7 Canal Cities to Visit as Alternatives to Venice ...

By Neecey

There are plenty of canal cities to visit around the world beside Venice in Italy. Venice is the Grand Daddy of them all but all other canal cities have their own unique attractions while still having that unique atmosphere of being a city built on/around water. If you aren’t going to Italy, no fear; maybe one of these other canal cities can be put on your itinerary.

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1

Suzhou - China

Suzhou - China Set in Jiangsu Province close to Shanghai, Suzhou has canals running throughout. With historic buildings to be viewed from the water, this is one of the most stunning canal cities. It is a peaceful place to visit and the Chinese gardens add a splash of color to the city. To see the best of Suzhou, you need to travel along the Grand Canal, and when in the Old Town there are plenty of shops, cafes and restaurants. The opera house and temples should be on your sightseeing list.

2

Bruges - Belgium

Bruges - Belgium Bruges is much more suited to walking or traveling by canal than using a car. Everywhere you look there are historic buildings and plenty of bridges to allow a clear view of the canals. It is like stepping back decades when you walk along the cobbled streets lined with chocolatiers and lace shops. To get a perfect view of the city climb the belfry at Grote Market, and if you want to learn more about the city you can take a canal tour or walking tour where you will learn about the past inhabitants and the church claiming to have a sample of Christ’s blood. Bruges is a beautiful medieval destination perfect for a romantic Valentine’s break or for its Christmas market when the whole market square is magically transformed into a winter wonderland.

3

Bangkok -Thailand

Bangkok -Thailand As with many canal cities, the canals are most definitely a great way to travel in Bangkok. Their layout prohibits the way you can drive around, meaning you will be well advised to tour on the water. There are plenty of temples to see and it is easy to find street food and a vibrant night life. The water borne night markets and floating restaurants are not to be missed. There is too much to see in Bangkok to even touch the iceberg in this short paragraph but few people will visit and not take the opportunity to go to the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun. To get a taste of the outdoors and escape the hustle and bustle, there are a couple of special parks to visit. The largest is Lumpini Park and travelers have found Santichaiprakarn Park is a place to go and mix with the locals.

4

Giethoorn - Holland

Giethoorn - Holland Holland is well known for its canals and while many people will just think of Amsterdam when thinking of canal cities, Giethoorn is just as stunning, just as full of canals and the views are just as spectacular. The houses running alongside are classic Dutch style and when traveling down the canals, there are many quaint antique wooden bridges to travel under. Canals lead out into a lake and a popular activity is to rent a boat to continue the journey, while the more energetic choose to walk or cycle around the area. Bikes are the only land based form of transport. It is amazing to see the houses that are set in the middle of the lakes and can only be reached by boat.

5

Birmingham - England

Birmingham - England Did you know there are more canals in Birmingham than there are in Venice, although they don’t dominate the city in quite the same way. There is a contrast between the modernity of the Broad Street area and the history of its canals where the Victorian buildings are still standing, many of them renovated in a major regeneration project that brought the city’s waterways to life after years of neglect. When traveling along the canals there are parks to visit and it is hard to remember that it is not still the 1900s. There are plenty of places to eat and drink, with each area being suitable for certain types of entertainment. During the day there is plenty of time to visit the museums and shop till you drop.

Famous Quotes

Meaning is not what you start with but what you end up with.

Peter Elbow
6

Can Tho - Vietnam

Can Tho - Vietnam The Mekong River is responsible for the abundance of canals at Can Tho and the scenery can be seen thanks to the number of local residents who have boats for hire. The scenery changes from densely residential to orchards then to villages and eventually the jungle. Can Tho is large and parts of it are modern, with shops alongside the more traditional markets. There are many temples, churches and pagodas to see and once you have seen all you want, it is possible to book trips to nearby locations such as Vinh Long or My Tho.

7

Alappuzha - India

Alappuzha - India Alappuzha is a city in the Kerala backwaters of India. The backwaters run for about 900 miles along the Keralan coast and man-made canals connect rivers and lakes to make an amazing network of waterways. When touring the canals here, there will be many of the local residents still using the water as the easiest way to get around. The region is serene ad tranquil and is fast growing as an area for eco-tourism. A great way to see the Alappuzha and Kerala is by renting an original houseboat and traveling through the changing countryside. You know you’re in one of the great canal cities because Alappuzha was christened “Venice of the East” by Lord Curzon, who was Viceroy of India under Queen Victoria.

Do you think canal cities have a unique atmosphere? Have you been to Venice or any of these others?

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Try Strasbourg in France - beautiful

@DeeDee, it really isn't all that nice. Don't want any alligators getting to you!

One vote for Can Tho Vietnam

Seriously, my back yard is a canal. Louisiana is almost entirely made up of canals. It should be on the list.

Great

I love Bruges...and Amsterdam, also.

Ottawa, ON

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