Boating along the canals of Flanders: houseboats and bikes

First day

Recommended itinerary: Nieuwpoort - Leffinge
Set sail from the port of Nieuwpoort, where the salty air of the North Sea soon fades into the silence of the canals. Your week on a houseboat in Belgium begins among reeds and polders: herons, low banks, and cycle paths running parallel to the water will be your companions on this new adventure. Navigation is smooth, ideal even for those who have never driven a houseboat before. In Leffinge, the mooring has the flavor of rural Flanders: brick houses, a slender bell tower, warm bread in the morning.

Second day

Recommended itinerary: Leffinge - Oostende - Brugge
Today's destination is the famous city of Bruges, but first we stop off at Oostende. Towards the coast, the landscape changes, the water widens and touches Oostende: seaside promenade, salty wind, Fort Napoleon guarding the dunes. We take our bikes and head down for a visit to the city of Ostend by bicycle, enjoying the freedom of a self-guided vacation. In the afternoon, we head inland, where the banks become greener and accompany us to Bruges. The arrival is spectacular: stone bridges, stepped roofs, and bell towers. The evening smells of abbey beer and typical waffles: we moor along one of the canals and visit the historic center.

Third day

Recommended itinerary: Bruges - St. Joris
Our week on a houseboat in Flanders continues at a leisurely pace. We leave Bruges reluctantly, such is the beauty of this city, but the new landscape enchants us. The boat glides along the canal between vegetable gardens and farms in a typical Flemish landscape. St. Joris is a snapshot of the countryside: a short pier, taverns on the corner, the smell of wet wood that draws us ashore. It is up to us to choose whether to take a walk through the streets of the historic center of St. Joris or a bike ride through the fields and orchards of this area of Belgium. We are enjoying a new experience: we are experiencing Flanders in an authentic and unhurried way.

Fourth day

Recommended itinerary: St. Joris - Ghent
Today we are going to visit Ghent, one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium. We will take our bikes and cycle through the medieval buildings of its historic center, such as Gravensteen Castle. The city has a lively atmosphere typical of university towns and is famous for Jan van Eyck's paintings, such as The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb in St. Bavo's Cathedral. This is also the perfect place to taste Ghent ham, the famous Speculoos biscuits, and, of course, Belgian artisanal chocolate.

Fifth day

Recommended itinerary: Gent - St. Joris
We have reached the furthest point of our houseboat tour in Flanders: it's time to turn back, but the excitement continues. We can buy some typical Belgian products such as black bread and cheese to eat on our boat as we slowly sail towards St. Joris. The afternoon passes unhurriedly as we cover today's 20 km in just under 3 hours. Houseboats are very slow, and the great thing is that you can drive them without a license, making this itinerary one of the best in Europe for those with no experience. We moor at St. Joris and enjoy dinner on the water, accompanied by the sizzling of a frying pan and the dark outline of the trees.

Sixth day

Recommended itinerary: St. Joris - Bruges
After spending a week touring Belgium, we return to Bruges with fresh eyes and new experiences. Before mooring, it is worth taking a detour to the Kruisvest windmills: four historic windmills located along the eastern ramparts of the city. Large white blades stand out against the green grass and offer sweeping views of the peaceful canals: how wonderful! If we want to experience the real Bruges, we should seek out the beguinages, the buildings of the sisterhoods that offer silence and hidden courtyards. In the evening, the boat awaits like a small house on the water: dinner in a brasserie along the shore or on board, with the distant echo of footsteps on the bridges?

Seventh day

Recommended itinerary: Bruges - Ostend - Leffinge
We point the bow of our houseboat towards the coast: canals that become estuaries, seagulls circling overhead and the scent of salt in the air. In Ostend, we can enjoy lunch with a sea view and a stroll along the Albert I Promenade; then back inland, where the landscape is composed of fields and rows of trees all the way to Leffinge. If we want to feel a little like locals, we can take our bikes and go for a ride.

Eighth day

Recommended itinerary: Leffinge - Nieuwpoort
It's the last day of our bike and boat holiday in Belgium. The houseboat glides between the reeds and the typical red-roofed houses. The smell of the Atlantic becomes stronger, the lighthouses line up, and fishing boats dot the harbor. Nieuwpoort welcomes us back with its piers and the vastness of the open sea. The route ends as it began: on the water, following the gentle rhythm of the canals of Flanders. We return the boat in the early afternoon.