Amsterdam 2023: canal boat trip

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Greenwoods, Keizersgracht

When we arrived in Amsterdam, our landlady recommended the café immediately across the canal from us, Greenwoods. We hadn’t yet been, so on the last morning we packed up our belongings and headed over for breakfast. What a spread!

John’s breakfast
Anabel’s breakfast

What to do next? Our flight wasn’t till mid-afternoon. Well, have you even been to Amsterdam if you haven’t taken a canal boat-trip? Well, yes actually – often we don’t. But with a reasonably short time to fill on a fairly miserable morning it seemed like a good option. So after wrestling with the left-luggage system at Central Station we crossed to Damrak and looked for a boat that would be departing soon.

We were on W. A. Mozart

Then we just sat back and let the city pass by, savouring some of the landmarks we had visited earlier in the week from another angle. Here are St Nicholas Church and Scheepvarthuis (Shipping House). The latter was built in two stages between 1913 and 1928 as the headquarters of six leading Amsterdam shipping companies, and is now a grand hotel. Its interior is supposed to be as decorative as its exterior, though we’ve never been in – maybe next time!

St Nicholas Church
Scheepvarthuis

Montelbaanstoren, a row on Amstel known as the dancing houses, and an elaborate house on Herengracht:

Montelbaanstoren
Dancing houses
Herengracht 579-581

Some views as we passed under a set of bridges on Herengracht:

Canal bridges on Herengracht
Canal bridges on Herengracht
Canal bridges on Herengracht

Sixteenth century houses on Herengracht:

House on Herengracht dated 1590
House on Herengracht dated 1580

Some more modern buildings now as we look over to Amsterdam-Noord. The low white building is the EYE Film Institute and the A’DAM Tower next to it is where we went on the giant swing a few years ago. In fact, if you enlarge the first picture you can see there are people swinging out over the void. The swing is visible top right of the building in the second picture – it’s either moving backwards or the occupants are getting off. I’m glad I did this once, but I’m not sure I’d want to do it again!

EYE and A’DAM Tower
A’DAM Tower

Finally, as we returned to Damrak we passed our old favourite, the Victoria Hotel.

Victoria Hotel
Victoria Hotel

And that was it! We retrieved our luggage and took the train to Schipol for our flight back to Glasgow having had a wonderful week. Can’t wait to go back!

Netherlands ,

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  4. Looks like a very nice way to top off your week in Amsterdam. I have done the canal tour a few times (once at night and once during the day) but if I remember correctly I have always done it while on business with colleagues or with hosts to our various meetings…(Suzanne

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  7. Now that’s what I call a hearty breakfast! It looks delicious. I can’t think of a better way to spend a last day in Amsterdam than a relaxing boat ride along the canals, taking in the sights one last time.

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  8. We often used to opt for a big breakfast when at a B&B it sets you up for the day. No need for food until the evening. I have had a great week of virtual travel on a river this week. First London with Margaret and now Amsterdam. Those houses are stunning. I love Dutch gables.

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  9. All good fun and on a cold dreary day we would’ve opted for the canal boat trip or a museum. What’s wrong with scoffing a good hearty breakfast especially on holiday when you’re doing lots of walking and talking, it’s exhausting work.

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  14. Hi, Anabel – When we lived in Beijing, Richard and I were scheduled to go to Amsterdam as part of his work trip. Then SARS happened and the whole trip was off at the very last minute. I am not sure why we never (yet) planned a do-over trip there. Your beautiful photos have now placed Amsterdam back on my bucket list. :D

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  19. Wow, that’s certainly some breakfast, how on earth did you manage to eat all that?! The canal boat trip looks a good way of passing some time though personally I would prefer to do it on a sunny day.

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  20. I remember doing a canal boat trip similar to this on our long-ago visit to Amsterdam and it does seem a good option for a spare dull morning. The giant swing has intrigued me, I think I might have to try it if ever I’m in the city again!

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  21. Hi Anabel – I can understand why you want to go back … there seems to be so much to do – and it’s easy to get around in a variety of ‘travel pods’ … it does look chilly though – but that breakfast would have sent me off to a bed (if I had one) – it looks delicious and certainly filling ready for the day you had ahead. Cheers Hilary

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