canal boat trips bruges

Opening hours

Price table, getting there.

Events on this location

Bruges by boat

Shipping company Venetië van het Noorden, Huidenvettersplein 13, tel. +32 50 33 00 41 , [email protected]
Shipping company Coudenys, Rozenhoedkaai, tel. +32 50 33 13 75 , [email protected]
Shipping company De Meulemeester, Wollestraat 32, tel. +32 50 33 41 20 , [email protected]
Shipping company Gruuthuse, Nieuwstraat 11, tel. +32 50 33 32 93 , [email protected]
Shipping company Stael, Katelijnestraat 4, tel. +32 50 3 327 71 , [email protected]

Please note: the opening hours for this day are subject to (possible) change.

Children aged 4 to 11

Children under 4, visitors with a disability.

you will pay a discounted rate as a visitor with disabilities;
one person may accompany you free of charge.

Huidenvettersplein 13, 8000 Brugge

Nearest bus stop: 502817 Brugge Dijver

Nearest station: Station Brugge

Nearest parking: Pandreitje car park

Often combined with

Bruges fire alleys

Outdoor concert

Delaney's Irish Pub

Discover the city of Bruges via a boat trip on the Bruges canals

What are the opening times.

Reservations are only possible for groups of minimum 20 people between 9 am and 5 pm, from 1 March to 31 October. In the winter months we are, depending on the weather conditions, only open on Saturdays and Sundays and reservations can only be made between 9 am and 11 am. Without a reservation it is usually impossible to take a boat trip with a group.

Where do we have to board

Departures and arrivals are at the same address: Bootexcursies Gruuthuse, boarding point 3, Nieuwstraat 11, 8000 Bruges. This is near the Our Lady church (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk), on the corner of the Nieuwstraat and Dijver. (It is not possible to get on or off the boat anywhere else.)

Admit it, a visit to the beautiful city of Bruges is not complete without a boat trip on the Bruges canals.

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Bruges Boat Tour: Take a Magical Cruise Through the Bruges Canals

If you are looking for a romantic destination, the Canals of Bruges are the perfect choice. The picturesque waterways wind through the city, and the historic buildings that line the canals create a magical and charming atmosphere. You can take a leisurely boat ride with your loved one, stroll through the quaint streets, and admire the beautiful architecture. The city is also home to many romantic restaurants, cafes, and bars where you can enjoy a romantic meal or drinks.

Table of Contents

Quick Answers

Boat tours in Bruges usually run from early March to mid-November . During other times, the decision to operate lies with the shipping companies.

A boat tour in the Canals of Bruges typically costs 12 €, with discounted rates of 7€ for children aged 4 to 12. Children under 4 can join for free.

Tickets can be bought on spot. Read on for a list and map of the shipping companies and their locations.

History of the Bruges Canals

The enchanting Canals of Bruges have a history that spans back to the 12th century, a time when these waterways were meticulously crafted to facilitate the transport of goods into the heart of the city. Evolving over the centuries, the canals evolved into a crucial component of Bruges’ transportation system, serving diverse purposes from commerce to public transit. Today, while primarily catering to tourism, the canals remain deeply ingrained in the city’s cultural tapestry, preserving the echoes of its storied past.

Bruges Boat Tours: An unforgettable experience

Embarking on a boat tour is one of the best ways to delve into the beauty of the Bruges canals. Several reputable companies offer boat tours, all following the same enchanting route. Lasting approximately 30 minutes, these tours provide a unique perspective of the city, offering insights into the rich history and culture of Bruges.

Shipping Companies & starting points

Five distinct shipping companies operate these boat tours, each with its own starting point. Despite the differences in starting locations, all companies follow the same picturesque route. These non-covered boats, provided with umbrellas in case of rain, offer a capacity of 35-40 people.

The starting points include:

Coudenys at Rozenhoedkaai
Venetië van het Noorden at Huidenvettersplein 13
De Meulemeester at Wollestraat 32
Gruuthuse at Nieuwstraat 11
Stael at Katelijnestraat 4

Bruges Boat Tours Coudenys at Rozenhoedkaai

Dates, availability & Prices

Boat tours in Bruges typically run from early March to mid-November . During other times, the decision to operate lies with the shipping companies. The standard price for a boat tour is 12€ , with discounted rates of 7€ for children aged 4 to 12. Children under 4 can join for free. Tickets can be conveniently purchased on the spot with the respective shipping company.

Guided Boat Tours & Walking Tours

For those preferring a combined experience of a boat tour and a guided walk, expert guides lead captivating walking tours. These tours navigate the city’s winding streets and scenic canals, offering historical insights and showcasing iconic landmarks.

Description:

Boat trip in bruges..

Our boat trip in Bruges starts at the Rozenhoedkaai pier, offering a delightful 30-minute boat ride. During this journey, you will have the opportunity to absorb the full character of this city and capture the most wonderful photos of its charming, typical Flemish architecture from a completely different angle.

Embark on a boat trip in Bruges and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Middle Ages, where time seems to have stood still, revealing the city’s true beauty.

Additional information

Highlights:.

Enjoy 30 min in Bruges by Boat.
The boats will depart every 15 minutes (your ticket is valid all day for a boat trip on the canals of Bruges).
Discover one of the most beautiful medieval cities in the world which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site in or Bruges by Boat.
Contemplate the little Venice of the North, with its medieval streets and red brick houses.
A local English-speaking guide in your boat ride in Bruges.

Our guarantees:

Responsible tourism : this activity respects the codes of responsible and sustainable tourism.
We work in partnership with the Brussels Tourism Office.
More than 10 years of experience.
Certificate of Excellence since 2013.
Tailored service for private groups, companies and tour operators.
Quick and easy booking.

Bruges boat trip program:

Duration: Approximately 30 minutes.

Start Point: Rosary Quay – Rozenhoedkaai 3, 8000 Brugge.

A selection of some highlights:

Belfry (Highlight).
Beguinage (Highlight).
Church of St-Anna (Highlight).
Church of Our Lady (Highlight).
Liberty of Bruges.
House of the Tanners.
Almshouse ‘The Pelican’.
St-John’s Hospital.
Groeninge Museum.
Ambachtshuis Huidevetters.
Fish Market.
Stepped gables.
Burghers’ Lodge.

End Point: Rosary Quay – Rozenhoedkaai 3, 8000 Brugge.

Remember, during the trip, you will have the opportunity to listen to multi-lingual comments in Dutch, French, German, and English, providing additional insights and information about the sights you encounter.

Practical information:

Adults: 15€
Kids (from 0 to 11 years old): 11€
Groups (+ 20 pers.) : 14€
Private group: 480€ (you can also book this activity in private for your group).

Starting time:

Every day at 10:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m. (The boats will depart every 15 minutes).
Your ticket is valid for the whole day (for a boat tour on the canals of Bruges).
Possibility to board before or after the time of your reservation.
Approximately 30min.

Meeting point:

Rosary Quay – Rozenhoedkaai 3, 8000 Brugge.
English – Dutch – French – Spanish.
Approximately 30min Bruges by Boat.
Validity: 1 day (one departure every 15 minutes between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.).

Not included:

Food or drinks.

Terms of service:

Participation:.

To ensure your participation, we recommend booking your workshop as soon as possible.
Book the tour up to 2 hours before the start of the boat trip.
The number of participants is limited (max. 25 persons).
The reservation is free and without charge.
You can book up to two hours in advance.
The boats will depart every 15 minutes .

Cancellation:

Frequently asked questions:, what is the maximal group size for the boat trip in bruges .

To ensure the best possible service, our visits are limited to 25 participants per group.

When is the best time to book a Boat trip in Bruges?

We recommend booking a Bruges by Boat as soon as possible to ensure availability. However, it is possible to book the tour up to 2 hours before the start of the boat trip.

We are a group, i s it possible to do the private Bruges by Boat ?

Yes, it is possible to take a private Bruges by Boat. The price is 350€ are limited to 25 participants per group.

Are there more questions about the Boat trip in Bruges ?

If there are any further questions or a desire for more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Customer reviews on independent platforms:

We have the best reviews on the platforms:

Other customer reviews:

35 reviews for boat trip in bruges.

Anonymous (verified owner) – 21/05/2023

Guide was excellent!

Anonymous (verified owner) – 17/05/2023

The ticket was accepted without comment and I was allowed on craft. The craft was clean and well maintained. The driver (captain) was knowledgeable about the city. Altogether a good experience.

Rajan Sharma (verified owner) – 15/05/2023

It went great… Coming time we will do more business with you and received the satisfactory and memorable services from you. Thank you to make our 1st experience with you so memorable!!!

Michael Moss (verified owner) – 02/05/2023

Becky (verified owner) – 16/04/2023

The best part of our trip to Brussels!

Anonymous (verified owner) – 09/04/2023

Lovely boat trip – went at a leisurely pace, informative and entertaining. Great way to see Bruge.

Doron T. (verified owner) – 14/03/2023

Great way to start a day and a tour of Brugges

Anonymous (verified owner) – 05/03/2023

Would definitely recommend! The canal tour is a beautiful way to see and admire the beauty of Bruges. The guide also conducted the tour in English, Dutch and French which I think a lot of people will find impressive and very accommodating. 😊

Honor Virden (verified owner) – 14/02/2023

Really lovely lady tour guide, very funny and charismatic way to discover Bruges with lots of insider tips on where to visit. Delivered with warmth and friendliness that rest of hospitality can hope to compare to

Jill (verified owner) – 12/02/2023

Nice to see Bruges from the water

Ian N. (verified owner) – 03/01/2023

Very pleasant and knowledgeable captain!

Natalia (verified owner) – 02/01/2023

Very funny driver Bit spoiled with rain but all was good.

Gloria R. (verified owner) – 17/12/2022

Do not miss this boat trip. It provides such a different and lovely perspective of Bruges.

Anonymous (verified owner) – 24/11/2022

Very simple, you ask for a booking they deliver

Eleonora Mincheva (verified owner) – 31/10/2022

Easy, quick and correct. Very romantic boat trip

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Reservierung

Discovered By Boat

A trip on the canals of Bruges.

A boat trip on the picturesque canals of Bruges allows you to admire the city's most beautiful sights from a total different angle. The boat follows a set route and takes 30 minutes.

The guiding is provided with multi-lingual comments: Dutch, French, German and English.

The boats are not covered, but umbrellas are provided in case of rainy weather.

A selection of some highlights .

Church of St-Anna

Church of Our Lady

Liberty of Bruges

House of the tanners

Burghers Lodge

Almshouse 'The Pelican'

St-John's hospital

Coudenys n.v.

B - 8000 Brugge

BTW: BE 0408.420.577

MAIL: [email protected]

Seizoen 2024

Van 03 februari tot 31 december

Dagelijks van 10h00 - 17h30.

Tijdens de maanden juli & augustus

Dagelijks van 10h00 - 18h30.

https://www.facebook.com/Coudenys

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Website by Dynasty Coudenys b.v.

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Bruges by Boat: Tips for the Famous Canal Tour

The first thing that comes to mind for most people when they think of Bruges, Belgium, are serene winding canals abutted by quaint stone houses. The city’s famous canals give it the nickname The Venice of the North .

The thing that was most surprising to me about our trip to Bruges this July was how relatively inaccessible the canals are. There are few places where you can actually walk along the canal since they’re lined with buildings, so the main views are along the few, crowded bridges that cross the water. In order to really experience the canals and the beautiful buildings along the water, you need to be on a boat , which is why the canal tours are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city.

Canal tour boat landing and view of historic architecture in Bruges Brugge Belgium

One of five boat landings for Bruges Canal Tour

Luckily, a canal tour is a relatively inexpensive way to experience the canals and architecture of this historic city. Here are some useful tips I learned based on our experience:

There are 5 boat landings along the canals, but the route and price are the same for all ( 8 Euro for a 30-35 minute tour ). It’s only the start and end point that will vary, so my suggestion is to simply pick the one with the shortest line. We approached one with a relatively short line but decided to keep looking and found another one just a block away where we were able to walk straight onto the boat. Click here for a map showing the location of the five boat landings (link will open in a new window).
The boats typically run every 15-20 minutes . The boats will also wait until the boat is full or nearly full before departing.
The best seats for getting unobstructed photos are at the very front or very back. The boats have a row of single seats that run down the middle, which would be the worst for photos. It may be worth waiting until the next boat to come along if only middle seats are available.
The tours run daily from 10:00am to 6:00pm (last boat leaves at 5:30pm) from March to mid-November . Bruges is flooded by cruise ship patrons and day-trippers during the peak hours of the day, so the lines are significantly shorter before 11:00 and become very long in the afternoon. Plan accordingly!
Our boat driver/guide did a nice job narrating the ride, pointing out sights and answering questions for us along the way. We saw some boats with a recorded audio guide, which seemed less interesting. The guide asked everyone on the boat what language they spoke and carried out the tour in both English and French.
The tour is cash only . You may also want to bring a few extra euros along to tip your driver.

Any other questions? Leave them in the comment section and I’ll try my best to answer them. Happy boating!

Alison Macbeth

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CANAL TRIP BRUGES-DAMME - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Brugesboattour

All boat trips in the historical inner city of Bruges take place on the same fixed course , imposed by the city government. They take about 30 minutes. There is no eating or drinking allowed on board.

Our starting point is located in the Katelijnestraat 4, which is also the end point of the cruise.

Our hours of operation for individual round trips or cruises with the family are from 10 am until 5 pm, with departures roughly every 15 minutes.

Reservation is only possible for groups from 25 persons and up. In this case we work with set departure times.

Our mooring place is located at the Katelijnestraat 4 in Bruges, right next to Saint John's Hospital and the Church of Our Lady. A toilet is available.

Our course takes you along the most scenic spots in Bruges. You get to see the most famous places of interest from a totaly different perspective.

Detailed course

Prices 2024:

Individual: 15,00 euro/person Group (+20 people): 12,00 euro/person Children (4-11 years): 9,00 euro/child Private boat: 375,00 euro (max. 25 people)

Payment by bank card possible.

Opening hours: from 10/02/2024 - 30/12/2024 daily from 10:00 AM untill 5:00 (5:30) PM Opening hours are subject to change due to weather conditions and maintenance works by the City of Bruges.

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Bruges Canal Boat Tour Excursion

After we’d completed the guided walking tour of Bruges portion of our full day excursion in Belgium we waited patiently for the boat that would take us on a more relaxing trip around the city via its famous and popular canals. As our group was early some people elected to wait outside the embarkation point to smoke or browse some of the nearby shops but because it was hot and because I wanted first choice of seating on the boat we chose to queue up at the front. This gave me a chance to snap a few shots of the area near Mariastraat where our boat was due from below ground level.

I wanted to get to the back of the boat for a couple of reasons: I’m quite considerate when it comes to not wanting to spoil other people’s enjoyment of an event so this would mean I wouldn’t have to concern myself with wondering if my camera was blocking someone’s view or the photograph they were just about to take; additionally, it’s quite nice sometimes to get other people in your shots deliberately from a composition and scaling perspective.

It was a lot cooler on the canal than it had been walking around Bruges , as you can imagine. If the weather is warm and you’re getting tired of walking around then a canal boat trip is a great way to rest your feet and cool down. For us, it wouldn’t have mattered if it had been piddling down with rain; it might be the naval port city blood in us but we almost always take a boat trip of some description whenever we’re travelling if the option presents itself.

The boat trip gave everyone a chance to look at some of the medieval architecture of Bruges either from closer than they otherwise would have been able to or from a different angle. In terms of information imparted to us on the tour, however, we did have a slight issue in that we appeared to be mostly going over the same ground and same buildings of interest that we’d covered on the walking tour. This wasn’t an awful thing but it would have been nicer if the day’s tour as a whole had taken this into consideration with far less of an overlap. For this particular tour arranged through Princess Cruises the duplication of content was a minor gripe on an otherwise lovely day in the Belgian city.

We eventually made it back to the starting point of our canal boat tour of Bruges where after some waiting around to let a few other boats navigate the narrow waterways we disembarked for a spot of free time in the city prior to our departure back to the cruise ship.

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