I’ve stayed in some pretty memorable places while traveling through Europe, but sleeping on a houseboat along an Amsterdam canal is definitely up there. So much so that I’ve done it twice. The first stay was such a unique experience that when I had the chance to do it again, I didn’t have to think twice.
My first houseboat was on Brouwersgracht, which borders the Jordaan and Haarlemmerbuurt neighborhoods. It was perfectly situated in a quiet residential area but still within easy walking distance of Centraal Station and several other places of interest. We were also close to plenty of restaurants, pubs, cafés, and—most importantly—an amazing cheese shop called Kaasland Haarlemmerdijk.
The houseboat had a cute little kitchen, dining area, living room, bathroom, and bedroom. It was cozy, charming, and perfect. It was also the houseboat I nearly set on fire! You can read about that here.
My second houseboat sat on the picturesque corner of Brouwersgracht and Herengracht. It was so charming that we actually found a postcard with a picture of it. I’m not saying we were Amsterdam celebrities, but our temporary home did have its own postcard.
Inside that houseboat were a kitchenette, dining and living areas, a large upper bunk, and a lower bed tucked into a space I affectionately called “the hole.” It also had a tiny patio that could only be reached by climbing through a window. Nothing says luxury quite like crawling through a window while trying not to spill your wine.
The canal was a popular route for tour boats, so we would sit on our little patio, casually smiling and waving as they passed while we enjoyed wine, bread, and cheese from Kaasland Haarlemmerdijk, my favorite neighborhood cheese shop. We liked to pretend this was simply our everyday life and that we hadn’t just climbed through a window to get there.
Houseboat living was definitely a little different from staying in a hotel. The beds took a little maneuvering to get into, and every inch of space seemed to have a purpose. In many ways, it reminded me of staying in an oversized camper—cozy, comfortable, and cleverly designed. That was all part of its charm.
Instead of simply walking beside Amsterdam’s canals and wondering what it might be like to live there, we got to experience it for ourselves, even if it was only for a few days. We woke up on the water, waved to passing boats, and ended our days talking and laughing over wine with my cousins.
When I think back on those stays, I don’t remember the cramped spaces or the awkward climb through the window nearly as much as I remember those quiet moments together. For a little while, we weren’t simply visiting Amsterdam—we had our own houseboat, our own tiny patio, and a pretty convincing version of canal life. If I had the opportunity, I would crawl through that window all over again.
Been There. Waved like a local. Climbed through a window like a tourist. Loved That.