Having the opportunity to visit a classic city like Amsterdam may seem like a dream come true What better way to stay than right in the heart of on the city’s most famous landmark: the canals! I’m lucky enough to have stayed for three weeks this summer on one of Amsterdam’s famous houseboats, equipped with beautiful views of the water of course!

Today, there are around 2500 houseboats docked along the streets of Amsterdam. They typically provide the same amenities as a regular apartment- living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and dining room.

Read on for my top reasons to stay on a houseboat in Amsterdam!

1. A truly unique experience…

There aren’t many places in the world that is built on water like Amsterdam, let alone offers travelers to option to stay right on the water itself. There are three types of houseboats. The first two are typically older, and may still have the potential to sail, while the last is completely docked.

• Houseship, which is an old cargoship that has been refurbished, dating back to the early 1900s

• Housevessel, has the hull of the old sheep with the deck and steering house completely removed to build structure that is only meant to be lived on.

• Ark, a houseboat designed solely for living. They are typically built on concrete hulls and can even be multiple stories!

2. Steeped in history

Water and Amsterdam have long been intertwined, far before the concept of the houseboat was born. Historically, sailors and merchants would transport goods with the boat and live with the family below deck. Once the ship owner retired, they would dock the ship and then continue to live on it. Although, this wouldn’t have been much of a luxury experience at the time.

After World War II, the city was suffering from a housing shortage and decided to turn old vessels into homes. It was considered very cheap at the time and most people would still be able to travel with the boat where they liked.

During the 60s and 70s the more modern version of the houseboat was born- the ark. This allowed for more colorful and creative designs as well as increased the comfort level of living on a boat.

3. You’re in the heart of the action!

Many of Amsterdam’s houseboats are located right in the city center. What’s a better way to get a feel for the hustle and bustle of city life without actually having to be on the streets than lounging on the top deck of your houseboat sipping on an Amstel beer? Not much my friends, not much.

Luckily, there are many options to rent houseboats online to prepare for your trip. Airbnb is a great place to start. The houseboats can sometimes be more expensive than the traditional apartment. But it is definitely worth it to get the experience at least for a few nights!

Characterized by the canals that run throughout the city, Sète in southern France is famous for being a working port. Due to its distinct and strong connection to the water, both physically and economically, shipping and fishing are at the heart of the culture. The city is built upon and around the Mont St. Clair, nestled between Bassin de Thau, an enclosed salt water lake used for collecting oysters and mussels, and on the other side the Mediterranean. This creates not only many attractive views, but also lots of great opportunities to walk around and, of course, eat some delicious and fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants.

There are no major monuments or touristic sites that attract visitors to Sète. It is famous for water jousting and hosts a major tournament there during the town festival of Saint Louis. What probably brings most visitors there is the promise of unpretentious relaxation.

You can spend the day walking through the port and along the network of canals, which connect the Étang de Thau with the Mediterranean Sea. The port was originally built on the orders of Louis XIV in 1666 to provide an outlet to the sea. Today, the canals are lined with boats and fishermen at work. Many of the locals also have boats and even drive them throughout the city instead of driving.

Personally, Sète is my favorite kind of city to visit. It’s small enough to walk around and is essentially the entire attraction within itself. The boats, storefronts and homes are colorful, creating a beautiful contrast against the clear, turquoise waters. The restaurants that line the main canal offer a variety of fresh dishes, and menus of the day (Menu de Jour) starting as low as 12 euros for an appetizer, main dish and dessert.

We stopped at a place along the canals where I dined on my favorite meal in France to date. I ordered a delicious hot goat cheese salad to start and then a freshly caught sea bass for my main meal. We shared a bottle of wine, plus dessert and my total cost were 25 euros (much more than I would normally spend, but definitely worth the money).

If you want to build up an appetite before lunch or perhaps work off all the rich food, it is recommended to take a visit up Mont St-Clair. The hill is 180 meters up, which can be accessed on foot, but also by a bus or taxi. The views from the top are supposed to be spectacular (we didn’t have time to go).

Then, of course, you can’t forget a visit to the beach. Sète boasts a 12 km long beach, which separates the lagoon from the sea. It’s the perfect place to relax like a local and dream up what you’re going to have fun dinner!

Sources: Wikipedia, The Telegraph