When you picture a canal city in Europe, your first thought might be the beautiful and historic city of Venice. While Venice is an incredible destination that is worth visiting, it’s far from the only city in Europe that boasts a beautiful network of canals. Here is a list of the eight most beautiful canal cities in Europe that you should consider visiting..
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1. Annecy, France
Located in the southeastern region of France, Annecy is a charming and idyllic city on the northern tip of Lake Annecy. Nicknamed the “Venice of the Alps”, Annecy is often considered to be a prime summer destination. While the permanent population of the city has remained fairly consistent, its number of visitors has slowly grown throughout the years. Visitors come not only to experience the incredible beauty of the region but to participate in events such as an Animated Film Festival that has been held in Annecy since 1963.
The Thiou River flows through Annecy, providing the water for the three canals that wind through the city. The Thiou is often considered to be the cleanest river in Europe, and when you see the canals of Annecy you’ll be struck by how crystal clear the water is. The canals are lined with buildings in various shades of orange, yellow, and terracotta, and you can enjoy the sight of the Alps beyond.
Annecy Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Annecy.
Don’t know where to stay in Annecy? Here are some of our favorite hotels in Annecy:
- Novotel Annecy Centre Atria – This hotel is in a great location. It’s located within mins of walking from the train station and within a walking distance to Annecy Old Town.
- Best Western Plus Hotel Carlton – This hotel is an easy 5 min walk from a beautiful part of Annecy. It is an excellent choice for those who travel by rail. It’s also a great hotel to stay in if you are traveling here by car and need a parking space. The hotel has easy access to parking. Just make sure you call ahead to reserve a parking spot.
- Hotel du Palais de l’Isle – Fantastic location right in the heart of Annecy but still quiet at night with the double glazed window. Stylish interior inspired by the lake and mountain.
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Annecy to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Annecy itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Annecy in addition to what already mentioned here.
2. Bruges, Belgium
The beautiful city of Bruges in the northern part of Belgium was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000 due to its history, colorful architectural elements, and its network of canals that was initially constructed in the 15th century. During the medieval era, the city was an economic center and a bustling trading center. You can experience the canals by taking a guided tour specifically designed to show tourists the best parts of the extensive network of waterways.
Bruges Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Bruges.
Don’t know where to stay in Bruges? Here are some of the best hotels in Bruges to stay in:
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Bruges to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Bruges itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Bruges in addition to what already mentioned here.
3. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Apart from Venice, Amsterdam may be one of the most well-known canal cities in Europe. Canals were initially built in this city as a means of both water management and defense from outsiders. As the city grew, these original canals were incorporated into other parts of the city. The three main canals in Amsterdam, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, were built in the 17th century. Today the city boasts over 62 miles of canals, 90 islands, and 1,500 bridges. The four newest canals (Brantasgracht, Lamonggracht, Majanggracht and Seranggracht) are often less busy as they are in a far less touristy area of the city. The canals of Amsterdam were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2010.
Amsterdam Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Amsterdam.
Don’t know where to stay in Amsterdam? Here are some of the best hotels in Amsterdam to stay in:
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Amsterdam to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Amsterdam itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Amsterdam in addition to what already mentioned here.
4. Utrecht, Netherlands
For an alternate canal city within the Netherlands, consider visiting Utrecht. The canals here were first established in the 12th century, so you can enjoy the historic element as well when you visit. The Oudegracht, or Old Canal”, is one of the oldest stretches of the canal system. It curves through the city and was once lined with factories and warehouses. Today those structures have been converted into trendy restaurants and cafes. If you get tired of exploring the city by gondola, you can take a break and rent a bike and travel through the city that way. There are plenty of exciting attractions, such as the Dom Tower. If you’re willing to hike up the nearly 465 steps, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning view of the city.
Utrecht Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Utrecht.
Don’t know where to stay in Utrecht? Here are some of the best hotels in Utrecht to stay in:
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Utrecht to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Utrecht itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Utrecht in addition to what already mentioned here.
5. Empuriabrava, Spain
Empuriabrava is a community in Spain in the province of Castelló d’Empúries. It was originally built on a swamp and later transformed into a beautiful tourist community punctuated with a winding network of canals. It’s bright and vivid, with summer colors painted onto the buildings and used as accents throughout. The network of canals is extensive too: there are a total of 15 miles of canals that wind throughout Empuriabrava. It’s become a popular destination for summer travel due to its canals, marinas, and beaches.
Empuriabrava Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Empuriabrava.
Don’t know where to stay in Empuriabrava? Here are some of the best hotels in Empuriabrava to stay in:
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Empuriabrava to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Empuriabrava itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Empuriabrava in addition to what already mentioned here.
6. Aveiro, Portugal
While Aveiro is sometimes referred to as the “Portuguese Venice”, it has an identity of its own and a lot to offer those who visit. The city has a wide variety of canals to explore that has been serving the city for quite some time. The man-made canals in Aveiro were first established in 1808 and were responsible for an economic boom the city saw in the subsequent years. The Central Canal is the main waterway that flows through the city and is beautiful to explore whether you are traveling by gondola on the water or walking next to it. In addition to the network of canals, Aveiro is a popular tourist destination due to its beautiful cathedrals and beaches.
Aveiro Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Aveiro.
Don’t know where to stay in Aveiro? Here are some of the best hotels in Aveiro to stay in:
- Hotel Moliceiro – This hotel is in a perfect location, just steps from the canal, restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, etc. in the center of the town.
- SaberAmar Charme – This fabulous apartment within walking distance of everything you need to see. The apartment is very clean, well equipped, and spacious.
- Hotel Aveiro Palace – This hotel has one of the best locations in Aveiro. It is also a very good value. The hotel is historic but has modern rooms.
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Aveiro to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Aveiro itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Aveiro in addition to what already mentioned here.
7. St. Petersburg, Russia
St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, was originally built on a swampland and the extensive series of canals and waterways were built after an order from Peter the Great, who wanted the network of canals to be modeled after the ones in Amsterdam. You have many options of canals to travel on, and you can also cross them using any of the 800 beautiful bridges present throughout the city. Traveling by water in St. Petersburg gives you the unique opportunity to get a glimpse at many of the incredible structures that were built along the rivers.
St. Petersburg Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to St. Petersburg.
Don’t know where to stay in St. Petersburg? Here are some of the best hotels in St. Petersburg to stay in:
- Corinthia Hotel St. Petersburg – If you are looking for an exceptional experience then Corinthia hotel is one of the best places in Saint Petersburg. This is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the city vibes.
- Lotte Hotel St. Petersburg – This hotel is centrally located next to Isaak’s cathedral in a new building with the highest possible level of modern comfort. The location is within walking distance from all attractions.
- Rocco Forte Astoria Hotel – Beautiful historical hotel in the center of St. Petersburg. Rooms are very stylish and the location is one of the best in the area.
You can find the full list of the best hotels in St. Petersburg to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your St. Petersburg itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in St. Petersburg in addition to what already mentioned here.
8. Bath, England
Bath, England may be known for it’s hot spring baths that was first established as early as 50 AD, but it also has a beautiful series of waterways and bridges that make it a fantastic canal city to explore. The stunning Pulteney Bridge that crosses the River Avon is a fascinating example of Palladian-style Georgian architecture. In addition to exploring the city from the water, you can learn more about the historic baths that were built by the Romans. There were many elaborate saunas and bathhouses built at the time, and you can see the well-preserved ruins of these structures to this day. You can also experience the water of the hot springs for yourself, although you’ll be using modern facilities with modern amenities.
Bath Travel Guide & Resources:
Find the best flights, train tickets, or rent a car for your trip to Bath.
Don’t know where to stay in Bath? Here are some of the best hotels in Bath to stay in:
You can find the full list of the best hotels in Bath to stay in here.
Need more ideas to add to your Bath itinerary? Find top attractions and things to do in Bath in addition to what already mentioned here.
Video Guide: 8 Most Beautiful Canal Cities in Europe That Aren’t Venice!
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Travel Resources for Planning a Trip to Visit Canal Cities in Europe
To make planning your trip to the canal cities in Europe easier, we included some of our recommended travel resources below. You can search and find the best flights, transportation options, hotels to stay in, tours/activities, and things you can do in each destination during your trip.
Flights:
Agoda: Search thousands of destinations around the world & quickly compare prices to find amazing deals on the best flights.
CheapOAir: You can find airline tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, and vacation packages all on one site!
Kiwi.com: What we like about Kiwi is the fact that they are able to create combinations of flight, train, and bus tickets and offer them in a single itinerary. Also, Kiwi has what they called “Nomad” which helps you find the best way of visiting multiple destinations, saving you time and money.
JetRadar: You can search and compare airfares from 726 airlines and dozens of travel agencies and systems.
Hotels:
Agoda: Agoda is one of the world’s largest online travel accommodation platforms with a network of over 2,000,000 vacation rentals and hotels worldwide.
Hotellook: They have more than 250,000 hotels in 205 countries, working with data from more than 10 online booking systems, such as Booking.com, Agoda.com, Hotels.com, Expedia, and others.
Transportations:
Airport Transfers: KiwiTaxi, Viator
Train: EuroRail, Trainline or RailEurope
Bus: Flixbus: Very affordable (as low as $6) and convenient way to transfer between cities in Europe.
Car Rentals: AutoEurope, EconomyBookings, or GetTransfer (transfers & car rentals with a personal driver)
Bike Rental: BikesBooking (Bikes & scooter rentals)
Transportation Comparison: Omio (search, compare, and book tickets for buses, trains, and flights all in one site)
Tours & Activities:
TakeWalks (WalkofItaly): This is our favorite site for walking tours & day trips.
Tiqets: Great site for entrance tickets. It offers directly bookable, instantly available, and completely mobile tickets for museums, shows, and attractions all over the world.
Musement: They have good activities and tours in Italy and Spain, also many great day trips you can choose from.
GetYourGuide: A large number of tours, excursions, and other travel activities
Viator: The largest one. It has everything from tours, attractions, shore excursions, and private guides in over 2,700 destinations worldwide. It also has many transportations and transfers options and some unique experiences we didn’t find anywhere else.
Need help planning a trip to canal cities in Europe?
Want to plan a trip to Europe but don’t know where to begin? If you find this type of trip planning to be too complicated to plan on your own, we’re here to help!
At MultiCityTrips, multi-destination travel and complicated itineraries such as a special trip to visit some of the most beautiful canal cities in Europe are our specialties. Contact us today to learn more about how one of our experienced travel experts/destination specialists can personalize your multi-city vacations at the best price.
Don’t want to start from scratch and need some trip inspiration? Check out our marketplace for customizable pre-designed packages available right now for many amazing destinations.
To learn more about how our process of trip planning works in detail, please see our “How It Works” page or check out our video on “How to Plan a Multi-City Trip to Europe in 5 Easy Steps” here.
Have questions for us? Schedule a FREE Call with us here or contact one of the travel experts/destination specialists at [email protected], call/text us at (888)223-2316 today.
