One of the best things to do in Amsterdam is to sit by the water and watch the boats passing by. It’s so romantic and relaxing, and I never get enough of it. Amsterdam is a city built around canals, so there is a multitude of places where you can sit by the water, including many bars and restaurants with a water view. In this article, however, I’m going to talk about those places where you can sit by the water without a bill included, at any time of the day and sometimes by yourself if you’re lucky.
The canals and waterways are more than just part of Amsterdam’s postcard image. They are also public spaces where people come to sit, relax, swim and watch the world go by. These spots where you can sit by the water are varied and are being used for different purposes: some people stop by for a lunch with a view (something they bought at the nearby shops), others relax for hours with a book, while others come for a chat with friends, to sunbathe or swim in the summer. There are some who organise a full stylish picnic, like one of my friends does, with proper prosecco glasses and plates. But that’s not very common, as most Amsterdammers are practical and don’t bother with too many preparations.
This list is definitely not exhaustive; that would be a very long list. I’m sure that if you ask any local, they will give you another spot for sure. These are merely a few of the places I like to go when I want to sit by the water in Amsterdam.
↪ You might also be interested in this post: Water Activities in Amsterdam.
1. Sitting on the canal edges
This is the easiest spot to find and available in so many locations throughout the city centre. There are benches here and there, but not enough for everyone so people just sit right on the canal’s edge where they find a suitable spot. I don’t dare to do it very often, as I’m foolishly scared I will fall into the canals (even though I know how to swim and the water is not very deep, and, anyway, I might just fall into one of the moored boats). But for those who are not scared and don’t mind getting some dust on their clothes, it’s a great option.
🌊 Spots by the water in the city centre
2. Stopera pier, on the Amstel
This spot, next to the Nationale Opera & Ballet building, is one of those places in the centre where you can simply sit by the water and watch Amsterdam go by. There are benches and steps along the waterfront, with a view over the Amstel and the boats passing by. It’s especially nice on a sunny day, when people sit here with a coffee or a takeaway lunch.
3. The Spinoza corner on Zwanenburgwal
A bit higher up along the water from Stopera there is this gorgeous spot where you have a picture-perfect view. I gave it this name because this is where the Spinoza statue is, but it’s not an official name. It’s on the Zwanenburgwal and the view opens up towards Amstel and Muntplein. There are only a few benches, so you can’t always find a spot, but it’s worth checking.
4. The pier in front of the H’ART Museum
Right in front of the museum there’s a pier where people stop by for a relaxing moment or even for sunbathing when the heat wave is bad and there are not enough swimming spaces in the city. It’s also a mooring location for some cruise boats, so that can be a bit annoying. Still, it’s a great view.
5. Amstelsluizen, by the Carré Theatre
A bit further down on the Amstel, close to the Carré Theatre and with a view over the Amstel Sluices, there is another spot that is usually quiet; just a few steps towards the water and a few benches.
6. Oosterdok, by the OBA library
This is a great spot to sit by the water without really leaving the centre of Amsterdam. Around the OBA (Amsterdam Public Library) and NEMO, you can sit on the quay or the steps and watch the harbour, with the Scheepvaartmuseum across the water. It can get busy, but if you find a spot on the actual waterfront, it’s a lovely place to pause. And on a rainy day, you can always retreat into the OBA.
🌊 Along the IJ
7. The waterfront behind Amsterdam Centraal
The area behind Amsterdam Centraal was renewed relatively recently. This is the place where you take the ferry to go to Amsterdam Noord, and there’s a long waterfront deck where there are always people sitting. It’s a beautiful view, and watching the ferries going back and forth is a zen-like activity. You also get to see larger boats here, as the IJ is a wide waterway that connects to the Noordzeekanaal (North Sea Canal). This is one of the great spots where you can watch the boats coming in and leaving Amsterdam for the SAIL Festival (every five years and the last one was 2025). If you bring your food here, watch out for the seagulls, which are very determined to get their share.
8. The steps at the Eye Filmmuseum
Across the IJ and opposite Central Station is the Eye Filmmuseum, a great museum to visit but also a great spot to watch the sunset. There are some steps in front of the museum where you can stop and relax, and also a few benches. It can become busy, but you can also have the place only to yourself sometimes.
9. Veemkade, facing IJhaven and Java Island
This is more a place for a walk close to the water but you can find a spot to sit if you want. This is where Mezrab is and also the main area for the SAIL Festival. You have a view over the IJhaven and Java Island.
🌊 West: Houthavens, Westerdok and the islands
10. Oude Houthaven and Pontsteiger
Houthaven, the old timber harbour of Amsterdam, is a quiet place where I love going for a walk and sitting by myself near the water and the many houseboats. You can walk on the pontoons, among the boats and marvel at how people live in these boats, but make sure to be silent and respectful. Close by is the busier and trendy Pontsteiger, with some good spots – if you are lucky to find them free. Most of the time there are boats moored all around it. Also, if you sit down somewhere here, keep in mind that a boat can come at any time and you will have to leave. I was there one summer with my picnic lover friend and we felt like we were doing guerrilla picnicking.
11. Het Eikenhout in the Houthavens
On the other side of the Pontsteiger building there is this lovely spot, mostly used for swimming in the summer. It’s in the newly built Houthavens neighbourhood.
12. Westerdok, Hollandse Tuin and Bickerswerf
On the western side of the Westerdok, on Hollandse Tuin and Bickerswerf, there are benches and a long wooden pontoon where people go for a lunch or for a swim. It was my lunch view for many years when I worked in that area. I would buy something from the supermarket or from Le Sud and go there for a chill half an hour. I still love to pass by from time to time. It’s close to the Brouwersgracht area, and close to Noordermarkt, so if you are visiting and want to escape the busy streets, go there.
13. The Zentuin on Bickersgracht
Close to Westerdok there is one of my favourite spots in the city. A beautiful garden maintained by the residents, with an opening to the water. There are only a couple of benches here so you have to be lucky to find a spot. It used to be a swimming spot as well but now it’s not allowed anymore. You have a great view over the Prinseneiland area, which you can explore before or after relaxing in the garden.
🌊 East: the harbours and the Amstel
14. Zeeburgerkade, at the Entrepothaven
On this long and less busy street there are many benches where you can stay for a while and watch the water. It’s a good spot to read a book or have a coffee break. It has a view over the Entrepothaven.
15. Entrepotdok
In Amsterdam Oost (East), on this beautiful street and right next to the Nijlpaardenbrug (Hippopotamus Bridge) there’s a beautiful spot near the water. It’s crowded in the summer and used as a swimming spot as well, but it’s worth it for the view. You also see some animals from the ARTIS Zoo from here. There are more benches along the entire street, all lovely spots for a relaxing moment.
16. Weesperzijde, along the Amstel
This is one of my top three, but I might be biased because I lived in this area for many years so I had many walks and coffee breaks here. Weesperzijde is one lovely street along the Amstel River, with beautiful architecture on one side and a row of houseboats on the other. I love having a walk in the area between Nieuwe Amstelbrug and Berlagebrug, checking out the houseboats and their gardens (yup, they all have a small garden next to their mooring spot and there is even a chicken coop somewhere). There are a few cool restaurants in the area, some with terraces on the water, where you can chill on a sunny day and have a cocktail watching the sunset. People also go to Weesperzijde for a swim in the river and sunbathing. It’s not an official swimming spot, but people decided it is perfect so they just took over.
Amsterdam parks with a water view
I believe every Amsterdam park has a water body that attracts people around it, but some are better than others, and most of them are busy when the weather is nice. The lake in Vondelpark is probably the most well-known, because this is a park where many tourists end up as well, and because it’s a beautiful spot for laying down a blanket and sitting for a while. Sloterpark and De Oeverlanden are built around big lakes, the Sloterplas and the Nieuwe Meer, and both have long stretches of shore where you can sit. Westerpark has a few smaller spots, including the two round lakes covered in water lilies in summer and the strip of water where you can watch the cherry blossoms in spring. Park Somerlust, close to Spaklerweg, is a lovely spot, perfect to spend a few hours in the sun, watching the marina and the boats passing by on the Amstel River. There are also a few restaurants nearby, if you want to eat or drink something in a more organised atmosphere.
The rules
Alcohol. Drinking in public is banned in designated zones, not citywide. The zones cover a large part of the Centrum (the Wallen, Dam, Damrak, Nieuwmarkt, Leidseplein and Rembrandtplein are all inside) and a number of parks and squares in other districts. Check the map on data.amsterdam.nl (search “alcoholverbodsgebieden”). Enforcement is usually a warning first, but the fine is in the region of €100. Carrying an open bottle counts.
Swimming. Not in the canals. It is banned under the city bylaws and, more to the point, the canals are working waterways full of boats with poor visibility, plus mooring chains and bikes. The official outdoor swimming spots in and around the city include Marineterrein, Sloterplas, Gaasperplas, Nieuwe Meer, Strand IJburg and Diemerpark; zwemwater.nl has the live list and water quality. In the places I mentioned here where people swim informally (Entrepotdok, the Amstel at Weesperzijde, etc), swimming is tolerated rather than allowed, and it is at your own risk.
Barbecues. The official map is here maps.amsterdam.nl/bbq. The barbecue has to be off the grass and away from trees, and you take everything home.
Small things. Bins are scarce on quays, take a bag. Public toilets are rare, so maybe you make sure to spot a café nearby before going to your chosen relaxation spot. Evening sun: west-facing spots (Stopera steps, the Amstel at Weesperzijde, the EYE lawn facing the city) are the sunset ones.
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