This was our third houseboat trip. For our first houseboat experience, we traveled to Germany’s Mecklenburg Lake District and explored ancient towns and Prussian castles. On the next trip, we found ourselves on France’s beautiful Saône river in Burgundy. This time we were navigating the Netherlands’ canals by houseboat.
Since we live in a part of Germany that is right on the Dutch border, the drive to the boat was a little over two hours. Seven adults and the family dog piled into two vehicles and we set out in a caravan to pick up the boat in the Netherlands.
All of our houseboat trips have been booked with Locaboat. I highly recommend this company. The boats are comfortable, equipped with everything you need, and fun to drive. And no, the company is not compensating me or giving me a discount to say this. My opinion is entirely my own as a paying customer.
I absolutely love this way of traveling. Whether to explore small villages or historical sites, pop into a restaurant for a meal, or go for a swim. All are possible because one can stop where they want when they want. Our boat, the Flying Bridge Model had four cabins plus four bathrooms. There was a lounge inside as well as a full kitchen and spacious deck space both on top and in the front of the boat.
3 stops we enjoyed while Navigating Netherlands Canals By Houseboat
UTRECHT
The Dom
This university city is the fourth largest one in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, the Dom (tallest one in the Netherlands) was under renovation so no beautiful shots of it. There was, however a picture of when it was dressed up to look like the space shuttle. I found that amusing.
The Oude Gracht
The canals in the city are deep creating a lower level populated by restaurants and shops. The Oude Gracht, the canal that runs through Utrecht is 800 years old.
We spent the day there. After the obligatory French fries stop, it was on to exploring the city on foot and of course, shopping.
scenes from Utrecht:
What I missed/ For the next visit: De Haar Castle – the largest in the Netherlands
GOUDA
As a big fan of the cheese, I was very excited about our stop in Gouda. It did not disappoint.
A Cheesy Museum
The first stop was the Cheese & Crafts Museum. Housed in a beautiful building built in 1668, the ground floor was originally a cheese weighing station. Now this main floor does double duty as a general information point for tourists and housing a beautiful gift shop.
Upstairs takes visitors through the cheese-making process through a series of vignettes with original equipment.
There is also a beautiful event space.
The Longest Church in the Netherlands
Over 400 feet long the Gothic St. John’s Church dates from the 13th century.
The stained glass windows were created in the 1500s and are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. These were removed and hidden during WW@ to hide them from potential Nazi pilfering.
‘t Kaaswinkeltje – An epic cheese store:
This was one of my favorite stops in Gouda. One can spend a long time there gawking at the different varieties of cheese. This shop sells original Gouda’s farmer’s cheese. Unpasteurized cheese that’s still made according to the old traditions on farms around Gouda.
The selection can be overwhelming. However, after a few carefully selected purchases to bring back to the boat, we opted for immediate satisfaction. Purchasing a wine & cheese sampler was definitely a good idea. There is seating outside of the store where you can indulge in a delicious break.
I couldn’t leave Gouda without sampling David’s Gelato and I was not disappointed. Highly recommend.
Scenes from Gouda:
What I Missed/For the Next Visit: Stroopwaflen Vending Machines
WEESP
This was the surprise stop of the trip. I expected epic cheese in Gouda and a vibrant shopping area in Utrecht. However, I had never heard of Weesp and had no expectations. This city is very close to Amsterdam (20 minutes by car) but feels like a completely different world. Small and charming, it has interesting places to explore. The three below are all connected to houses of worship.
The Grote or Sint-Laurenskerk
One of the oldest buildings in Weesp, this originally Catholic church was built between 1429 and 1462. It was dedicated to Saint Laurentius and Mary Magdalene. 1582 it became Protestant and its name was changed from Laurentiuskerk to Grote Kerk.
Wispe Brouwerij/Weesp Brewery
Uniquely located in an old church, this place not only serves up craft beer and delicious cocktails, it is also a restaurant. I stopped in for a cocktail, a hibiscus variation on an Aperol Spritz.
The space is gorgeous and well worth a stop.
Synagogue
The Synagogue in Weesp is an Ashkenazi synagogue completed in 1840. In use until 1941. All Jewish residents were deported from Weesp and most died in concentration camps. This brick building was repurposed as an office building and a garage. Since the early 200’s a Jewish community has been renting the space for prayer services. an office building.
Scenes from Weesp:
What I Missed/For the Next Visit: Try a ‘Weespermop’ at one of the bakeries
Navigating the Netherlands’ Canals by Houseboat is a genuinely unique way of visiting the area. In total, we have embarked on five houseboat trips all on different European rivers. All have been booked with Locaboat. You can choose what size boat to rent. For an extra fee, the company will put bicycles on the boat. You can also order wifi.
Check out Some of my other European River Boat Trips:
TRAVELING FRANCE’S SAÔNE RIVER BY HOUSEBOAT: 4 FAVORITE STOPS
MECKLENBURG LAKE DISTRICT GERMANY BY HOUSEBOAT
