You simply can’t leave Amsterdam without getting wet. While a traditional canal cruise that tours the lively and lovely harbor of Amsterdam will cost upwards of €14 depending on whether or not food is served, free ferry rides leave daily from the city center and go to some of its lesser known stopping grounds.

From either jetty 7 or 8 in Central Station, you can hop on one of three ferries: Java ferry, Adelaarsweg ferry, or the Buiksloterweg ferry. The most popular route is on Buiksloterweg (jetty 7 at Central Station); this ferry service travels to the oldest part of Amsterdam’s harbor and takes you from central Amsterdam to North-Amsterdam via IJsselmeer Lake, the body of water that separates the two areas.

We recommend taking all three boat trips, but if you only have time for one, get on the Buiksloterweg. This ride takes about five minutes, but offers a slew of photo opps and some of the best views of the canals and of the IJ shoreline.

Hey, turns out there is such a thing as a free ride! For more information, visit the Holland Tourism Board’s web site.

Join us again tomorrow, Cheapos, for another free tip. Next stop? Athens!

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As befits a city of canals, Venice has a variety of cruising aptitudes. While a trip aboard a traditional Venetian gondola will empty your wallet faster than you can say, “Ciao bello!”, other watercrafts cost much less. Here, how to find the Cheapo ways to float your boat!

For everyday exploring:

A 60-minute or 12-hour tour-

Water buses (vaporetti in Italian) are the cheapest and most traditional mode of transportation in Venice. Locals cruise to and from work and home using the vaporetti’s extensive reach. If you plan on covering a lot of ground and seeing many attractions in a short period of time, consider hopping on this boat. Tickets are relatively cheap. A 60-minute ticket, that allows you to travel on most lines, costs €6.50. A 12-hour card, with unlimited travel, is €14. Visit the ACTV’s web site (Venice’s transportation authority) for more info.

Three days on a discount-

The ACTV offers a number of discounts for carriers of the Venice Card. The ACTV’s Youth Card (for ages 14 to 29), costs €18 and is good for three days of unlimited vaporetti travel. Check out the Venice Card web site for more information.

A Venetian dream on a budget:

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: gondolas are as pricey as they are romantic. They’re not so much a means of transportation as an expensive, if lovely, tour of the city’s most charming views. Expect to pay upwards of €80 for a 45-minute ride. 

So what’s a Cheapo to do? Step into one of the gondola ferries, or “traghetti,” as they are called in Venice, the bare-bones alternative to the lavish gondola ride. Thankfully, the experience is no less authentic; for a mere €.50, you’ll sail along with the locals in a thin, canoe-shaped boat. Look for the yellow “traghetto” signs that mark docking and sailing off points.

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