Prinsengracht, Canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Prinsengracht is the longest of the main canals circling the old center of Amsterdam. Its banks are lined with narrow brick houses, small bridges, and moored houseboats that follow the curve of the water.
The canal was dug from 1612 as part of a plan that made the city four times larger, with warehouses for coffee and spices along its banks. Later, during World War II, hidden rooms behind some of these houses sheltered people fleeing persecution.
On summer evenings, open boats gather for floating classical concerts that fill the air with music between the high house facades. People sit along the quay edges or lean from bridges to listen, turning the canal into an open riverside concert hall.
Walking or cycling along the side paths is the easiest way to move along the water, since the streets are shared with bikes. Early morning and late evening are quieter times to pass through, when fewer groups crowd the narrow quays.
Look up at the rooftops and you will see old wooden beams with a hook at the end, left in place from a time when goods were hoisted to attic storage. Near one narrow crossing, seven small bridges line up to form a glowing tunnel of lights after dark.
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