Named for the flowering "eglantine" or sweetbriar, this is one of the loveliest canals in the area. Its tree-lined streets form a leafy canopy over the water and flower boxes adorn its bridges in summer. Many of the houses along this canal were first occupied by Golden Age painters and artisans. Hidden here is the St. Andrieshofje, famous for its Delftware entryway. Certainly not hidden (it is usually jammed with people) is the famed Café 't Smalle, (on the corner of the Prinsengracht). This ivy-covered proeflokaal (tasting house), complete with waterside terrace, was where Pieter Hoppe began his jenever distillery in 1780, an event of such global significance that 't Smalle is re-created in Japan's Holland Village in Nagasaki.
Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip