Welcome back aboard Purely Amsterdam, the podcast recorded on Amsterdam’s iconic canals.

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the Amsterdam Light Festival 2025 with festival curator Chris. Discover how the city transforms into a glowing open-air gallery, from floating light artworks on the canals to large-scale installations like an eight-meter glowing sun and a giant whale skeleton.

Chris shares his journey from Australia to Amsterdam, the meaning behind this year’s theme Legacy, and how more than 700 international proposals are curated into just 20 selected artworks. We explore the creative process, technical challenges of building on water, and why the festival is best experienced from a canal boat.

Purely Amsterdam is a floating space for inspiring conversations with the people shaping the city’s culture and creativity.

Subscribe for more episodes featuring artists, curators, and cultural voices who keep Amsterdam shining. ✨

Welcome back aboard Purely Amsterdam, the podcast recorded on the city’s iconic canals. This is the second part of our floating conversation with Captain John Groen, a historian, storyteller and Pure Boats captain.

In this heartfelt follow-up, John opens up about the human side of Amsterdam. From an emotional moment passing the Anne Frank House to touching encounters with guests, romantic canal-side proposals, and reflections on Dutch freedom and tolerance. This episode reveals how life on the water is filled with meaning, connection and laughter.

Purely Amsterdam is a floating space for open, inspiring conversations with the people who live, work and dream along these canals. Subscribe for future episodes featuring artists, entrepreneurs and cultural voices who keep Amsterdam’s spirit alive.

Purely Amsterdam is a floating podcast on the city's iconic canals. Each episode brings open and inspiring conversations with the people and voices who shape Amsterdam's spirit - from historians and artists to local entrepreneurs and local changemakers. Hosted aboard boutique boats from Pure Boats, the podcast blends history, culture and personal stories with the magic of being on the water. Whether it's hidden landmarks, untold stories, or the city's creative heartbeat, Purely Amsterdam reveals the layers that make this city unlike any other. In this episode, host Julia sits down with John Groen - historian, storyteller and Pure Boats captain. In this floating conversation, John shares his love for Amsterdam's history, its architecture and the stories hidden along the waterways. From 16th-century canal houses and the origins of Amsterdam's name, to cat boats and the Red Light District - this episode reveals the many layers of the city's spirit. Subscribe and step aboard for authentic stories, fresh perspectives and the true essence of Amsterdam