Canal Boat Tours / Canal bike, Amsterdam

4 more images

Favorite thing: A canal cruise while in Amsterdam is mandatory, but the size of the boat you ride in and canal's you cruise down are not.

The St. Nicolaas Boat Club offers a canal cruise on a boat that will hold around ten people, has no glass top, and can maneuver through canals the big boats cannot navigate. You sign up for the ride at Boom Chicago in the Leidseplein, which is a fabulous part of Amsterdam and you should be there anyway, as far as I'm concerned. They are rather casual about the whole thing, completely unlike the very business-like, glass-covered, tourist-filled canal boats you find along the Damrak.

Your pilot will ask what you would like to see. We glided past the tourists waiting in line to get in the Anne Frank's house then wound our way through small canals lined with houseboats lined with potted flowers in full bloom-a definitive riot of color. We passed houses with tiny patios facing the canals.

You are welcome to bring refreshments and your favorite intoxicant along - Looza, Oranjina, Heineken, Super Silver Haze. It is an altogether refreshing, relaxing way to see Amsterdam.

Fondest memory: Amsterdam is as much a part of me as my own home town. I feel about it as Gertrude Stein did of Paris. I fell completely in love with Amsterdam the first day and now have a burning desire to live there for a little while during my lifetime.

To pick a best memory would be like picking a favorite child. Was it lovely dinners with my B&B host? Was it the energy I discovered in the Leidseplein? Was it the acceptance I got that I didn't even know I needed when I sat in my first coffeeshop? Was it the trees lining the canals with their bright green leaves and dark bark? The list of fond memories is lenghthy; I cannot pick a fondest.

Favorite thing: Water and the construction of many bridges have been of vital importance to Amsterdam’s development over the years. Along the banks of the river Amstel a city developed that heavily depended on the water for its survival, for defense, trade and to drink. It is often called the Venice of the North, and with good reason!

Your get Wooden Girder Bridges, Brick Arched Bridges, Movable Bridges and Iron and Steel Leaf Bridges. All used at different times for different things, changing with the times and development. All add to the character and charm that is Amsterdam.

Fondest memory: One of my fondest looks here is when you look straight on at a bridge and see so many other bridges in your vision at the same time down the canal.

Favorite thing: This part of Amsterdam is endearing. We loved the river life of the canals, seeing people go about their business - one boat had a lady sitting on an actual SOFA in their boat whilst hubby was rowing away... haha... It looked out of place, but at least she was comfortable :)

Favorite thing: A canal tour is a great way to start viewing the city and it's probably the best approach to Amsterdam. After all the city was founded and has developed around its canals and there's nothing like a boat trip to give you a feel of Amsterdam. There are lots of places to board the canal tours, several cruise companies that run tours and many different itineraries to choose from. We took ours from across the Centraal Station, where there were boat tours departing every hour. I don't remember how much we payed but it was worth it. They had an English-speaking guide who gave good information about the city. The tour allows you to see most of the highlights of the city. It does feel a bit like mass tourism at first but as soon as you start seeing the beautiful houses that line the canals and the boat-houses and the bridges you'll start enjoying the experience.

Favorite thing: Amsterdam is famous with its canals and a boat tour in the canals is a must do..

However due to on going extensions of the metro line, Canal boats are now leaving from a different place..

So all canal boat companies near the central station is temporarily closed..

Fondest memory: I took this as the canal boat passed the end of this canal and we got a great view under all the bridges - cetainly a different view than you get from just walking around. Plus its a nice relaxing way to pass the time!

Fondest memory: In the past there was not enough living accomodation for the inhabitants of Amsterdam that is why the city of Amsterdam legalize living at houseboats.
Each of the houseboats has their own mailadres and each of them are conected to electricity.

Fondest memory: Amsterdam counts 100 canals with a length of 100 km span by 1000 bridges.
I think the most famous of these bridges is the "magere brug" show in my front page.
In 1963 Amsterdam put a lot of iron gates along the canals to protect cars from falling in the water, however they can't prevent that at least once a week a car ride into one of the canals.

Favorite thing: TAKE A CANAL CRUISE



Fondest memory: This was me just before the canal cruise set off. It was really nice to see Amsterdam from that perspective and its fairly inexpensive so I would recommend it to anyone with a little time to kill in the city.

Favorite thing: Take a canal cruise and also ride on a tram or visit Anne Franks House. There is a whole stack of museums of one kind or another from the sex and erotica museums to the art museums - The Van Gogh museum, The Rijks museum - the Hash museum (apparently this often has gaps in its exhibits as the police often raid it!!), the Heineken Brewery etc

Fondest memory: I love the beautiful canals and the unusual buildings that line them.