Why
Dutch canals
are special

Holland has a vast network of centuries-old canals that are still used to drain water from below-sea-level farmlands and to transport people and cargo. They pass through tranquil country-scapes and Amsterdam's photogenic rows of city mansions.

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Canals of Amsterdam
tips & insights

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Best 3 Canals
for sightseeing

They are the Herengracht, Keizergracht and Prinsengracht. These 17th-century waterways form concentric half circles around Amsterdam's inner core.

The Herengracht is especially noted for its Golden Bend stretch. Both banks sport grand houses built by rich merchants.

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Boats

A half-day canal sightseeing outing is a must to enjoy the squat picturesque bridges and the 17th-century residences and commercial buildings lining the narrow canals. These tours take you back in time.

You can also book accommodations on a houseboat docked along the banks.

And, from Amsterdam, you can take a river cruise as far as the Black Sea. Click Rhine/Danube cruise to read my web page on that all-water journey.

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More pointers

Photographing

Bridges generally offer the best vantages for capturing the canals.

Sunny midday is ideal for shooting because the overhead solar light bathes the canyon-like setting.

Parades

Two famous annual parades - Queen's Day and Gay Pride - use the canal as a street. Hundreds of thousands of people line the banks and bridges to view the passing parade boats. The events take on a festive carnival spirit.

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Related web pages

Canals are just one of the nation's three primary flood-management methods. Click Dutch Dikes and Dutch Windmills to read my pages on those two wonders.

Wonders of Holland - Home page

World's Top 100 Wonders

World's Top 1000 Wonders

Site map

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Netherlands Board of Tourism

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Canal photo by Phault - CC BY 2.0

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