Covered glass boat cruise

The classic way to see the canals

The long, low boats with a glass roof are the ones you see everywhere in the centre. They carry a few dozen people, run every day of the year and take about an hour. A recorded commentary in several languages tells you what you pass, and the roof keeps you dry when it rains, which in Amsterdam is often.

This is the cruise to take if you want a first look at the city from the water without planning anything. You buy a ticket at the jetty or online, step on, and an hour later you know where the Golden Bend is, why the houses lean and what the hooks under the gables are for.

What you see

Most routes loop through the canal ring: the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht, dug in the 17th century when Amsterdam was the richest port in Europe. Many cross the open water of the IJ behind Centraal Station, and some turn onto the Amstel for the Magere Brug and the Blauwbrug. On the Reguliersgracht, look back for the seven bridges in a row.

Good to know

The boats are big, so they keep to the wider canals. If you want the narrow ones, take a small open boat instead. Sit by the side windows rather than in the middle, and on a sunny day pick a seat on the shady side: the glass roof warms up.