Belgium

Heartwarming Belgium

Flanders welcomes you with delicious chocolate, tasteful beers and many beautiful bridges.

Taste the sweetness of the lively Flanders region; known for its delicate chocolate, the comic figure Tin Tin, upscale lace and gourmet kitchen. Flanders spans across the northern part of the country along the Dutch boarder and is rich in culture and natural beauty. Here you sail with scenic views of windmills, meadows, marsh, beaches and busy cities filled with architectural greatness. Everywhere you look you’ll see part of the historic Flanders as one grand castle replaces the next.

The exciting history and cultural heritage of Flanders is also revealed in the many cathedrals and palaces. In Gent you can admire the St. Bavo cathedral and enjoy a fantastic view of the medieval city for the St. Michael bride. The dramatic museums for World War 1 in Ypres are also worth a visit.

You should try ”Vlaamse stoofkarbonaden”, a popular casserole in Belgium made from beef, but with beer instead of red wine. Or maybe “Konijin i gueze”, rabbit cooked with beer. And don’t forget about the world famous Praliner chocolates.

Belgium is a perfect destination for beer tasting and beer festivals. The country is for its beer including the special lambic type. The brewery Straffe Hendrik offers guided tours and beer tasting and at the Dulle Griet Bar in Ghent they have more than 500 different beers on the menu. You can also visit one of Belgium’s numerous beer festivals that almost runs at all times during the year.

Despite the beer you can safely bring the children along on a boating vacation in Belgium. The Bellewaerde Park in Ypres offers both amusement park style rides and rare animals. A more relaxed alternative is the Brielmeersen Park in Deinze, which offers miniature golf and a bamboo labyrinth.

Canals and rivers crisscross the beautiful low altitude coastal areas at our destination in Belgium. The nature here is a sanctuary for both seabirds and bathers. The waterways are such a huge part of the infrastructure of Flanders that you’ll find many bridges crossing in every city. In Ghent alone you’ll meet an astonishing number of more than 120 bridges.

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Nieuwpoort og Ghent

Famous for its delicious chocolates, delicate laceworks and many hundreds of varieties of beers, Belgium's network of tranquil waterways wind through gentle countryside and historic towns rich with charm and character. In short, a perfect destination for a boating holiday.

Highlights around Nieuwpoort and Ghent:

The beautiful city of Bruges, "Venice of the North"
Gothic Ghent - Belgium's ancient capital
The Yser Tower in Diksmuide
Brielmeersen park in Deinze
St Bavo Cathedral in Ghent
The Groeninge Museum in Bruges
The bar Dulle Griet in Ghent
War Monuments and "The Last Post" at Ypres (Ieper)
The sandy beaches at Nieuwpoort
The beach front in Oostende
The chocolate festival in Bruges
More than 300 different Belgian beers

Practical information about sailing in Belgium

There are about 1.570 km of waterways in Belgium. They are used for both commercial and leisure sailing. The waterways are an especially important part of the infrastructure in the Flanders-region. Here you’ll find a lot of bridges crossing over the water. Nowhere more so than in the beautiful city of Ghent where there are more than 120 bridges.

Locks and lifting bridges

All locks and lifting bridges in Belgium are tended to by a lock keeper. If you travel during Easter, please note that all lifting bridges and locks are closed on Easter Sunday. You will receive more information about opening hours for bridges and lock upon arrival at the base. Be aware that there are special rules in Bruges. Read more further down this page.

Mooring

In Belgium you must moor in dedicated moorings which have bollards or rings to tie your lines to. Moorings are plentiful in Belgium and most are even free of charge. However, be aware of the special rules for sailing in Bruges. Read more further down this page.

Sailing to and mooring in Bruges

When sailing to Bruges you follow the Ring Canal (an old moat) around the outskirts of the city. You can moor safely at “La Coupure” canal inlet that is protected by a barrier controlled by the harbour master. It costs a small fee per boat per night.

Locks and bridges in Bruges have other openings hours than the rest of Flanders. They are closed on Sundays and public holidays during the months of April and October. Be sure to get more info at the base.

Shopping for your trip

1.5 km from the base you will find UNIC - a well-stocked supermarket (also fresh bread, meats and vegetables, etc.)

You will find local shops restaurants and cafés in the centre of Nieuwpoort about 2 km from the base

Paying with credit card

The base at Nieuwpoort accept the following credit cards for payment of risk insurance, fuel-deposit and options: Visa and MasterCard.

Please note that in Belgium you can pay by credit card in restaurants, hotels, shops and some of the big supermarket chains, but not in smaller supermarkets and drugstores. Don’t be afraid to ask when you enter a store.