flandria tours antwerp

Flandria Line

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FLANDRIA LINE (Antwerp) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

Flandria Line

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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Flandria Line - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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OEP Z'N ANTWERPS

In 2022, shipping company Flandria will be 100 years old. For a full century they have been offering round trips on the Scheldt and through the port. Behind the scenes, people are working hard to make this anniversary year a surprise year. There is no more beautiful and attractive way to get to know the port of Antwerp than from the water. It gives a vacation feeling close to home.

• Performance 45 to 60 min with port tour afterwards
• On request, minimum of 20 persons
• Tour guided by author Freddy Michiels
• A Flandria special trip
• 1 coffee or tea at arrival
• Quick course in Antwerp and introduction to Antwerp humor

Starting this summer, Flandria is organizing special port tours for groups "Oep z'n Aantwaarps" accompanied by the author Freddy Michiels , known for so many Antwerp books but especially for the book " Antwerp Lessons ," the most complete reference work on the Antwerp language, supplemented with Antwerp humor and with songs by The Strangers.

Flandria now offers an exceptional port tour for groups, associations, companies. It begins with a quick course in Antwerp, an introduction to typical Antwerp humor, before happily cruising through the docks and getting acquainted with the largest ocean-going vessels moored here.

There are two formulas to choose from:

• cruise with extensive BBQ and drinks
• round trip with reception

"Welcome on bwoard .... "

Extra information Oep z'n Antwerps

• When: on request, minimum of 20 persons
• Duration: performance of 45 to 60 minutes (stationary) with a harbor tour afterwards
• Price: €12,- per person (harbour tour not included)
• Embarkation: to Londenbrug (Amsterdamstraat) in Antwerp. Our embarkation point is just opposite the café "Licht der Dokken" and is within walking distance of the MAS and the Red Star Line museum.
• Departure boat ride: on request
• Food & drinks: 1 coffee or tea upon arrival

Food and drinks on board of the Oep z'n Antwerps

• Cruise with extensive BBQ and drinks
• Harbour tour with reception

More information about our Flandria Cruises?

Port of Antwerp Boat Tour – Jan Plezier Pancake Boat

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: January 23, 2024

The Port of Antwerp is the second-largest seaport in Europe, after Rotterdam. And there is probably no better way to explore it than by boat.

Update: Please note that this is an old article and the company Jan Plezier that organized boat tours of the port of Antwerp now only offers boat tours for events. So not for tourists willing to explore the harbor in an hour or two. If you are visiting Antwerp and want to see the city and the harbor from the water, we recommend that you look at other boat tours .

One of the easiest ways to do it is to simply take a water bus from Steen Castle. Alternatively, take a look at the boat tours organized by Flandria – they have a nice selection of boat tours in Antwerp, including scenic harbor tours and pancake tours as well.

READ ALSO: * Lesser-known & Cool Places to See in Antwerp * Is Antwerp Worth Visiting? * Best Things to Do in Antwerp * Where to Stay in Antwerp * Antwerp with Kids

When looking for a nice Antwerp harbor tour, we stumbled upon the Jan Plezier’s Antwerp harbor boat tours with pancakes (aka the pancake boat or de pannekoekenboot  in Dutch). We just had to try it! Our boys were really enthusiastic about spending Sunday afternoon on a pancake boat.

Surprisingly, there are just a few port tours in Antwerp. So if you are looking for a nice boat tour, this might be a good place to start!

Antwerp port tour by boat – our experience

We started our Port of Antwerp boat tour at Het Eilandje (‘The Little Island’), the quickly growing new area North of the city centre of Antwerp. Some of the most impressive new landmarks of Antwerp can be found here : The MAS museum, The Red Star Line museum, and probably the most unique building of Belgium – The New Port House of Antwerp.

And while a few years ago all the main highlights of Antwerp were found in the old town, anno 2017 no trip to Antwerp would be complete without visiting this new bustling area, Het Eilandje.

The Port of Antwerp boat trip with Jan Plezier starts at London Bridge, and the very first thing you see is the impressive islet with the New Port House of Antwerp.

The drawing bridge opened as we sailed past the ‘Diamond Ship’ and into the Port of Antwerp.

Some of the world’s largest container ships stop at the harbor of Antwerp. Ships like Madrid Maersk, a 399m (1,309 ft) long and 58,6m (193 ft) wide giant, carrying over 20.000 containers, visit Antwerp harbor. I have difficulties even trying to imagine a ship like that!

Antwerp port tour – what to expect

Almost immediately we saw some huge container ships and the ultra-modern handling of containers. The cranes were unloading heavy containers as if they were Lego bricks. It’s really impressive to see such a big harbour in action!

We passed some large ship repair companies, fruit terminals, and so much more. Antwerp harbour is the main European harbour for fruit and vegetable transport. It also has the world’s largest stock of coffee. Petroleum and tobacco are very important for the port of Antwerp as well.

Around 30,000 people work in the Antwerp harbour. Almost 100,000 people have jobs that are related to the harbour one way or the other. Needless to say that the harbour is extremely important to the city of Antwerp.

Pancake boat

While I spent most of my time on the deck of the ship, the kids couldn’t get enough of the tasty all-you-can-eat pancakes inside.

Belgians love pancakes and they are a popular treat on many occasions, especially for kids. But we had never seen such an interesting pancake baking technology as on this boat!

They have a pancake ‘machine’ that bakes hundreds of pancakes per hour. And I have to say that the pancakes were really good too! As I’m updating this article a few years after we did this trip, our kids are still talking about the pancake boat and how we should do it again.

After we all ate more pancakes than was good for us, we spent the rest of the trip on the deck outside.

On the way back we passed two more drawing bridges; always fun to watch for young and old.

Jan Plezier’s Antwerp harbor tour vs. pancake boat

If you really want to learn a lot more about the port of Antwerp, you should take one of the regular harbour tours with Jan Plezier. They have new interactive guides with iPads and headphones that will give you deeper insight into this fascinating side of Antwerp. Note that these regular cruises have no meals included. And the pancake boat doesn’t include the guided commentary.

In both cases you get to see just as much, but for those who have never been to Antwerp harbour before, I would suggest a regular harbour tour with commentary.

I have to mention that in addition to the harbour cruise and the pancake boat , Jan Plezier also offers other harbour experiences. One of them is a very popular spare ribs boat . But once again, if you really want to learn more about the harbour, just book a harbour tour with commentary. There are plenty of nice restaurants to have lunch or dinner before or after the boat tour.

I would definitely recommend taking a boat tour in the Port of Antwerp – whether you are visiting Antwerp for a longer time or for just a day.

Walking to the boat is a nice experience by itself. You will pass beautiful places that are a bit outside of the main tourist routes. I recommend walking next to the river till you see the MAS museum on your right. From there it’s just a few more minutes.

And if you come on a weekday and take a regular harbor cruise, make sure you have lunch nearby. There are so many good restaurants and cafes in the area.

A boat tour of the Port of Antwerp is also a really nice way to discover more of Antwerp with kids .

Practical Info

Jan Plezier’s Antwerp port tours don’t run anymore. You can find the best alternatives for Antwerp port cruise here .

READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Antwerp

More tips for your visit to Belgium:

• Where to go: Belgium Itinerary for 3 – 4 Days
• Must-see: Best Things to Do in Bruges & Best Things to Do in Brussels
• War sites: Ypres and WWI Battlefields and Bastogne War Museum
• In spring: Hallerbos – Belgium’s blue forest
• In winter: Best Christmas markets in Belgium

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Wednesday 26th of July 2017

You had me at pancakes!

:) Did I say you could have as many as you could eat!

Monday 24th of July 2017

I really didn't know how fascinating this place was! Never heard of it before you but you really make wanna visit!

Tuesday 25th of July 2017

Really? Never heard of Antwerp before? You really should come over to Belgium, Ari, and definitely include Antwerp in your itinerary. It's one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium!

Tuesday 18th of July 2017

I have never been to Antwerp before but all your lovely posts on the city makes me want to go more and more. I never knew that it is the second-largest seaport in Europe. Jan Plezier’s Antwerp harbour boat tours with pancakes sound like fun. I meant who wouldn't want to eat yummy pancakes while exploring :-)

Wednesday 19th of July 2017

I will have to take you on a tour when you finally get here, Melissa. Antwerp is one of the most fascinating places in Belgium, there's so much to see and do!

How to Watch the 2024 Tour of Flanders

Everything you need to know about Belgium’s toughest one-day race, de Ronde van Vlaanderen.

How to Watch de Ronde van Vlaanderen

What happened last year, riders to watch.

This season’s second Monument just might be the best.

The warm-up races with hard-to-say names concluded with Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, which means it’s time for Belgium's biggest and one of the hardest races of the season: the Tour of Flanders, or as the locals call it, the Ronde van Vlaanderen.

First organized in 1913 to promote a sports newspaper and encourage regional pride in the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, the Tour of Flanders is now known in Belgium as Vlaanderens Mooiste , the “most beautiful” race in the region (if you consider cobblestones, narrow roads, bad weather, and lots of climbs to be things of beauty).

Like many Monuments, the race has undergone many changes in its 107 editions, but its most famous characteristic has largely remained unchanged: its bergs , a relentless series of short, steep, and often cobbled climbs during the second half of the race. With roads barely wide enough for most cars to pass through, the peloton often looks like it’s preparing for a field sprint as teams try to position their riders at the front heading into these important tactical battlegrounds.

In the end, the race usually comes down to a vicious final circuit that includes six climbs and ends with the Oude Kwaremont (long and cobbled) and the Paterberg (steep and cobbled) before a fast ride to the finish in Oudenaarde.

It’s no surprise that the riders consider Flanders to be one of the hardest one-day races on the calendar. Its champions need to have strength, skill, experience, and a bit of luck to succeed. It can take years for riders to learn and master the roads, the terrain, and the weather (it’s spring in Belgium, after all).

Given the event’s complexity, Belgians have won more editions (69) of the men’s race than riders from any other nation. But that’s little consolation given that a Belgian hasn’t won the men’s race since 2017. And after home favorite Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) broke his collarbone in Dwars door Vlaanderen, that doesn’t look likely to change this year.

A women’s Tour of Flanders was added in 2004, and the Dutch have won 8 of its 20 editions. But Belgians have enjoyed more recent success in the women’s event, with Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime) winning last year and the year before, the first woman to win back-to-back editions since Dutchwoman Mirjam Melchers won the race in 2005 and 2006.

After last year’s race started in Bruges, this year’s 270K men’s event begins in Antwerp before heading south toward the hills of the Flemish Ardennes, a hilly region packed with short, steep (often cobbled) climbs which the locals call bergs . The first 100K of the race have been changed since the last time the race started in Antwerp. The organizers want to keep the riders on wider roads, to make the race safer.

But it’s not until the race passes through Oudenaarde (home to the Tour of Flanders Museum) that the action really begins, starting with the first of the event’s 17 climbs, the Oude Kwaremont. Long, steady, and cobbled, the Oude Kwaremont pulls the pin on the second half of the race, with the race’s 16 remaining climbs coming in quick succession over the Ronde’s final 136K.

The first big loop that the men will cover takes them over ten more climbs, including famous ascents like the Molenberg, the Berendries, and the Valkenburg. This circuit ends with an important trio of climbs, one of which will return at the end of the next loop to serve as the final three climbs of the race: the Kruisberg, the Oude Kwaremont (again), and the Paterberg.

This second ascent of the Oude Kwaremont is often one of the most intense moments of the race. The teams race hard into the base of it to position their captains at the front of the race to follow any accelerations that may occur. Splits are common here, and teams hoping to win the race will hope to have multiple riders in the front group by the time they hit the summit.

But the group could split again rather quickly, as the race heads right from the Kwaremont to the Paterberg, a shorter, steeper climb that’s perfect for sharper attacks. It was on this climb that Mathieu van der Poel pulled away to win last Friday’s E3 Saxo Classic.

The second and final circuit begins with arguably the most famous (and certainly the most brutal) climb in the entire race: the Koppenberg. Super-steep, cobbled, and narrow, this is where the race’s final phase begins. Riders who don’t hit the climb at the front of the peloton are often forced to get off their bikes and walk as the sudden deceleration caused by the abrupt change in terrain ripples backward through the pack. The race is essentially over for anyone who doesn’t make it over the top of this climb in the top 25.

After the Koppenberg, five bergs remain, and recent editions have seen race-winning attacks launched on just about all of them. Lately, it’s all come down to the final ascents of the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg, with special attention often given to the short stretch of rolling road in between as riders try and surprise their rivals while they recover from the Kwaremont and prepare for the Paterberg, the Ronde’s final climb.

From the top of the final ascent of the Paterberg, it’s only 13.2K to the finish line in Oudenaarde, a distance that several riders have covered alone in recent years. If there is a sprint, it will be between just a handful of classics specialists; the race is too hard to see a large group hit the finish line together.

The 156km women’s race begins and ends in Oudenaarde. The course resembles a mutated clover leaf, and the women’s peloton crosses twelve of the climbs and seven sectors of cobblestones from the men’s event, including–for the first time two years ago–the Koppenberg.

In fact, beginning with Koppenberg, the women’s and men’s final loops are identical, with five more climbs coming in quick succession and the Oude-Kwaremont and the Paterberg providing two final launchpads for riders hoping to escape and win the Flemish Monument.

If you subscribed to FloBikes ($150/year or $30/month) before Ghent-Wevelgem or Dwars door Vlaanderen, then you’re all set to watch the Tour of Flanders. Both the men’s and women’s events will be available live and on-demand via FloBikes.com, the FloSports IOS app, and the FloSports app for Amazon FireTV, Roku, and Apple TV.

Clocks spring forward in Europe on Sunday, so fans on the east coast will be six hours behind the event’s local time. We’ll be up early to watch the men as they hit the Oude Kwaremont for the first time (about 7:30 a.m. EDT). If that’s too early for you, set an alarm for about 9:30 a.m. EDT, the second passage over the cobbled ascent and the moment when the race is expected to explode.

The men’s race should finish around 10:45 a.m. EDT, at which point the women (depending on their average speed) should be nearing or just over the Koppenberg. The women’s race should finish around 11:45 a.m. EDT, which means you’re in for at least 2+ hours of fantastic racing.

After finishing fourth in 2022, Pogačar returned to the Ronde last year, dropping the rest of a dream breakaway of riders that included the Netherlands’ Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Belgium’s Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma), and Denmark’s Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) on the last ascent of the Oude Kwaremont. The Slovenian rode along to the finish to become the third male rider in history–and the first since Belgian legend Eddy Merckx–to win the Tour de France and the Tour of Flanders.

But the Belgian fans didn’t go home unhappy. A little while after Pogačar crossed the finish line, home favorite Lotte Kopecky (SD-Worx) defended her title from 2022, capping off a true team effort in which she and the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering finished first and second.

Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck)

With Pogačar not defending his title and van Aert breaking his collarbone and a few ribs in Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, it looks as if this year’s Tour of Flanders is van der Poel’s race to lose.

Even before Wednesday’s high-speed crash, van der Poel was the top favorite. The Dutchman has won the Ronde twice and never finished worse than fourth in the five times he’s raced it. He’s again built the first part of his season around winning the Flemish Monument for a record-tying third time, and three race days into his spring he’s proven that he’s ready with a tenth-place finish in Milan-Sanremo, a dominating victory in last Friday’s E3 Saxo Bank Classic and a second-place finish in Sunday’s Ghent-Wevelgem. Anything less than a victory will be a major disappointment for the Dutchman and his team.

Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)

Pedersen has a lot going for him in Sunday’s Tour of Flanders. He’s an experienced contender, having finished second in 2018 and third last year. He’s also the captain of Lidl-Trek, the strongest team in the classics peloton at the moment. But most importantly, he knows he can defeat van der Poel after beating the Dutchman in a two-up sprint to win Sunday’s Ghent-Wevelgem.

Now the bad news: the Dane went down in the crash that took out van Aert in Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen. He was able to get back on his bike and continue the race (he later DNFed), but his teammate, Belgium’s Jasper Stuyven, wasn’t as lucky. That’s a big loss for Lidl-Trek, Stuyven is a former Monument winner who has proven to be a valuable ally to the Dane so far this spring.

Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike)

Stranger things have happened, right? It’s been a nightmare couple of weeks for Visma-Lease a Bike’s classics squad as crashes and illnesses have gutted the team, forcing them to take a bit of a “last man standing” approach to Sunday’s Monument. Luckily, the last man standing at the moment is a pretty good one: American Matteo Jorgenson, who won Paris-Nice in early March and then Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen semi-classic.

With van Aert and several more of the team’s riders forced to sit out Sunday’s race, Jorgenson has clearly earned the right to lead the team instead. Ninth in Flanders last year, he also scored top-5 finishes in the last two editions of the E3 Saxo Classic, a mini-Tour of Flanders that many riders use as their Tour of Flanders dress rehearsal. He’s no Wout van Aert (yet), but he’s the team’s best rider at the moment and a solid contender to at least finish on the podium.

Lotte Kopecky (SD Worx-Protime)

The two-time defending champion, Kopecky will likely be the focal point of an SD Worx-Protime squad that should also include the Netherlands’ Demi Vollering, who was second behind her teammate in last year’s edition.

Kopecky “only” finished fourth in Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, as she found herself isolated and outnumbered in the leading group at the end of the semi-classic. But with two wins and two second-place finishes in major one-day races so far this season, she’s still the woman to beat despite Wednesday’s setback (if you can call fourth-place a setback). A victory Sunday would make her the winningest rider in the history of the women’s Ronde , and the first rider–male or female–to win the race three years in a row.

Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a bike)

Vos won the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in late February and then took a break after finishing ninth at Strade Bianche in early March. Well, it looks like the decision has paid off as the 36-year-old won Wednesday’s Dwars door Vlaanderen, putting herself firmly on the list of favorites for Sunday’s Tour of Flanders, a race she won in 2013.

What was most impressive about Vos’ win Wednesday was the manner in which she did it. Lidl-Trek had two riders–Italy’s Elisa Longo Borghini and the Netherlands’ Shirin van Anrooij–in the leading breakaway of six. When van Anrooij attacked, Vos didn’t wait. She quickly covered the move, not worried about a possible counter-attack from Longo Borghini if the Dutch riders were caught.

It’s often said that in order to win races you have to be willing to lose them, and Vos illustrated the wisdom behind the cliché on Wednesday. With SD Worx-Protime and Lidl-Trek expected to have the two strongest teams in Sunday’s race, Vos might have to prove it right yet again.

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

The second Lidl-Trek rider to make Wednesday’s winning breakaway, Longo Borghini, tried to join van Anrooij off the front with Vos at the end of Dwars door Vlaanderen but couldn’t quite close the gap. Regardless, she’s still a top contender for Sunday’s Tour of Flanders, a race she won in 2015. While they didn’t win the race Wednesday, her team found a winning formula for beating SD Worx-Protime: isolate and out-number them, and then grind them down. Look for them to try a similar approach on Sunday, with hopefully an even better outcome.

Other Riders to Watch

Matej Mohorič (Bahrain-Victorious), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education-EasyPost), Demi Vollering (Team SD Worx-Protime), Shirin van Anrooij (Lidl-Trek), and Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing)

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Attention: since August 1st 2023, the parking policy in the City of Antwerp has changed.

Read more on Parking on the street | Smart ways to Antwerp or Transport in and to Antwerp .

Cruise: Pancake boat

The cruise will only take place on the following days: 31-03-2024, 01-04-2024, 01-05-2024, 15-08-2024

Enjoy a front row view of the port of Antwerp while feasting on the most delicious pancakes. That’s what Flandria’s pancake boat stands has to offer!

Embarkation takes place at Asiadok-Zuidkaai, 2000 Antwerp , which is located directly opposite the public car park of the new ZNA hospital “Cadix”. You must be present 15 minutes before departure to embark.

Available time slots

To see if the desired time slot is available, choose the number of individual tickets you want and select the date.

From 26/09/2021 10:00 pm (UTC) until 31/12/2030 10:59 pm (UTC)

• What to expect
• Accessibility

Enjoy the unlimited pancake buffet in a casual setting. You’ll be able to choose from freshly baked pancakes with all sorts of toppings. You can try them all at our all-you-can-eat buffet. Coffee, tea and other drinks are not included in the ticket price.

Once you have had your fill of pancakes, you can enjoy a breath of fresh air on the outside deck. If the weather is nice, you can also enjoy your pancakes outside. Don’t forget to pay the captain a visit on the bridge.

Practical information:

• Duration: 105 minutes

Contact details for visitors

The pancake boat sails twice a month. You can find the exact dates in the booking module.

This is possible on request. Please indicate your preference in the comments field when making your reservation.

Bringing your own food and drink is not allowed. Drinks and snacks are provided at reasonable prices.

Yes, there is a special gangway for wheelchairs, a special lift and a toilet for the disabled.

Yes, strollers are allowed on board.

Dogs and other pets are not allowed.

There are paid parking facilities nearby. You can find more information here .

You can find more information here .

You can pay by cash, Bancontact.

Yes, there are toilets for men, women and people with disabilities. There is also a changing room on board.

No, our ships do not sail in heavy fog, during storms or in winds of 6 and over on the Beaufort scale. Are you unsure about the weather? Our captains will be happy to help you: + 32 472 21 40 56 or +32 486 91 29 57

The outside deck is safe for children, but parental supervision is recommended. Children are also welcome on the bridge to see the captain in action, which is a unique experience!

• Discover the port of Antwerp by boat combined with freshly baked pancakes
• Coffee, tea and other drinks available at democratic prices
• Ideal for families with children, birthdays, bachelor parties and team building, …

More Antwerp for you

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