Open Boat Cruise through Amsterdam’s Hidden Waterways

Step up to an open-air canal adventure and experience Amsterdam from a fresh vantage point. A local skipper narrates every twist and turn as you glide through peaceful waterways often too narrow for larger vessels—perfect for seeing the city in a new light.

Details

Board a compact, open-air electric boat and let your captain guide you through Amsterdam’s quieter canals—places often missed by traditional cruises. The compact boat’s nimble design allows for a graceful journey through slender waterways and historic neighbourhoods, offering unique views around every corner.

As you move through the canal system, your captain shares stories of the city’s architecture, traditions, and everyday life in a warm and engaging style. Whether it’s the rhythm of cyclists passing along the banks, reflections of golden-age canal houses in the still water, or hidden treasures tucked away behind narrow bridges—you’ll notice the subtler rhythms of the city.

This cruise passes beloved landmarks like the Anne Frank House and Westerkerk, but the real charm lies in the unexpected moments—the quiet courtyards, lesser-known alleys, and tranquil corners where Amsterdam feels particularly authentic.

Your motor boat

Important Info

• You can cancel your cruise until 24 hours prior to departure
• If the boat is not running due to bad weather conditions, your ticket can be switched to a regular City Canal Cruise voucher on the spot or your time slot can be moved. Bad weather conditions will not be a reason to refund
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What is included in activity

75-minute open boat canal cruise
Live guide

What is not included

Drinks and snacks
1 hr 15 min
Group size up to 15 persons
Mobile ticket
English
Full refund for cancellations up to 24 hours
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance to receive a full refund

Meeting point

The meeting point is at the Blue Boat Company. The dock is located opposite the Hard Rock Cafe. Take tram 1, 2, 5, 11, or 12 and stop at Leidseplein. From there, the dock is a 2 minute walk.

Places you will see

• Anne Frank House
• Westerkerk

Reviews by travellers

4.7 out of 5
775 reviews
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Roy W.
Nice sailing. Stories by guide more suitable for tourists and less for Dutch/Amsterdammers
2 days ago
Jason D.
It was an entertaining trip through Amsterdam. We were very lucky with the weather and had a friendly guide. Unfortunately, his English wasn't very good, so my 14-year-old son couldn't understand much, even though his English is quite good.
7 days ago
TheOkluckej
Captain was good fun, that's what made the trip really outstanding. Photo here is missleading, boat looks very different from what you see in pictures here. Guide was half moderated by the captain and half multilingual records (this was also not expected, but nevermind we were ok with that afterall) It's a charming ride through the canals and with good captain it is a great experience.
9 days ago
Joe
Open boat, canals of Amsterdam, perfect evening.
11 days ago
Marilie
This was a fantastic boat cruise through the Amsterdam canals. Our guide told us interesting stories about the history of the city and made it a great experience!
14 days ago
Nicki
The weather was a bit rainy so we were given the option to move to a closed boat, but decided not to and were really pleased we didn’t. We ended up as three on the boat (my daughter and I and one other) and it was a great trip. Hans was a great guide too.
15 days ago
Bruce
Excellent introduction to Amsterdam. Beautiful sunny day. Not sure how it would be in the rain.
about 1 month ago
Lisa
Mac the guide was excellent. The open boat tour is the way to go. Easy to take photos and you can even stand up to take a photo. You can also go on the smaller canals.
about 2 months ago
Matthew J.
The trip was great. We saw beautiful canals and buildings. We also got some interesting information from the guide. Since we have already been on a canal trip, we know that the guide could have told us a lot more about Amsterdam. That was a bit of a shame.
about 2 months ago
Aakansha
Great cruise and guide. Very knowledgeable about the history of Amsterdam with a great sense of humour. Would definitely recommend!
about 2 months ago
Route details changed.
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