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Amsterdam Canal Cruise: Cheese Tasting & Wine at Sunset

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Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/12

Duration1h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Four cheeses and candlelit canals: the evening boat ride Amsterdam does best

You’ll float through Amsterdam’s canals with local hosts pouring unlimited drinks and serving four kinds of Dutch cheese. Expect stories about bridges and canal houses, soft candlelight on old water, and moments when the city feels like it’s letting you in for real.

Step-by-step itinerary

Board cozy Dutch Sloep boat
Set sail through Amsterdam canals
Enjoy traditional cheese tasting
Savor four Dutch cheeses
Pass by Red Light District
View Old Church architecture
See Sea Palace Restaurant
Pass NEMO Science Museum
View Waterlooplein Market
Pass Stopera cultural complex
See Dancing Houses at Damrak
Glide along Herengracht canal
Pass Sevenbridges in Jordaan
View Prinsengracht canal
Pass Amstel River
See Magere Brug bridge
Pass Rokin street

The Experience

The first thing that hit me was the smell — not the cheese (that came later), but this cool, slightly damp scent off the Amstel River as we stepped onto the little Dutch boat near Rokin. I kept thinking how the water here always seems to carry stories. Our skipper, who introduced himself as Bram with a grin, handed us a glass of white wine before we even sat down. The city felt different from the water — softer somehow, even though people were still bustling along Damrak just a few meters away.

I’ll admit: I thought “cheese tasting canal cruise” sounded like something my parents would drag me to. But there’s something about passing under Magere Brug at dusk that makes you forget about being cool. The bridge lights flicked on one by one and everyone on board got quiet for a second — except Bram, who started telling us about how the bridge used to be so skinny two sisters could barely pass each other. He pointed out Herengracht’s old merchant houses while our hostess brought over a wooden board loaded with slices of jong belegen and this cumin cheese that tasted kind of nutty and warm. I tried to pronounce “Oude Kaas” right and she laughed (I probably butchered it). The mustard-dill one was weirdly addictive.

We drifted past Waterlooplein Market and I caught a whiff of something sweet — maybe stroopwafels from somewhere nearby? Or maybe it was just my brain mixing up memories. The NEMO Science Museum looked almost unreal in the evening light, its copper hull glowing greenish above the waterline. There was a moment where nobody said anything; just glasses clinking softly and some distant bike bell echoing across Prinsengracht. I still think about that view sometimes.

By the time we looped back toward Damrak, I felt oddly at home — or at least like Amsterdam had let me in for an hour or so. It’s not fancy or formal (thank god), just good cheese, easy wine, and locals who seem happy to share their city if you’re willing to listen for a bit longer than usual.

What’s included

Your evening includes unlimited beer, wine or soft drinks if you choose that option when booking.
four types of Dutch cheeses served by your host.
commentary from both your skipper and hostess.
plus all cruising fees — so you can just relax as you float through Amsterdam’s canals without worrying about anything else.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Starboard Boats