Top Amsterdam Water Tours

Cruising down Amsterdam’s iconic canals is one of the most popular activities in the city. Join this exciting small-group cruise guided by local skippers who share the city's most beautiful spots. Sip on an optional drink (alcoholic or soft drink), as you pass highlights like The Dancing Houses and the Skinny Bridge. The skipper provides commentary in English, with digital guides available in multiple languages.

Glide through Amsterdam's canals in style and comfort aboard a 100% electric, luxury boat. In summer, ride in an open boat to soak up the city sights with a drink in hand, and when the weather is chilly, warm up with provided blankets. Listen to anecdotes from your host who also pours you drinks like beers, sodas, or cocktails, from the onboard bar. The cruise departs multiple times daily from three different departure locations in the city center of Amsterdam, so it's easy to fit into most sightseeing itineraries.

Escape the bustle of central Amsterdam and enjoy a canal cruise with the option to add on one drink or an unlimited drinks package. Relax aboard a comfortable boat as you glide past notable landmarks in the late afternoon and evening, including the Canal Belt, Skinny Bridge, Dancing Houses, and more. With various departure times available, select a tour that best suits your schedule. Along the way, your English-speaking skipper will provide insightful commentary on the area’s rich history and culture.

If there's one must-do activity for first-time visitors to Amsterdam, it's a scenic sightseeing cruise along the city's UNESCO World Heritage-listed canal ways. Unlike the popular party boats, this cruise prioritizes a quieter and more comfortable experience. Settle into the cushioned seats, tuck into some traditional Dutch snacks, or purchase a drink from the onboard bar as you glide past Amsterdam's waterfront landmarks.

You’ve seen the canals—now it’s time to get on the water. During this 1-hour cruise, you pass all of the Dutch capital's waterfront highlights. As you listen to stories from your guide or an audio guide, you float past islands, beautiful bridges, Centraal Station, historic warehouses, churches, and more, leaving with a deeper appreciation of this historic city than you'd get if you tried sightseeing alone.

Want to see the sights of Amsterdam from a boat, yet avoid the tourist crowds? Step aboard an electric sloop with a small group and enjoy unobstructed views of the city's landmarks. Enjoy Dutch snacks like bitterballen, stroopwafels, and local cheese as well as drinks from the open bar—including beer, wine, mulled wine, hot chocolate, and Dutch jenever—while your captain shares stories about the secrets of the city.

Immerse yourself in Dutch culture on this full-day tour through the countryside with round-trip transport from Amsterdam. In addition to navigating, your guide offers little-known facts and anecdotes about each stop on the itinerary, including a traditional clog shop, artisan cheese factory, rural windmills, and the village of Giethoorn. Don’t forget your camera: The day also features a boat ride through Giethoorn’s waterways with rare views of the area.

Amsterdam has many canal cruises to choose from, but most of them aren't smoke-friendly. This coffee shop cruise lets you enjoy the sights in a more relaxed environment. You can learn about local coffeeshop history from your host while on board, including how marijuana was decriminalized and how the city's coffeeshop scene evolved, or simply enjoy the ride. Drinks, including alcoholic beverages, are not included but can be purchased on board.

Float along central Amsterdam’s picturesque, UNESCO-listed canals—and glimpse some of the city’s top attractions—on this immersive boat tour. Choose from a convenient range of start times, meet your vessel in the city center, and grab your audio guide. As you sail through the city (spotting highlights like the Anne Frank House, Houseboat Museum, and more) learn the stories behind the sights.

Discover the beautiful city of Amsterdam, known as the ‘Venice of the North,’ from the water on this sightseeing cruise. Choose your preferred departure time from your chosen departure point and set off on the UNESCO-listed waterways aboard a glass-topped canal boat. Glide under pretty bridges, past 17th-century buildings and landmarks like the Anne Frank House, and learn about the city’s history from the audio guide.

See Amsterdam at your own pace with a hop-on hop-off bus or boat tour, including the option to combine both onto one ticket. Select a 24- or 48-hour ticket with several stops around town, enhanced by optional sightseeing around Amsterdam’s postcard-perfect network of waterways on the canal cruise. Pass by the Anne Frank House, National Maritime Museum, Heineken Experience, and eclectic neighborhoods like Jordaan and the historical Red Light District, where you can disembark to explore.

Experience three icons of the Dutch countryside—windmills, cheese, and wooden clogs—on a day trip from Amsterdam that saves you the stress of arranging logistics. Journey to the North Holland towns of Zaanse Schans and Volendam to view working windmills at an open-air museum, visit a dairy farm or cheese weighing house, step inside a clog factory, and enter a windmill. Learn more about Dutch culture than you would exploring alone.

Escape the bustling city and discover the car-free village of Giethoorn on a day trip from Amsterdam. Gain insight into the wetland from your guide as you drive past polders and dams, then board a cruise vessel to admire Giethoorn’s farmhouses, canals, and bridges from a traditional perspective. Enjoy hassle-free transfer to the outlying location with round-trip transport from central Amsterdam.

Discover Amsterdam from a fresh perspective—and check off many top city sights in one trip—aboard this canal sightseeing boat tour. Climb aboard an electric canalboat and cruise through the city's UNESCO–listed waterways. Relax over a drink and traditional Dutch snack (own expense) while exploring some of the oldest parts of the city. Learn about the history and architecture of Amsterdam from your guide as you go.

Explore Amsterdam the traditional way, by cruising through the city's canals. This cruise has a modern touch by taking you out onto the water in an electric-powered boat. Choose from two departure points, and make your way through Amsterdam, past historic buildings and lively neighborhoods. Your skipper-guide fills you in on the history of the city. Upgrade to include unlimited drinks.

Amsterdam's World War II history is woven through the Jewish Quarter, but the sites give little away without someone to explain what happened there. This small-group walking tour traces that history on foot, stopping at the Jewish Historical Museum, the Portuguese Synagogue, and the Auschwitz Monument, and covers events including the February Strike and the Winter of Hunger. It ends outside the Anne Frank House (entrance not included).

This award-winning Amsterdam canal cruise departs in the early morning, before the city comes alive. Marvel at the clear, mirrored reflections of canal homes on the water while you float past landmarks and your Amsterdam-raised captains narrate. You'll cruise on a historic, electric boat from 1928 that's hosted royals and has an open-air sundeck. Coffee, tea, and snacks are provided along with a cozy atmosphere on this small-group tour.

Discover the Dutch countryside on this full-day tour to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam, and Marken. Round-trip transfer from central Amsterdam ensures a hassle-free trip. See windmills, waterlands, cheese makers, and clog factories up close. Discover the region's rich history firsthand from a professional guide. The price includes tasters of cheese and other local produce, as well as interior tours. There's also an option to embark on a 1-hour canal sightseeing tour right after the tour, which ends at Amsterdam Central Station.

Dive deeper into Dutch traditions and the beauty of the Netherlands with this fascinating day trip from Amsterdam. A great way to learn more about the country, this full-day tour is led by a local insider who will take you to some of the best sightseeing spots in Giethoorn. You’ll also visit the historic windmill village of Zaanse Schans and swing by a cheese factory and wooden clog workshop.

Pair pizza with an evening cruise along Amsterdam’s canals and you have this dream of a dinner, perfect for the family. Admire Amsterdam’s top attractions from the water as you dig into delicious pizza and unlimited drinks. Onboard audio commentary and the city’s twinkling lights illuminate your Amsterdam canal cruise.

Combine two of Amsterdam’s top-selling experiences and save money with a Super Saver Heineken Experience and canal cruise package—a convenient and budget-friendly choice that’s ideal for first-time visitors. Guarantee your entry to the often sold-out Heineken Experience by booking in advance and get unobstructed views of Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed waterways, without the crowds on land, during a canal cruise—a quintessential Amsterdam experience.

Discover how Amsterdam earned the moniker "the Venice of the North" on this small-group combination tour. Starting with a walking tour through the city center, see the most important landmarks and go where guidebooks can't take you to discover the history of the city through your guide's stories. Afterward, explore its waterways on an open-boat canal cruise.

Admire Amsterdam's UNESCO–listed canals from the water's edge—and enjoy a fun-filled way to get the party started at the same time—on this open-air boat tour. Explore the neighborhoods and iconic views of Amsterdam, all while enjoying two complimentary alcoholic drinks provided on board. This tour is also smoke-friendly, so you're welcome to bring your coffee-shop purchases with you.