places stay amsterdam: 7-Day Netherlands Canal Tour and Itinerary
The Dutch began building canals as soon as they started reclaiming land from water. These canals serve as both beautiful vacation scenery and tools for irrigation and drainage. The renowned Amsterdam canals originated from excellent urban planning (ensuring the Dutch live above water level), and the cities of Leiden and Delft also incorporated canal transportation into their urban planning. Follow our 7-day itinerary, leisurely glide under ancient bridges by boat, or stroll along the canals to appreciate the unique charming Dutch scenery!
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Day 1
Boat Tour
Amsterdam World Heritage Canal Belt
Route: Boat tour of Amsterdam → Visit the Singel Flower Market → Dutch Canal Cruise → Skinny Bridge
8:00 AM—2:00 PM
The symbol of Amsterdam is undoubtedly its ancient canals. With 165 canals, 90 islands, and 1,281 bridges throughout the city, the crisscrossing waterways divide Amsterdam’s various districts, making it a veritable “Venice of the North.” Across from Central Station is the terminal for larger canal cruises. To truly understand Amsterdam and appreciate the scenery of this water city, taking a regular sightseeing boat tour is the best approach. The boat tour lasts about an hour, during which you can not only visit Amsterdam’s main attractions but also enjoy glimpses of daily life along the banks. What you can’t miss are the unique gabled houses along the canals. These were once the mansions of wealthy merchants from the Golden Age and now serve as headquarters for major banks and corporations. The rows of colorful houses, painted in reds and greens, resemble a fairy-tale world.
Arriving at the Amsterdam Singel Flower Market (Singel Bloemenmarkt) in the morning, my whole mood brightened up. “The world’s only floating flower market,” isn’t this title attractive enough for you? Singel Flower Street was established in 1862, and along the Singel Canal, the entire street is an ocean of flowers, with various shops selling flowers, plants, and seeds gathered together. The small shops selling flowers are located on boats. This is a must-visit flower street for flower lovers, with fragrant aromas filling and spreading everywhere. Here, while wandering through the sea of flowers, you can also purchase inexpensive tourist souvenirs. Every December when Christmas arrives, Singel Flower Street also sells Christmas trees.
Tip
The Floating Holland Tour utilizes amphibious buses that are rare worldwide for sightseeing. The bus can travel on both streets and canals. Whatever your reason for coming to Amsterdam, this tour is not to be missed. The Floating Holland Tour departs from the Van Gogh Café in the city center, with the entire journey taking about two hours. The bus first travels on land to reach the NEMO Science Museum, from where it directly enters the canal. The bus travels in the canal for about 45 minutes, crossing several famous canals in Amsterdam, then heads to the Amstel River and the Skinny Bridge, from where the magnificent Royal Theatre Carré can be seen in full view. The bus drives to the City Hall to turn around, returns to the NEMO Science Museum, leaves the water, and follows the original route back to the Van Gogh Café.
PM2:00—PM7:00
Spanning the Amstel River and built in 1672, the Skinny Bridge should be considered Amsterdam’s most famous bridge. The name ‘Skinny Bridge’ originates from an interesting anecdote: it is said that two sisters named Mager who lived on opposite banks of the Amstel River built this bridge to facilitate visits to each other. When the Skinny Bridge was first built, even pedestrians had difficulty passing through, but over the centuries, the bridge has been widened several times. The last time was in 1871. The Magere Brug is deeply popular with everyone, especially when night falls and the bridge is adorned with lights, making it even more dazzling.
Day2
Utrecht Rhine River Cruise
Route: Utrecht Rhine River Cruise → American Steakhouse Broadway Restaurant
AM8:00—PM7:00
A boat is the best means of transportation for touring Utrecht. Cruising along the canals, you can see both banks lined with brick wharves and cavernous cellars. These cellars were once used to store goods shipped from the Rhine and Flanders, and now almost all have been converted into restaurants and bars. Don’t miss the several medieval houses along the canal. Oudaen at No. 99 was built in 1320; the original building was destroyed during a factional war triggered by hooks and sturgeons, and what you see now is a restoration. While on your boat tour, pay attention to the unassuming lampposts along both sides of the canal. Beneath each post, there is a stone slab engraved with events or stories that took place at that particular location. For instance, above the fish market, there’s a fish-pattern carving, which is quite fascinating. Paddling a pedal boat on the canals of Utrecht also gives you a wonderful sense of leisure, as if you’ve stolen half a day from your busy life. Watching tourists come and go along the shore is incredibly pleasant.
Tip
The canals in Utrecht are different from those in other places. The canals are far below the roads on both sides, directly connecting to the boardwalks. By taking stairs down to the boardwalks, you can walk along the canals and look up to see cyclists speeding by on the streets, which is a unique experience. There are many restaurants and cafes along both sides of the boardwalks, with American Steakhouse Broadway being one of them. The restaurant’s specialty is delicious steaks, and whether dining in the industrial-style interior or choosing outdoor seating, it’s a great experience.
Website: www.steaksandribs.nl
Day3
Picturesque
Delft Canals
Route: Tour the oldest canal, Old Delft
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
The canals of Delft were part of the original urban planning. They not only served defensive purposes but were also the lifeline of the entire city, facilitating the transportation of goods, people’s travel, and supplies. The word Delft itself is derived from “delven,” meaning to dig. The oldest canal is the Old Delft, and over the past 750 years, the entire city has expanded along it. Other city canals, or grachten, remain the lifelines of the city. Today, Delft’s canals still serve their original transportation functions and also provide water supply, ensuring that water is kept away from residential areas. The people of Delft are always proud of this and often take water taxis or private boats for tours. To visit the city streets or bridges over the water, it’s best to walk or cycle, creating picturesque scenes.
Day 4
Water Experience
University City Leiden
Route: Water Experience in University City Leiden → Stroll along the Rapenburg Canal
8:00 AM—7:00 PM
Following Amsterdam, Leiden is another city with many bridges, canals, and tree-lined avenues. Here there are 28 kilometers of waterways worth visiting, as well as 88 bridges. Leiden offers rich cuisine and an extremely charming city center, with hundreds of ancient castles, national monuments, and churches standing tall, creating Leiden’s unique and charming landscape. In the 17th century, Leiden was an important and prosperous city in the Netherlands, nurturing many great artists, including Rembrandt. Walking through the city of Leiden, the atmosphere of history is palpable. The picturesque university town of Leiden, with its numerous canals, almshouses, and museums, takes pride in its cafes and restaurants in the city center. Rapenburg Canal: If you haven’t taken a walk along the most beautiful canal in the city, you can’t say you’ve truly visited Leiden. The Rapenburg is Leiden’s city canal, flowing past many castles. In the 18th century, geographers once voted it the most beautiful place in the world. Walking along the canal, you can also admire manors, ancient buildings, the National Museum of Antiquities, the Leiden University Botanical Garden, and the Siebold House Museum.
Day 5
Water Paradise
Friesland Province
Route: Leeuwarden, European Capital of Culture 2018 → Sneek Lake for water sports
8:00 AM—2:00 PM
Friesland province is located in the northern part of the Netherlands. Cities such as Amsterdam and Rotterdam have trains heading to Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland province. It is only about an hour and a half’s drive from Schiphol Airport. Friesland is known as a water paradise, with lakes, canals, ditches, ponds and rivers intricately intertwined and connected. Thousands of boaters and tourists come to experience the unique water wonders. Tour around, experience water sports, and admire the extraordinary flora and fauna. In summer, boat tours are undoubtedly the best choice. The cruise boats move slowly, allowing you to enjoy the beautiful scenery on both banks in the sunlight. In winter, it becomes an excellent skating destination. Put on a pair of skates and you can skate freely on the frozen canals. Every year, the European Union selects some cities as “European Capitals of Culture”. In 2018, Leeuwarden in the Netherlands was elected. As the capital of Friesland, Leeuwarden has a historic city center with more than 800 historical monuments and unique modern architecture. There is also the World Heritage Wadden Sea waiting for you to explore. Throughout the year, multiple festivals showcase the charm of Dutch culture, come and see its splendor.
2:00 PM—7:00 PM
Sneekermeer (Snake Lake) is one of the most famous lakes in Friesland province. It originated from medieval peat extraction and is now equipped with all the water sports facilities that water sports enthusiasts need. From swimming, water skiing, and surfing to sailing competitions and recreational yachting, all kinds of water sports are available. Of course, besides Sneekermeer, many other lakes are also worth visiting. Friesland has a total of 35 lakes with a total surface area of 9,300 hectares. This area and its vicinity are home to the Southwest Friesland National Landscape, Noardlike Fryske National Landscape, Lauwersmeer National Park (Lauwersmeer, Schiermonnikoog), Schiermonnikoog Island National Park, Drents-Friese Wold National Park, and De Alde Feanen National Park.
Day6
Canal tour of Giethoorn
Route: Canal tour of Giethoorn → Visit miniature museum → Eat pancakes at t’Zwaantje restaurant
AM8:00—PM7:00
Giethoorn, located in the De Wieden nature reserve in northeastern Netherlands, is more than 100 kilometers from Amsterdam. The best way to experience Giethoorn with its crisscrossing waterways is, of course, to take a canal tour. The village houses in Giethoorn are all built along the canals, lined up in a row, and punting is the main mode of transportation here. Giethoorn is known as the Venice of the North and is also acclaimed as the Venice of the Netherlands. The unique folk houses, with their round roofs covered with reeds, overlooking the adjacent canals, are a source of pride for the villagers. The canals were excavated centuries ago to transport coal, and the main lakes of Giethoorn from east to south are all thanks to its coal industry. The pastoral village exudes a charming rural atmosphere, and the arrival of autumn and winter makes it even more quiet and charming. Along the banks, there are also many miniature museums, several of which display and sell shell products, porcelain items, etc.
Tip
Take a boat tour through Giethoorn, accompanied by traditional Giethoorn pancakes. The restaurant t’Zwaantje at the village entrance bus station has a history of over eighty years. Here they offer nearly thirty different flavors of pancakes, including original, double cheese, blueberry, and bacon flavors, all of which are excellent. The restaurant maintains its traditional decor, with a strong rustic charm yet classical atmosphere. If you love food, you must come and give it a try.
Website: www.zwaantje.net
Day7
Three Water Experiences in Rotterdam
Route: Three Water Experiences in Rotterdam → Hotel New York → SS Rotterdam
AM8:00—PM2：00
Rotterdam, as the estuary of the Rhine River and a key waterway in Europe, has been known as the ‘Gateway to Europe’ since ancient times. There are three types of water transportation to choose from. The first is the water taxi that you can hail at any time, which is actually a speedboat that can reach many attractions in Rotterdam. If you want to experience something magical, you can choose the second option, the amphibious bus. The yellow bus, after touring the attractions on land, dives into the Maas River like a duck, instantly transforming into a tour boat to continue enjoying the beautiful scenery of Rotterdam on the water. If you want to enjoy food and wine while on a cruise, then you can choose the third option, the Spido boat tour. The round trip takes about 75 minutes, operates almost year-round, and offers various opportunities to enjoy fine food and wine along the way.
Tip
Take a water taxi from the Erasmus Bridge to visit the world-famous Hotel New York. This was originally the headquarters of the Holland America Line, witnessing countless people with dreams leaving Rotterdam for the United States. In the early 1990s, it was decided to convert this place into a hotel, which is the Hotel New York we see today. In the hotel’s restaurant, there is an oyster bar offering various fresh shellfish, where you can enjoy a wonderful seafood feast.
2:00 PM—7:00 PM
The ms Rotterdam is now permanently moored at the third berth of Katendrechtse Hoofd. It is the largest ship in Dutch history, measuring 228 meters in length and 28 meters in width, with the same overall dimensions as the Titanic. This former maritime giant has now become a rather luxurious hotel. After enjoying a seafood feast, come here for a refined afternoon tea, and while immersing yourself in the only preserved transatlantic steamship, a sense of comfort naturally arises.
If you are going to the Netherlands, be sure to spend a wonderful time at the canals. The history of the canals is deeply intertwined with urban development, making it an indispensable part of any tour itinerary.
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