Amsterdam Canal Cruise

Amsterdam Central Station and the Old Harbour

The recommended departure point is right opposite Amsterdam Central Station, the neo-Renaissance station designed by Pierre Cuypers and opened in 1889. It stands on three artificial islands supported by thousands of wooden piles, and its red-brick facade is the first thing most visitors see of the city.

Starting here is ideal if you are arriving by train or staying in the centre. From the station the boat heads into the old harbour and then south into the canals. If you are asking how to get to Central Station, almost every tram, metro and ferry line in Amsterdam ends here, so it is the easiest boarding point for a boat tour in Amsterdam.

Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht

The three main canals of the ring were dug in the 17th century as a planned expansion of the city, and in 2010 the whole ensemble was listed by UNESCO. The Herengracht, the Gentlemen's Canal, was the most prestigious address; the Keizersgracht, the Emperor's Canal, is the widest; and the Prinsengracht, the Prince's Canal, has the liveliest mix of houseboats and cafés.

From the boat you notice details that are easy to miss on foot: the different gable shapes, the hoisting hooks under the roofs, and the houses that lean slightly forward. Look out for the view along the Reguliersgracht, where several bridges line up one behind the other, one of the classic postcard scenes of any Amsterdam canal tour.

The Rijksmuseum Departure Point

If you choose the Rijksmuseum option, you board close to the national museum of the Netherlands, also designed by Cuypers and opened in 1885. It holds around 8,000 objects on display, including Rembrandt's The Night Watch and Vermeer's The Milkmaid, and the passage through the building is one of the few in the world open to cyclists.

Many visitors combine Rijksmuseum tickets with a canal cruise on the same day: see the galleries in the morning, then rest your legs on the water in the afternoon. The Van Gogh Museum is just across Museumplein, so this departure point suits anyone planning a museum day.

The Anne Frank House Departure Point

The third option starts near the Anne Frank House on the Prinsengracht, next to the Westerkerk. Here Anne Frank wrote her world-famous diary while hiding with her family and four others in a secret annex from 1942 to 1944. The museum preserves the rooms behind the moving bookcase and tells their story with great care.

Anne Frank House tickets are released online only, for set time slots, and sell out quickly, so book them well before your trip. A cruise from this point fits neatly before or after your visit, and the surrounding Jordaan district is one of the most charming areas in Amsterdam to explore on foot.