Amsterdam Canal Ring

There’s no place quite like Amsterdam.  What makes it so special (and why we loved it) is the canal ring around Amsterdam.  From our first walk along the canals, we had fallen deeply in love.

The 165 canals are criss-crossed by bridges.  Getting lost in the canal ring was the best way to see the city.  Wandering along the canals, we explored shops and stopped at local cafes and restaurants to eat Dutch food.

The highlight is the 75-minute canal cruise.  It was the best way to explore the canals and take in the city’s unique architecture.  The best views are from boat-level!

Arguably, the most famous site within the canal ring is the Anne Frank House.  In the secret attic, the Frank family hid from the German Gestapo for 25 months.  Frank’s autobiography was mandatory reading for us in school, so we were thrilled to see the small attic annex.  It was a sad experience, but important.

The curious church of Our Lord in the Attic was another favorite destination for us in the canal zone.  The protestant church, a clandestine church, hidden in plain sight for over 200 years, was a remarkable experience.

The impressive canal ring inspired similar canal projects in other cities around the Netherlands.  We loved seeing Delft, Haarlem, and other cities.  Amsterdam makes a great base for day-trips around the Netherlands.