Amsterdam canal ring walk: a self-guided route on foot

The canal ring in a nutshell

The three main canals of the ring, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht, were dug from 1613 onwards in concentric arcs around the Singel, the old moat that protected the medieval city. The wealthy merchants of the Golden Age built their gabled houses here, with a warehouse under the roof and a garden at the back. Since 2010, the whole area has been a Unesco World Heritage Site. Our page on the Amsterdam canals covers their history and the canal cruises.

To find your way, remember the order of the canals from the centre outwards: Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht, Prinsengracht. The main canals are linked by cross streets and by a few smaller canals, such as the Brouwersgracht to the north and the Leidsegracht or the Reguliersgracht to the south.

The route at a glance

• Distance: about 6 km, from the Brouwersgracht to the Magere Brug.
• Duration: about 2 hours of actual walking; allow half a day with breaks and one or two visits, a full day if you go inside all three canal house museums.
• Start: the Brouwersgracht, about a 10-minute walk from Central Station.
• Finish: the Magere Brug, on the Amstel, about a 5-minute walk from Weesperplein metro station (lines 51, 53 and 54).
• Difficulty: flat route on cobbled or brick pavements, with plenty of humpback bridges.

The stops on the walk

1. The Brouwersgracht

Head west from Central Station to the Brouwersgracht, the "brewers' canal", which closes off the ring to the north. Lined with former warehouses turned into homes and with lived-in houseboats, it crosses the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht. Follow it west to the junction with the Prinsengracht: the view of the successive bridges here is one of the most peaceful on the route.

2. The Prinsengracht to the Westermarkt

Walk south along the Prinsengracht, on its left bank, for about a kilometre. You pass the Anne Frank House, at Prinsengracht 263: if you have booked a time slot, this is the moment to fit it in. Tickets are sold online only, on the museum's official website.

3. The Westerkerk and the Homomonument

Right next door stands the Westerkerk, built between 1620 and 1631 to designs by Hendrick de Keyser. Its tower, the Westertoren, is the tallest in Amsterdam; it is currently closed to visitors, but the church is open free of charge Monday to Friday from 11 am to 3 pm, except on some event days. Rembrandt was buried here in 1669.

Behind the church, on the Keizersgracht, the Homomonument commemorates people persecuted for their homosexuality. Unveiled in 1987 and designed by the artist Karin Daan, it consists of three pink granite triangles, one of which steps down to the water of the canal. Our LGBT Amsterdam guide covers other memorial sites and places to go out.

4. The Nine Streets

Cross the Keizersgracht and enter the Nine Streets (De 9 Straatjes): nine short cross streets linking the Singel, the Herengracht, the Keizersgracht and the Prinsengracht, in three rows between the Reestraat and the Runstraat. Independent shops, vintage stores and cafés follow one after another. Zigzag from one row to the next across the bridges: each one opens up a view along a different canal. It is also the best place on the route for a coffee break.

5. Het Grachtenhuis, the canal museum

South of the Nine Streets, head to the Herengracht at number 386, near the Leidsegracht. The Grachtenmuseum, or Het Grachtenhuis, occupies a 1660s house designed by Philips Vingboons. Its five-room multimedia tour, which takes about 45 minutes with a free audio guide in English, explains how the canal ring was planned and built.

6. The Golden Bend and the Kattenkabinet

Carry on east along the Herengracht and cross the Leidsestraat, watching out for trams. This is where the Gouden Bocht begins, the "Golden Bend", the most prestigious stretch of the canal, between the Leidsestraat and the Vijzelstraat. The richest merchants built double-width mansions here in the 17th century, with classical stone facades. Most now house offices, but one of them is open to visitors: the Kattenkabinet, at Herengracht 497, an art museum devoted to cats in a house dating from 1667, where a few cats also live.

7. The flower market and the Munttoren

At the Vijzelstraat, turn left and walk north to the Muntplein. The Munttoren, the "Mint Tower", is a remnant of the Regulierspoort, a 15th-century city gate; Hendrick de Keyser raised it in 1620 and topped it with its spire. Its carillon has 38 bells, 13 of them cast by the Hemony brothers in the 17th century. It takes its name from the coins minted there in 1672.

From the square, walk out and back along the Singel through the flower market (Bloemenmarkt), whose stalls have stood on the water since 1862. To see the floating greenhouses, look at them from the opposite bank.

8. The Reguliersgracht and its lined-up bridges

From the Muntplein, take the Reguliersbreestraat, home to the Tuschinski cinema, to the Rembrandtplein, then the Thorbeckeplein, which leads onto the Herengracht. Stop on the bridge at the corner of the Herengracht and the Reguliersgracht: looking down the Reguliersgracht, you see the arches of several bridges lined up one behind the other. This is the famous "seven bridges" viewpoint; the full tunnel effect is best seen at water level, from a boat.

9. The Willet-Holthuysen Museum

Continue east along the Herengracht to number 605. The Willet-Holthuysen Museum, run by the Amsterdam Museum, is a double mansion whose period rooms seem frozen in time, with a French-style garden at the back. It is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm; admission is free for under-18s and with the Museumkaart.

10. The Amstel and the Magere Brug

At the end of the Herengracht, you reach the Amstel. Follow the river south for a few hundred metres to the Magere Brug, the Skinny Bridge, a white drawbridge for pedestrians and cyclists only, between the Kerkstraat and the Nieuwe Kerkstraat. In the evening, hundreds of light bulbs trace its outline: ending the walk at dusk is worth the wait.

Summary table of the stops

Prices checked in October 2026 on the venues' official websites. The Grachtenmuseum and the Willet-Holthuysen Museum are free with the Museumkaart; the Kattenkabinet does not accept it, but gives a discount with the I amsterdam City Card. The Grachtenmuseum only accepts card payments. To compare these museums and the other canal houses open to the public, see our guide to canal houses to visit.

Short version: an hour and a half

If you are short on time, start at the Westermarkt, in front of the Westerkerk, walk through the Nine Streets, then follow the Herengracht to the Golden Bend and the Vijzelstraat, and finish at the Muntplein by the Munttoren and the flower market. Allow about 2.5 km and 1 to 1.5 hours with breaks, without visits. This version fits easily into our itinerary what to do in Amsterdam in one day.

Tips for walking the canal ring

Bikes and traffic

The canal-side streets are narrow and shared by pedestrians, bikes, cars and deliveries. Stay on the pavement, look both ways before crossing, even in streets that seem quiet, and never walk on a cycle path. Trams cross the ring along the Leidsestraat, the Vijzelstraat and the Utrechtsestraat: their rails are slippery in the rain.

The bridges

The bridges offer the best views, but also the narrowest spots. For a photo, step to the side without blocking the way, and move on quickly. Many quays have no railings: keep an eye on children near the water.

Respecting the residents

The canal ring is first and foremost a residential neighbourhood. Do not sit on the front steps of houses, do not photograph through windows and keep your voice down in the evening. The moored houseboats are private homes: do not step on board.

When to set off

Early in the morning, the quays are quiet and the light is soft. If you set off around 10 am, you reach the Nine Streets as the shops open and the Kattenkabinet after it opens at noon. At the end of the day, the bridges light up: the perfect time to finish at the Magere Brug.

Breaks and toilets

The cafés of the Nine Streets, the Leidsestraat and the Rembrandtplein are the most convenient stops; the museums along the route also offer a break under cover. Our guide to public toilets in Amsterdam shows where to find them in the centre.

Getting there and back

The starting point is within walking distance of Amsterdam Centraal station. Along the way, trams 2 and 24 stop at Koningsplein, near the Golden Bend, and metro line 52 serves Rokin station, near the Muntplein. At the finish, the metro at Weesperplein and tram 4 at Frederiksplein take you back to the centre. Our guide to getting around Amsterdam explains tickets and lines.

Further reading

The walk extends naturally westwards into the small streets and hofjes of the Jordaan. If you want to carry on with more walks without spending money, our selection of free things to do in Amsterdam lists more ideas in the centre. And to see the canals from the water, our Amsterdam canals page compares the main cruises.