Canal tours in Amsterdam

Hi Caryl,

My husband and I were just in Amsterdam for 4 nights at the beginning of July. The hop-on hop-off canal boat is actualy very small and only fits about 5 people. i wouldn't recommend it.

We took an hour long canal cruise that was only 12 Euros each. There are a couple companies that operate the canal tours right by the train station. When you exit the train station (also where the tram junction/change station is) walk directly towards downtown and you will see them on the right in the first canal. We enjoyed it and thought it was worth it.

We also did a free walking tour which was really awesome! www.newamsterdamtours.com It is also a great way to see the city...and it's free!!

Safe travels!

Aloha Caryl,

We also picked up an hour-long canal tour boat right outside Centraal Station-don't remember of the name of the company but there are a few down there that are reasonable. We got into Amsterdam early in the morning and after dropping off our bags, it was pretty much the first thing we did. It was a wonderful introduction to the city and I would highly recommend it. Very relaxing and scenic, especially near the Anne Frank House. Have fun and safe travels!

My Dutch friend and I played tourist in Amsterdam for my birthday recently. We bought the I amsterdam Card for €33 and had a great time!

http://www.iamsterdamcard.com/

It is a very good value if you plan ahead, It includes transportation, canal tour and museum entrances including the major ones.

I highly recommend it if you want to see the most.

We took the canal tour with my husband's parents and actually did not feel it was worth the cost. This is of course subject to preference, but we normally prefer to walk around. (My in-laws did enjoy it though.) The canal boat was very closed in and somewhat cramped and the diesel small was fairly heavy at times. We were there in the winter so it probably would have been more pleasant had we traveled in warmer weather and an open-top boat. I don't mean to be a downer but just wanted to give a contrasting opinion.

True, if the weather is nice you may want to forgo it. But there are some interesting things to learn and see on the tour.

My first Amsterdam trip it was raining so a canal trip was perfect.

Jenufa: Thanks for the info on the Iamsterdam card. Looks like the best deal since it includes 2 canal tours and the museums we are interested in-- for 33 Euro.

Just to clarify the last post re: canal tours. The iAmsterdam card brochure I got when I purchased it this summer says that you only get one of the two canal tours, not both. I took the one that left near the Rijksmuseum - I wasn't impressed with the tour (tape recorded, very loud crowd). That said, it was nice to get off my feet for awhile and see the city from a different viewpoint.

The iAmsterdam pass also includes a one day transit pass for the trams - worth it even if you don't use it more than a couple of times.

We did the Canal Tour in Amsterdam - and I think it was extremely boring - we would have much rather enjoyed just walking around for that time - I am not making this up - we were almost falling asleep!1 You might want to re-think this!

It's funny how personal taste is reflected in the things you like or don't like.

We really liked the canal tour. We also liked walking around despite being constantly turned-off by the drugs and drugies. We thought the museums in A'dam were just okay.

A'dam was one of our least favorite places in Europe. It was way too dirty and run down, you couldn't escape drugs and drug culture whether you were walking down a street or through a park. We were happy to leave A'dam and visit nicer places in the Netherlands and other countries. IMO A'dam is a great place if you are into illicit drugs or sex. If not, there are better places to see.

To give the Netherlands their due, you will not find another country that is as good with multiple languages. The Dutch seem to be generally friendly people with good senses of humor and more than willing to help tourists find their way. Our disappointment was with the city.

Simran, I was trying to be diplomatic in my earlier post, but alright, I actually fell asleep on the tour too! Maybe we took the same company and the others are actually better :)

Brad, hate to hear that you didn't enjoy Amsterdam. We have traveled to many cities in Europe and just loved Amsterdam. In comparison, we found it relatively clean and did not ever see any drug activity with the exception of several people smoking pot (and judging by the language spoken they seemed to be fellow Americans). Amsterdam seemed to be a lovely and livable city and we would move there in a heartbeat.