + attractions in a combined ticket

The same applies to combined tickets for canal cruises and attractions as for combined tickets with museums. Here are a few suggestions for top attractions in Amsterdam.

It is best to get the necessary tickets at home and avoid any queues at the ticket counters. Canal cruises are the biggest tourist attraction in the Dutch metropolis.

Canal experience with small boats

The cityscape is characterised by the omnipresent traditional canal cruises when you look at the canals. However, there are also many small, primarily open boats. These are particularly popular with visitors to Amsterdam, as drinks and snacks are often included in the price. You should dress warmly on calm and rainy days and remember your rain gear.

Everything you need to know about the boat trips can be found on the provider’s website. This includes the size, equipment, and catering options en route. Explanations during the tour are often only given in English. This is rarely a problem, as this also conveys the extraordinary nature of Amsterdam.

Canal cruises for smaller groups

Of course, it’s not just individual travellers, couples, or families with children who visit the famous canal city. Amsterdam is also a trendy destination for smaller or larger groups. These include families, friends, clubs, or sports teams. It would help if you opted for a canal cruise for groups to socialise over food and drinks.

A trip to Amsterdam with an individual canal cruise will be remembered for a long time. The following tours are suitable for groups of different sizes. Details can be found on the provider’s website.

Evening trips with food and drinks

City trips are always exciting but also exhausting. Relaxing evening entertainment is provided when you can visit a musical in London and Vienna or end the day with an evening stroll and a drink in pleasant temperatures in the southern Mediterranean metropolises. In Paris, on the Bateaux Mouches, you can find excellent restaurants for a romantic cruise on the Seine, or, in Venice, the Galleons Dinner in the lagoon on the Adriatic.

In Amsterdam, a canal cruise is an excellent option for evening entertainment. Everything is possible, with drinks, snacks, pizza, or dinner. The boats glide through the canals in the evening light, past the magnificent historic buildings. After a hectic day, the city now exudes a sense of calm. In addition to a simple evening cruise, a few suggestions are here. Take a look at the offers and experience Amsterdam at dusk.

An evening canal cruise is the top tip after an extensive sightseeing tour of the Venice of the North, as Amsterdam is known. The city with its canals has no opera house, musicals, or concert halls worth mentioning. Of course, there are also the usual party miles and pub streets. But if you want to spend a relaxing evening with friends, family, or as a couple, consider a canal tour through Amsterdam. Be sure to book well in advance if the tour is intended as a surprise for a birthday or other occasion. It is also advisable to book early if there are several people.

Those who want to enjoy absolute togetherness will find the opportunity for a private romantic canal cruise at night here. It’s a little more expensive, but indeed a tour to remember!

✅ Tip: If you want to spend even more time on the water, you can book the Amsterdam harbour cruise directly here.

This unusual proposal is another entirely different idea for spending time on the water. Discover Amsterdam on land and water in an amphibious bus – Tickets for Splashtour Amsterdam.

Giethoorn – The Dutch Venice

✅ Tip: If you want to experience even more canals, plan a day trip to Giethoorn during your stay in Amsterdam. It is the most beautiful and romantic village in the Netherlands, with houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. Giethoorn is located about 115 km northeast of Amsterdam in the province of Overijsseldem. There are no roads here, only canals that meander through the pretty farms and centuries-old thatched-roof houses of this picturesque village of around 2500 inhabitants. The farmhouses are built on small islands. The waterways were once used to transport peat and are now an absolute tourist attraction with their photogenic wooden bridges.

There are several day trips to Giethoorn from Amsterdam, with guided tours in various languages and supporting programs. Interested parties can take a look at a few booking options here.

Discounts for children can be found on the provider’s website.

*All prices stated in these proposals are subject to change. The current offer on the provider’s website always applies. Discounts and reductions for children are possible at any time. The provider’s website can also find all content and further details of the respective ticket offers.