Small Boat Canal Cruise with Cheese Tasting in French Amsterdam

Oosterdok and Amsterdam Centraal Station

The cruise starts on the Oosterdok, the broad harbour basin just east of Amsterdam Centraal Station. In the 19th century this was a busy dock for merchant ships; today it is framed by modern landmarks such as the city's central public library and the green, ship-shaped science museum rising over the entrance to the IJ tunnel. Moored along the quays are historic vessels and houseboats, and the pier is one of the calmest departure points in the centre.

From here the boat passes close to Centraal Station, the neo-Renaissance terminal of 1889 that stands on three artificial islands. The guide explains how the station cut the old city off from its harbour and why the Dutch built on wooden piles driven deep into the soft ground. It is a good introduction to the city, and the guide also shares practical tips on where to eat during your stay.

The Jordaan, the Nine Streets and the Westerkerk

The small boat then slips into the Jordaan, the 17th-century district of craftsmen and workers whose narrow canals, such as the Bloemgracht and the Egelantiersgracht, are too tight for the large glass-roofed tour boats. This is where the size of this boat makes the difference: you pass within arm's reach of houseboats, low bridges and leaning facades. The guide tells the story of the quarter, its markets and its hidden courtyards.

Along the Prinsengracht rises the Westerkerk, completed in 1631, the tallest church tower in Amsterdam. Beside it stands the Anne Frank House museum, seen here from the water; if you want to visit inside, book tickets online well ahead. Nearby, the Nine Streets cross the canals with their small shops and cafés, a great place to wander after the cruise. This is one of the most photogenic parts of any Amsterdam canal cruise.

The Oude Kerk and the medieval centre

The route also reaches the oldest part of the city, where the Oude Kerk was consecrated in 1306. It is the oldest building in Amsterdam, a vast Gothic church with a wooden vaulted ceiling and a floor of tombstones, standing among narrow streets that follow the lines of the medieval dykes. From the boat you see how close the houses stand to the water and how the city grew outward from this core.

The guide uses this stretch to explain the city's origins as a fishing settlement on the Amstel, its rise during the Golden Age and the role of trade, religion and tolerance in shaping it. The canals here are older and narrower than those of the main ring, and the small electric boat glides through them quietly, without the engine noise that larger boats bring.

The Amstel and the Magere Brug

Leaving the old centre, the boat comes out onto the Amstel, the river that gave the city its name. Here you pass the Magere Brug, the Skinny Bridge, a white wooden double drawbridge whose current version dates from 1934 and which is still opened by hand to let boats through. Lit at night, it is one of the most recognisable images of Amsterdam, and it looks particularly striking from water level.

On the riverbanks stand the Royal Theater Carré, built in 1887 as a circus building, and the long 17th-century Amstelhof, now a museum. The river is wider and calmer, which makes it the ideal moment to enjoy the cheese tasting: typically young and aged Gouda, Edam and spiced cheeses, which the guide presents while explaining how Dutch cheese is made and how to buy it during your stay.

Entrepotdok and the eastern docks

The final part of the route heads east to the Entrepotdok, a long row of warehouses built between 1827 and 1840 as a bonded depot where goods were stored free of import duties. Once one of the largest warehouse complexes in Europe, it has been converted into apartments and offices, while houseboats and small gardens line the water, creating one of the most peaceful canal scenes in the city.

This eastern side of Amsterdam is little visited by the large tour boats, and seeing it gives a fuller picture of the city's maritime past. In winter, from late November to mid-January, the cruise follows the route of the Amsterdam Light Festival, when artworks of light are installed along the canals. The boat then returns to the Oosterdok pier, about 90 minutes after departure.