Forget Amsterdam and Venice: NYT names Hamburg among best canal cities

The New York Times has looked beyond Amsterdam and Venice for the best canal cities in the world, and Hamburg has made it onto the list.

NYT’s best alternative canal cities in 2026

If you love going on holiday but want to forget the deeply embarrassing fact that you are just another clueless, dawdling tourist, the NYT has some alternative destination suggestions for you.

Looking “Beyond Amsterdam and Venice”, the newspaper has named the six “most delightful” European canal cities, and Hamburg has made the cut. “Germany’s second-largest city offers a tangle of waterways,” the newspaper explained, “it’s also a rich cultural hub”.

The NYT cited the Elphilharmonie and Speicherstadt among Hamburg’s must-see sites, or for a “more low-key experience”, a trip on the number 62 ferry, which takes you on a cruise past all the main waterfront attractions in just half an hour. Stopping by the Kunsthalle to “peruse 700 years of European art history” was also recommended.

Which other canal cities are worth seeing?

Beyond Hamburg, the newspaper directed holidaymakers to Haarlem, Ghent, Strasbourg, and Livorno in Italy, and Aveiro in Portugal, known for their “winding waterways”, Gothic architecture or gondola-like boats.

“Hop on the train in Amsterdam, and in just 20 minutes you’ll arrive in Haarlem, the small Dutch city that could pass for a miniature version of the country’s capital,” the NYT wrote. With trips to Amsterdam becoming more expensive, tourists are looking for nearby alternatives.

Tourist overnight stays in the Dutch capital reached a record 23,7 million in 2025, despite an overnight-stay cap of 20 million. Residents have now filed a lawsuit against the city due to repeated failure to effectively impose the cap.