Amsterdam: Light Festival Canal Cruise & Drinks Near Station

4.87

(200 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We’d just stepped onto the boat near Amsterdam Central Station, and I could already hear the gentle clink of glasses somewhere behind me. Our skipper — Bart, who wore this faded orange scarf like it was his lucky charm — waved us in with a grin and a “Welkom!” The air had that damp-cold feeling you only get in Dutch winters, but inside the boat it felt warm, almost conspiratorial. Someone handed me a little stroopwafel as we pushed off into the dark water, and honestly? That first sugary bite hit differently when you’re surrounded by reflections of neon art rippling across the canal.

I didn’t expect to laugh so much — Bart kept pointing out not just the illuminated sculptures floating along Herengracht or under the Skinny Bridge, but also these odd bits of Amsterdam trivia. (Apparently there’s a legend about lovers and that bridge? I sort of missed the ending because someone behind me tried to pronounce “Magere Brug” and everyone cracked up.) The drinks kept coming — wine for some, beer for others, soda for the kids — and at one point I caught myself just staring at the copper-green NEMO Science Museum as it loomed above us like some futuristic shipwreck. It smelled faintly of rain and old wood inside; outside, everything glowed blue or pink or gold.

We drifted quietly past the Basilica of St. Nicholas, its towers lit up against the night sky. There was this moment when Bart cut the engine for a second near Seven Bridges — total silence except for distant bikes rattling over cobblestones somewhere above us. I think that’s what stuck with me most: how even in a city buzzing with tourists and trams, you can find these pockets of hush where all you do is watch light flicker on water. So yeah, if you’re thinking about booking an Amsterdam Light Festival boat tour with drinks and snacks included… don’t overthink it. Just go float awhile.