A long time ago some cities in the world used canals and rivers for public or goods transportation. Some cities still continue to do this, with some turning them into tourist attractions giving visitors the true experience of local life. From traditional boats to beautiful bridges city canals are beautiful and unique worldwide. Here are the top 10 most beautiful canal cities in the world.
1. Venice, Italy
When we talk about canal cities, Venice is absolutely number one on the list. Venice remains a very popular tourist destination, a major cultural center, and has been ranked the most beautiful city in the world many times. It has also been described as one of Europe’s most romantic cities in the world. The islands of Venice are connected together by bridges and there are 170 canals and more than 400-foot bridges. The longest canal is Grand Canal and it is the main waterway in Venice, more than 3800 meters long.
2. Giethoorn, Netherland
The Netherlands is known not only for its cheeses and tulips but also for its canals. People know Amsterdam but there is a very beautiful village in the Netherlands called Overijssel. The village is car-free (amazing, isn’t it?!) so to visit the whole village you need to take one of the the boats. You can see beautiful houses and bridges all around the canals and there are more than 180 bridges in the village.
3. Birmingham, England
Birmingham is a big and famous city in England but did you know that it has more than 100km of canals, more than Venice! When visiting Birmingham doing a canal cruise is a must..
4. Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is a well-known city in Belgium with the nickname ‘Little Venice’ or ‘The Venice of the North’. The historic city center is a prominent UNESCO World Heritage Site with beautiful buildings and Flemish houses along the canal and attracts more than two million tourists every year. You can visit the city by boat which are easy to find in the city and there plenty of nice places to take nice pictures.
5. Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
Suzhou is a major city in south-eastern China and is one of the top tourist destinations in Jiangsu. Suzhou is beautiful; from the city’s canals, stone bridges, and pagodas, to the meticulously designed gardens. The Classical Gardens of Suzhou were added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1997 and 2000 and it is often dubbed the “Venice of the East” or “Venice of China”.
6. Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is the capital of Sweden. The central parts of the city consists of fourteen islands and over 30% of the city area is made up of waterways with another 30% made up of parks and green spaces. Visiting the city by boat is something that you must do, preferably in summer!
7. Bangkok, Thailand
You can find a lot of things in Bangkok, from beautiful beaches, temples, spicy food, and even floating markets in the canals. As of 2019, there are more than 1500 canals in Bangkok, totalling a length of more than 2600 kilometres. The floating markets are an important part of the Bangkok waterways and crucial for its economy.
8. The Cape Coral, Florida, US
Cape Coral is a city in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico. The city has over 400 km of canals and most of them are navigable with some having access to the Gulf of Mexico. The canals make city life special and the water is also used for irrigation and to protect the city from flooding.
9. Can Tho, Vietnam
Can Tho is a city in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region. It is known for its canal network and floating markets. Cai Rang Floating Market is the biggest floating market in this city and you can find all the exotic tropical fruits here.
10. Alleppey, Kerala, India
Alappuzha (or Alleppey) is a city on the Laccadive Sea in India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kerala and you can also enjoy the city by ferry. Kerala was ranked as one of the “50 destinations of a lifetime” by National Geographic Traveller.
