Hotels near The Canal Ring

Amsterdam's 17th-century Canal Ring, the Grachtengordel of the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht, was dug during the Dutch Golden Age and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010. Some 1,500 bridges cross the city's canals, and the tall gabled merchant houses along the Golden Bend of the Herengracht are among the grandest in the city. Het Grachtenhuis museum at Herengracht 386 explains how the ring was planned and built.

October is when the elms lining the canals turn yellow and drop leaves onto the water, and the low autumn light makes the gables glow in the late afternoon. Canal cruise boats have glass roofs, which makes a cruise one of the few sightseeing options that works equally well in sunshine and in a shower. Smaller open boats run in good weather and give a more intimate ride through the narrow side canals.

On foot, the Nine Streets between the main canals are the best stretch for independent shops and cafés.

Pro Tip: Take a cruise around 17:00 in the second half of October, when the canal lights come on as the sun sets. For the classic view, stand on the corner of Reguliersgracht and Herengracht, where seven bridges line up in a row.