Amsterdam Light Festival Tour

Experience the magic of Amsterdam’s canals with a private 90-min light art tour. Marvel at stunning sculptures, enjoy complimentary snacks and drinks, and stay cozy with heated seats. Book now!

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Amsterdam Canal Ring - This tour will show you Amsterdam from the water: the canal district, Jordaan area, Amstel river and also shows artistic light sculptures along the route.
    All of our tours are optimised for the season, time of day and customer wishes.
    Our tours cover many of the standard highlights, as well as provide insight about the…
What's Included
  • Drinks (water, various soft drinks, beer, Prosecco)
  • Skipper
  • Live commentary on board
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

On this special evening tour, you’ll see Amsterdam’s canals lit up with magical sculptures. From November 28 until January 19, light installations created by renowned artists will rise from the canals. These stunning artworks transform Amsterdam into an art lover’s paradise.
This private tour departs from Prinsengracht 375, located in the heart of the…

Location
Prinsengracht 375
Prinsengracht
The skipper will be at the waterside at the exact start time of your tour. You can recognise the boat by: White boat, Blue or Light Brown Roof, Turquoise blue seats, Heart logo on the side, Boat Name is Gordita or Blue in Green.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(71 Ratings)
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Thabhi
Dec 30, 2025
Best rederij in Amsterdam ! - Paap is the best captain you can choose to show you around Amsterdam from the water ! We’ve been going with him for years - every time we have guests or to see the light festival with friends . We always learn something new ! Thanks again for a wonderful boat ride !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
878mirabell
Dec 29, 2025
Zo leuk ! - Wonderful experience! Gezellig boat, great vibes, will definitely book again when family is in town. Best way to see the lights festival!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stirlingkelso
Dec 29, 2025
Wonderful time and tour! - Wonderful tour with Paaps as our guide. We had such fun cruising the canals, enjoying the lights, and learning about the history and current day life in Amsterdam and the Netherlands!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Navigate814652
Dec 27, 2025
Enjoyable trip with guide Alex - Our guide Alex was helpful and flexibke. This was already the second time I went with Rederij Paping for Amsterdam Light Festival, last year I went with my family but with my friends it was also an enjoyable experience! Thanks for the service.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mark_d
Dec 10, 2025
Awesome private cruise - Excellent experience. We were presently surprised that the cruise was a private one. The captain was very knowledgeable and personable. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and the heated seats were a bonus. Wonderful experience!
Review provided by Viator
Harrisonklein
Dec 7, 2025
A magical evening on the Amsterdam canals to see the Amsterdam Light Festival - On a rainy evening my wife and I, along with three friends, boarded a small canal boat to see the 2025 Amsterdam Light Festival. Our captain for the cruise was Paap, the owner of Book a Tour Amsterdam. He made us feel very welcome (switching between Dutch and English seamlessly) and we felt special although he does this every night. After offering us drinks and chocolates (included in the very reasonable price), he expertly guided us through the canals and explained each light sculpture to us. But he always let us have our conversation, he never talked over us or went on too long about each one. A true pro. The weather was a bit chilly, but his heated seats were divine! He kept the sides covered because of the rain, and as it turned out, it actually made for a magical rainy evening on the canals in Amsterdam. So don’t let the weather put you off! His little canal boat can hold up to ten, but for our group of five it was just perfect. Paap is full of Amsterdam knowledge; one of his best lines of the night, given with a wink and smile, was EVERY DAY IS SCHOOL DAY! We have done many canal tours, and this one in the rain was near the top. Dankuwel Paap!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
470hand
Dec 6, 2025
surprisingly pleasant tour - On the quay for rest. van Puffelen we were picked up by the skipper named Alex. On board was a bowl of chocolate balls as a welcome. Alex also offered us all kinds of drinks, even prosecco. The beers and the hot tea, which we chose, were delicious. Great explanation about the light objects. Plus heard fun tips and facts that were also new to our "Amsterdammers" (over 25 years). Because of the canopy and warm seats, no one has been cold. Highly recommended. Ank de Bra
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Freedom61362187937
Dec 4, 2025
Wonderful private boat tour - Had a great time. Boat was perfect for the cold night with roof, clear side coverings that didn’t fog and heated seats. Our family of 8 had the whole boat to ourselves and Skipper Paap was an excellent tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
364monas
Dec 3, 2025
Festival of the lights tour I wouldn't miss. - We had a lovely time on this tour. As described. Paap was friendly, full of great information, shared stories, took his time, didn't rush through the lights. The seats were heated, which kept us warm. Drinks and candy were provided. He also went the extra mile and dropped us off at our hotel. All 8 ladies throughly enjoyed our trip and would highly recommend this activity when visiting Amsterdam.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Casualfoodcritic
Dec 7, 2025
Good value for the Light Festival - Good skipper Alex - punctual, helpful, on time and a good guide. Plenty of drinks and chocolates for the ride. That said, the boat wasn’t as clean as it should be, the windows were not wiped, there was water on the floor and we had to remind the skipper to turn on the seat heaters. We had a much better experience with other companies but this was less expensive.
Review provided by Tripadvisor