Lovers Canal Cruises

Lovers has been sailing Amsterdam's canals since 1956, which makes it one of the longest-established canal cruise companies in the city. It operates a silent fleet of electric boats, which run without emissions, and offers a wide range of cruises from several departure points: Central Station, the Rijksmuseum, Leidseplein and the Anne Frank House.

The core product is the Classic One Hour Amsterdam Canal Cruise, an easy introduction that takes in the canal ring, its bridges and gabled houses, and the harbour. For those who want more, there are themed cruises, including an open-boat tour with drinks, a pizza cruise and a pancake cruise on the IJ river, each lasting about 75 minutes or less, as well as 90-minute wine and cheese, Dutch breakfast and apple pie cruises. The two-hour dinner cruise is the longest standard option. Combination tickets pair a canal cruise with entry to a museum or attraction, and a hop-on hop-off bus combination lasts 24 hours.

A canal cruise suits almost every visitor, and it is a particularly good choice on a first day, for families with children who are tired of walking, or for anyone with limited mobility who wants to see the centre without long walks. The themed food cruises work well for couples and groups of friends.

Book online through the company's website, where departure times and current cruises are listed, and choose the departure point closest to where you are staying. Daytime cruises are the best for photographs, while evening and dinner cruises show the canals lit up. In winter, the company also runs cruises during the Amsterdam Light Festival. Allow time to reach the departure point, especially from the busy area around Central Station, and check which pier your cruise leaves from before you set off.

Because departures are spread across the centre, a Lovers cruise is easy to slot into a day of sightseeing. The Central Station departure suits travellers arriving by train, the Rijksmuseum stop is convenient after a morning at the museums on Museumplein, and the Anne Frank House departure is close to the Jordaan and the Westerkerk. Combine a morning cruise with lunch in the canal ring for a gentle first day.