GrachtenAmsterdam, Nederland
Floating life on
the old canals
Amsterdam's 165 canals stretch over 100 kilometres through the city. Nearly 2,500 houseboats line their banks, each one a home, a history, and a view unlike any other.
165
Canals
1,281
Bridges
2,500+
Houseboats
~400
Years of history
The water city
Carved by hand in the Golden Age
In the 17th century, Amsterdam's canal ring was dug by hand to drain the peat bog and create the trading city that would become the commercial capital of the world. The four main canals, Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, and Prinsengracht, still follow the same arcs dug four centuries ago.
UNESCO recognised the canal district as a World Heritage Site in 2010, preserving its intact merchant houses, drawbridges, and of course, its boats.
A quiet afternoon on the Prinsengracht
Home on the water
Every boat tells a story
From converted barges to purpose-built floating homes, no two houseboats are alike. They are workshops, family homes, studios, and floating gardens.
The Woonark
Wide-bodied river barges converted into full family homes, often with rooftop terraces and mooring gardens stretching to the quay.
The Tjalk
Traditional flat-bottomed Dutch sailing barges, now retired from cargo work and lovingly restored as permanent residences.
The Woonboot
Purpose-built floating homes, designed from the waterline up as residences, with terraces, flower boxes, and full city hookups.
The best spots
Where to see them
Prinsengracht
JordaanThe most atmospheric of the main canals. Tree-lined banks, leaning gabled houses, and a constant gentle procession of canal boats.
Herengracht
CentrumThe grandest canal, home to the Golden Bend and the finest 17th-century merchant houses. Best at dusk when the lights come on.
Entrepotdok
PlantageA row of converted warehouse quays lined with some of the most elaborately decorated houseboats in the city.
Brouwersgracht
Jordaan NorthOften called the most beautiful canal in Amsterdam. Where the Jordaan meets the IJ harbour and everything slows down.
Ready to drift through the city?
Whether you're visiting for a day or dreaming of a life on the water, Amsterdam's canals are waiting.
Get in touch