The Dutch Canals

Cruise the Dutch Waterways to see Windmills & Tulips in Spring

About The Dutch Canals

In Dutch a canal is a gracht (pronounced ‘khrakht’) and the main canals form the central grachtengordel (canal ring).
They may seem simply picturesque, but Amsterdam’s Canal Ring, built during the Golden Age of the early 1600s, is an extraordinary achievement, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. With 165 canals spanned by 1753 bridges, more than any other city in the world, Amsterdam is truly a city like no other.
The canals of Amsterdam are but a few of the multitudes of canals that bisect The Netherlands that were built not for decorative reasons, but were critical for transportation and for keeping the sea at bay; today they offer a romantic backdrop for a journey filled with history, art, architecture, world-class cuisine, and, most famously in the springtime, tulips.
Still used for pleasure cruising as well as commercial transport, Holland and Belgium’s ultramodern river cruising boulevards are still full of life, with people working, shopping, and living their lives. Cruising with them, aboard a stylish and comfortable river cruise ship, offers the kind of up close and intimate perspective only available from the water. Each spring these tranquil waterways are your host to the millions of tulips and other flowers that bloom as they welcome the warmth of seasons changing.

Dutch Canal Stats

Length: More than 3,800 miles of navigable waterways in a country about the size of Maryland
Depth: Various depths
Source: More than 150 different canals and rivers
Mouth: Most waterways of The Netherlands empty into the North Sea
Locks: 96 navigable locks
Countries: The Netherlands

Your Dutch Waterways Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Dutch Waterways Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.