A canal tour is a great way to start viewing
the city and it's probably the best approach to Amsterdam. After
all the city was founded and has developed around its canals and
there's nothing like a boat trip to give you a feel of Amsterdam.
There are lots of places to board the canal tours, several cruise
companies that run tours and many different itineraries to choose
from. We took ours from across the Centraal Station, where there
were boat tours departing every hour. I don't remember how much
we payed but it was worth it. They had an English-speaking guide
who gave good information about the city. The tour allows you to
see most of the highlights of the city. It does feel a bit like
mass tourism at first but as soon as you start seeing the beautiful
houses that line the canals and the boat-houses and the bridges
you'll start enjoying the experience.
