Join a Amsterdam Light Festival canal cruise and see the city’s glowing artworks from the comfort of a heated boat with drinks and snacks.
Experience the magic of the Amsterdam Light Festival from the comfort of a boutique canal cruise with Pure Boats. Choose between a shared Amsterdam Light Festival boat tour or a private canal cruise and see the city’s famous light art from the best seat on the water. This special light festival cruise Amsterdam lasts around 90 minutes and includes mulled wine, Dutch snacks, and an open bar aboard our heated and electric boats. As you drift along the illuminated canals, your local captain or hosts will share stories about the artworks, the light festival, and the city’s history.
From 27 November 2025 to 18 January 2026, Pure Boats is proud to once again be an official partner of the Amsterdam Light Festival. This year’s Edition 14, titled “The Future and Our Legacy”, invites visitors to reflect on creativity, sustainability, and what we leave behind for future generations. During this magical and festive season, the city transforms into a glowing open-air gallery filled with light art installations. The Amsterdam City Light Festival is best experienced from the water on an Amsterdam Light Festival cruise.
Join us on a luxury light festival boat tour, available as both shared group tours and private boat experiences. Each evening, Amsterdam’s UNESCO-listed canals are illuminated with world-class artworks, creating an unforgettable light festival canal cruise in Amsterdam. Choose the experience that suits you best and enjoy the festival lights aboard our heated electric boats, complete with mulled wine, Dutch snacks, and open-bar service.
Whether you’d like to share the evening with other guests or enjoy a private experience on the water, Pure Boats offers both options – two of the most popular canal cruises Amsterdam Light Festival guests can book. Each 90-minute canal tour follows the official Amsterdam Light Festival route, a curated journey past illuminated bridges, contemporary art installations, and the city’s most photogenic landmarks.
Our shared light festival cruises accommodate up to 24 guests, with a maximum of six per booking to ensure comfort and space. For private light festival cruises, you can choose your preferred boat, tailor the duration (90 minutes or two hours), and add premium touches like champagne, bespoke catering, or a longer route through Amsterdam’s quieter canals.
Amsterdam in winter is beautiful but chilly, so our electric boats are fully heated and covered with cabriolet canopies to keep you warm and dry. Each boat offers panoramic windows, soft lighting, and plenty of blankets so you can enjoy the Amsterdam Light Festival in comfort. Sip a warm drink, cosy up under a blanket, and watch the reflections of light and art dance across the canals during your light festival boat tour Amsterdam.
There’s no better way to experience the Amsterdam Light Festival 2025 than aboard our boutique light festival boat tour Amsterdam experience, combining art, design, and warm hospitality. This makes ours one of the most personal and memorable Amsterdam Light Festival boat tours, a truly boutique alternative to a larger canal company Amsterdam Light Festival operator.
Our Amsterdam canal light festival route takes you through the heart of the city, highlighting the best of the canal light festival Amsterdam along the Amstel, Herengracht, and Oosterdok. Your captain or host shares stories about each piece and about the city itself, making the experience as inspiring as it is beautiful.
Our restored fleet of electric canal boats — Geertje, Schollevaar, Pure Spirit, Lucy, and Stan Huygens — blends timeless design with modern sustainability. All are heated, covered, and beautifully furnished, offering an elegant and eco-friendly way to explore Amsterdam’s canals this winter.
We can’t wait to welcome you aboard for an evening of light, art, and magic. Book your shared Amsterdam Light Festival boat tour or private canal cruise today and experience the light festival cruise Amsterdam with Pure Boats -boutique, sustainable, and unforgettable.
The Light Festival 2025 runs from 27 November 2025 to 18 January 2026. During this period, the city transforms into an open-air gallery of light art installations created by international artists. The lights are illuminated every evening, making it one of Amsterdam’s most magical winter attractions.
You can easily book Amsterdam Light Festival tickets directly on our website. Choose between a shared canal cruise or a light festival amsterdam boat tour for a fully customized experience.
Our group Amsterdam Light Festival cruises last around 90 minutes. Private tours can be tailored to 90 minutes or two hours, depending on your preference. Each cruise includes a heated and electric boat, mulled wine, snacks, and open-bar service.
We cruise on our boutique fleet of restored electric boats: Geertje, Schollevaar, Pure Spirit, Lucy, and Stan Huygens. Each vessel is fully heated and designed for comfort during the colder season. Blankets are available aboard all boats except Stan Huygens, which is fully enclosed and perfectly warm without them.
The route follows the official Amsterdam Light Festival path, showcasing the city’s illuminated bridges and artworks along the Amstel River, Herengracht, and Oosterdok. Our local captains also include a few hidden gems and quieter spots that make the cruise extra special.
All cruises include open-bar service with mulled wine and drinks, Dutch snacks, blankets (except aboard Stan Huygens), and a knowledgeable local captain who shares stories about the artworks and the city. Private cruises can also include champagne or bespoke catering on request.
Yes! The festival is a wonderful experience for all ages. Our shared cruises are open to guests aged 14 and older, while private canal cruises welcome families with younger children too.
We typically operate three evening departures for shared light festival Amsterdam boat, starting between 16:45, 18:45 and 21:00 PM. Departure times may vary depending on the date, so we recommend checking the available slots when booking your tickets online.
Seeing the Amsterdam Light Festival by boat offers a completely different perspective. A boat tour Amsterdam Light Festival allows you to admire the glowing artworks reflected on the canals and escape the crowds for a truly local experience. It’s a warm, peaceful, and picture-perfect way to enjoy the city during its most magical season.
It depends. Our shared cruises last 1.5 hours. If you book a private tour, you can choose either 1.5 or 2 hours.
It's an annual winter event in Amsterdam, when the city's canals transform into an open-air museum featuring various kinds of light art installations related to a specific theme. The installations are created by international artists.
The route for our Amsterdam Light Festival Cruise takes you through the heart of the city, showcasing both the illuminated installations and charming, lesser-known areas. If you're cruising on a private boat, our captain can alter the route depending on your wishes.
It depends on the day! We usually host 3 group ALF cruises, starting around 5 PM. Please check our booking menu at the top of this page to see the available slots. Our private ALF cruises depart on the time of your preference.
ALF 2025 takes place between November 27 (2025) and January 18 (2026).
For our ALF cruises, we set sail with Geertje, Schollevaar, Pure Spirit, Lucy or Stan Huygens. We’ve carefully restored and equipped them with heating and cabriolet canopies. These classic electric boats offer a comfortable and eco-friendly way to explore Amsterdam’s canals during winter.
The Light Festival 2025 runs from 27 November 2025 to 18 January 2026. During this period, the city transforms into an open-air gallery of light art installations created by international artists. The lights are illuminated every evening, making it one of Amsterdam’s most magical winter attractions.
