Amsterdam is impossible to imagine without canals; this is a local attraction that is both a reason to visit and a means of transportation at the same time. The tradition of taking cruises along the smooth waters of the canals appeared in 1621, when Queen Elizabeth Stuart was granted the honor of "sailing into" the city in a procession of festively decorated Admiralty schooners. Thousands of Amsterdam residents welcomed the queen from the shore and from the bridges.
Since then, a lot of water has flowed through the canals of Amsterdam. And there are no longer exclusive royal privileges for such cruises. Anyone who wishes can afford various kinds of water excursions to suit every taste.
Now about two hundred specialized vessels provide sightseeing tourist excursions along the canals. In 2014, all ships switched to electricity, which added a special charm to the cruises - because now only the quiet splash of water can be heard overboard, rather than the noise of engines, as it was before.
A particularly interesting option is the boats of Amsterdam. A huge number of small boats offer private cruises of various kinds, individual or group trips.
