The 7 Best Canal Cruises in Bruges & Ghent

1.Walking Tour, Canal Boat Trip w/Beer Tasting Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,759 reviews · from $41Our pick

Follow an English, French, or Spanish-speaking guide through Bruges, from the Lake of Love and Begijnhof to Burg Square and the Belfort. Guides such as Maria and JK bring history to life. Finish with a 30-minute canal cruise, plus an optional tasting of four Belgian beers on English tours.

“Our guide, JK, was informative and engaging. We covered a lot of ground and learned even more. Bruges did not disappoint.”

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2.Guided Walking Tour and Canal Boat Trip

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 128 reviews · 2h 30m · from $32Best value

Walk Ghent with an English-speaking local guide, visiting the three towers, guild quays, markets, Patershol, and Gravensteen. Then take a 30-minute canal cruise with illustrated audio translations. Guides such as Ariel, Peter, Juliana, and Eros have been praised for clear, lively storytelling.

“Excellent tour giving us a crisp snapshot of the best things in central Ghent. Our guide Ariel was knowledgeable and witty, and his English was very good. The little radios worked well. Boat tour also very good.”

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3.Day trip to Bruges from Paris with canal cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 81 reviews · 13 hours · from $159

Travel from Paris to Bruges in a minivan or coach, with groups of up to eight possible. Guides such as Jean Baptiste, Serge, Simon, and Roland lead the visit in English, French, or Spanish. See the Belfry, canals, Beguinage, and Grand Place, then enjoy free time and a seasonal cruise.

“Beautiful city worth the long trip and the guide was very entertaining. Would highly recommend.”

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4.Bruges Tour with Canal Cruise from Zeebrugge Cruise Port

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 78 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $82

Travel from Zeebrugge to Bruges by air-conditioned coach, then walk past the Belfry, Burg Square, Holy Blood Basilica, canals, Beguinage, and Minnewater Lake. Guides such as Veronique, Sharene, Daniel, and Charlene lead the tour in English, followed by a canal cruise and free time near Markt Square.

“A wonderful tour and the guide was very informative. We would recommend this tour to anyone. Our only negative comment was since the cruise ship was in town the historical town was overrun with tourists.”

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5.Best Bruges Shore Excursion including Deluxe Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 27 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $79

Travel from Zeebrugge to Bruges in an air-conditioned vehicle, then explore the Belfry, Holy Blood Basilica, Madonna and Child, Saint John’s Hospital, and Markt with an English-speaking guide. You also get a canal cruise and free time for lunch, chocolate, shopping, and independent exploring.

“I loved seeing Bruges! What a delightful place. Our guide was knowledgeable and kind. There was actually too much to see in the allotted time, so I felt a little rushed. There were also no restroom breaks built into the tour, and it was too long a tour to not have a restroom break. Other than that, it was a great tour. I would love to go back and see more. The boat tour was fun. All the walking and the sights were wonderful. I highly recommend the tour.”

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6.Stress-Free Bruges for Cruise Passengers with opt. Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $327Top rated

Travel by air-conditioned coach from Zeebrugge to Bruges for a 5 to 6-hour guided walk through Minnewater Park, the Beguinage, Markt, and the Basilica of the Holy Blood. Choose an optional 30-minute canal cruise, shop for chocolate, and return to port on schedule.

“Good walking tour of central and historic Bruges. The guides were knowledgeable. I recommend the canal cruise option as the boat operator provides additional insights from the water side.”

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7.Bruges Uncovered: Historic Walking Tour & Canal Boat Experience

★★★★★★★★★★3.0 · 6 reviews · from $0

Start at Bruges train station and walk through Minnewater, the Beguinage, major churches, Burg Square, and Grand Place. The roughly 2.5-hour outing is designed to end with a canal boat ride, though recent service problems make confirmation wise. Mobile tickets are accepted.

“Worst tour I’ve ever done. Started off the day being told the wrong time. Arrived in the morning and waited for half an hour looking around for the place only to be told later that it wasn’t running and was offered another tour at another time. Arrived then and spent a whRead more”

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