Amsterdam canal tours

Amsterdam was built around its water, and you only really get that until you are out on it. The ring of canals and the gabled houses that lean over them look completely different from a boat — it is the one thing almost every visitor is glad they did.

There is a boat for every mood: pedal boats and little self-drive electric tenders, open and covered guided cruises, and candlelit dinner boats if you want to make an evening of it.

The good ones fill up, especially in summer and at sunset, so it pays to book ahead. Below are the main types so you can match a tour to the kind of afternoon (or evening) you are after.