playbook
Renting a boat on the Amsterdam canals
Step aboard a rental boat and spend a day cruising through the Amsterdam canals, past canal houses, bridges, and mooring spots for a lunch stop.
8u
duration
€ 150–300
budget
Ignite
pace
A full day on the Amsterdam canals gives you the time to venture well beyond the busiest tour boat routes. Many rental companies are based around Westerpark, het Marineterrein, or the Houthavens and rent out boats for eight hours or more. Book at least three to four weeks ahead for weekends between May and September, as popular boats go fast. If you rent a boat without a sailing licence, you are limited to twenty kilometres per hour, which is more than enough in a city where six kilometres already feels quick.
A great route takes you along the Brouwersgracht, through the canal ring, past the Magere Brug, and back via the Amstel. Plan a lunch stop at a terrace on the Prinsengracht or at het Marineterrein, and factor in lock fees at some of the old city sluices. Expect to pay between one hundred and fifty and three hundred euros per day, plus a deposit and fuel. Bring sunscreen, water, and a light jacket, even in July.
Checklist
0 of 7
Sloep en blok geboekt
ID en pinpas mee
Route op de kaart gezet
Lunchstop in gedachten
Zonnebrand en water mee
Brugopeningen gecheckt
Schipper afgesproken
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by PlayTryBe team
Book three to four weeks ahead with a rental company around Westerpark, het Marineterrein, or the Houthavens.
Follow the instructions at the jetty, and ask about right of way, bridge heights, and lock rules on the city canals.
Head along the Brouwersgracht into the canal ring, and take your time to soak in the canal house facades.
Moor up halfway through for lunch, a terrace on the Prinsengracht or at het Marineterrein works out nicely.
Loop back via the Magere Brug and the Amstel, and duck into quieter side canals when the main waterways get busy.
Return the boat clean, top up the fuel if needed, and check how the deposit is settled.
For anyone copying this
Do as we did
Suggestions
- Cruise counter-clockwise through the canal ring, as that is the official direction of travel.
- Avoid the Reguliersgracht during peak season, it gets very busy.
- Book a boat with Bluetooth and a bimini top for changeable weather.
- Check before you set off whether there are any events or bridge openings planned.
- Leave at least two hours for the return trip, traffic jams on the water are a real thing.
Variations
- - Kies een ochtendstart om de drukte voor te zijn en koffie aan boord te drinken.
- - Combineer met een wandeling door de Jordaan voor of na het varen.
- - Boek een fluisterboot voor stillere doorgang langs woonboten.
- - Plan een omloop via het IJ en de Houthavens in plaats van de centrumgrachten.