Waterways have played a leading role in transportation systems throughout history, but there are cities today that still use their stunning canal systems. Probably the first canal city that pops up into your mind is Venice, Italy. The thing is that there are plenty of other “water” cities around the world that are unique for their beauty, but are not as famous as romantic Venice.
So, if you were planning to make a trip to Europe, get ready to add a few canal cities to the list of places to visit. Also, there are cool floating cities on each continent of our wonderful planet. Here’s the list of the world’s best canal cities.
Bruges, also known as the “Venice of the north,” is a medieval city with centuries old buildings all around. The canals connect all the larger parts of the city, so if you want to see Bruges from a different perspective, go on a canal tour. The boat excursion usually lasts for 30 minutes, and there are various starting points.
Cape Coral City in Florida has 400 miles of water-front which makes it the longest canal system in the world. The city has salt and fresh water lakes that give it a unique look. The canal system in Cape Coral protects the city from floods and also provides enough water for irrigation.
The main attraction in Can Tho City are the floating markets. By visiting them, you can get a close look at Vietnamese trading culture and buy local goods first-hand. The total length of the canal system in Can Tho is 720 miles.
Stockholm is the capital city of Sweden, built on 14 islands in Lake Malaren. On the East, the city connects to the Baltic Sea through the Stockholm archipelago which contains about 30,000 small islands. So, you can get an idea of the floating capital of Sweden. Boats connect many beautiful islands that you can visit, and you could also take a swim in the clean waters within the city. Stockholm is one of the greenest cities in the world, very famous for its recycling culture.
The Chinese town Suzhou is known for its beautiful gardens and canals built between 581 and 618. You can float on the 15 canals that connect all the important parts of Suzhou and learn more about the town’s history and culture.
Giethoorn is an amazing canal village in Overijssel province of the Netherlands. The land area of Giethoorn is divided by canals and connected by bridges that give the whole place a fairy tale look. There are 180 bridges over the canals in this village that make it a unique place that everyone should visit.
Giethoorn is a car-free village where people travel by bicycle or a silent-engine boat. There is absolutely no noise around here, so those of you who like an extremely quiet environment, Giethoorn village is the right place for you.
Birmingham City has 100 miles of navigable canals, which means that it beats Venice in terms of the length of navigable waterways. The first canal was built in the 18th century to connect Birmingham city with Wednesbury town. A peaceful trip on Birmingham’s canals will provide you with an exquisite view of the city.
St. Petersburg is built along the Neva River where you can take a ferry ride to explore the city’s majestic canals and enjoy the grand architecture of this beautiful Russian city. You’ll get to see Orthodox churches that date from 300 years ago.
Venice. The beauty queen among canal cities sits on 118 islands connected by 117 canals and 400 footbridges. One of the most picturesque cities in the world, Venice receives 50.000 visitors every day. The traditional boats, the gondolas, are the main transportation here and a gondola ride is a must-do for anyone who visits Europe’s biggest car-free city. The main waterway in Venice is the 2.4 miles long Grand Canal.
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