A city steeped in cultural traditions that date back to its early beginnings as a fishing village, Amsterdam offers wonderful canal cruises. Quite possibly Amsterdam’s most compelling attraction, the canals provide an easy way to see most of the city in a couple of hours.

Several different boat companies provide tours that often come with a multi-lingual guide. Most boats are equipped to seat approximately 40 passengers. Amsterdam City Tours features several themed canal cruises that are explored here.

What an enchanted, romantic evening you can have on the 2 hour-long Candlelight Cruise that gently glides you through the illuminated canals of Amsterdam. As you enjoy the sights of the city from your glass-enclosed seating arrangement, indulge in a bit of red or white wine and a savory taste of cheese. As your multi-lingual host points out many of the city’s finer points, your memories of this journey will be forged forever in your mind. This canal cruise is offered daily starting at the Central Station directly across from the Victoria Hotel.

What could be better than a delicious meal set with the background of scenery that just seems to float away? The Traditional Dinner Cruise is one of the most popular cruises, offering 2.5 hours of enjoyment as you glide along Amsterdam’s delightful waterways. If you can pull your eyes away from the gorgeous scenery, a 4-course gourmet dinner is served right in the comfort of your glass-enclosed seating arrangement aboard the motor launch. Included with the meal is a fine selection of red or white wine, beer, coffee, soft drinks, and an after-dinner liqueur. This canal cruise is offered daily starting at the Central Station directly across from the Victoria Hotel.

Offered only on Saturdays, the Canal Pizza Cruise takes you on a 1.5-hour journey that includes freshly baked Domino’s pizza and assorted beverages. Order your pizza as you board the boat. This nighttime canal cruise starts at the landing stage for canal buses across from the Rijksmuseum.

The Blue Boat brunch cruise, where a luxurious party vessel is ready to take you on a 2-hour cruise through beautiful Amsterdam while you enjoy a tasty brunch menu is also a very nice way to spend your Sunday afternoon.

If you are looking for something that provides an opportunity for you to explore more of Amsterdam than the canals, you should consider the 2-Day Canal Bus Hop On Hop Off Service. It includes 14 exciting stops with 3 different routes: green line, red line, and blue line. Plus, this bargain is offered daily. What better way to get to major attractions, museums, and shopping areas than from the comfort of a canal bus?

Recently added canal travelers of the canals of Amsterdam are the Canal Hoppers. Friendly to the environment, the electric boats can be hired for private outings. Unfortunately, these boats can only accommodate a maximum of 12 persons.

Luxurious saloon steamers also offer an opportunity for a delightful getaway. In fact, their lavish style makes them the perfect spot to give a marriage proposal, have an intimate wedding ceremony, or conduct business. Lunches are available most days and dinners are served on warm, summer evenings.

This is just a mere sampling of what the canals of Amsterdam have to offer its guests. As you can see, the variety is sufficient enough to merit more than one journey along the fascinating Amsterdam canals.

Submitted by: Bernie Jong Offering Canal cruises in Amsterdam, AmsterdamCityTours has a wide selection of canal and dinnner cruises in Amsterdam