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The three coloured houses of the Haverwerf, beside the DijleRomaine · CC BY-SA 4.0

What to do · Mechelen

Boat trip on the Dijle from the Haverwerf

Boat · 45 min · €11 · €9 for ages 4 to 12 · free up to 3 · daily from April to October

InformationFrom €11 person
From
€11 person
Duration
45 min
Season
Every day from 1 April to 31 October; Saturday and Sunday afternoons in March and November
Who it's for
All ages, with a folded pushchair

The Dijle crosses the centre of Mechelen in curves, between quays, gardens and the backs of old houses. The boats of the Malinska company leave from the Haverwerf, the old grain quay, next to the Lamot congress centre and opposite the fish market, and tour the inner river in about 45 minutes with commentary from the skipper.

Price and season

€11 from age 13, €9 for ages 4 to 12 and free up to 3. They sail every day from 1 April to 31 October, and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons in March and November. Departure times are on its website; for groups of 15 or more there is a discount and tailor-made departures.

Tips

  • Combine it with the tower With the boat ticket you pay a reduced price for St Rumbold's tower on the same day.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the boat on the Dijle cost?

€11 for adults and €9 for ages 4 to 12.

Does it sail in winter?

Only on weekend afternoons in March and November; not from December to February.

With young childrenAs a familyWith teenagers

Who runs it

  • Rederij Malinska45-minute trip on the inner Dijle From €11 per person · 45 min · Daily from 1 April to 31 October; weekend afternoons in March and November Visit their website

Opening hours and prices can change: check them before you go.

Round off the plan

Where to eat, where to stay and what else to do

To eat nearby

The dining room at Cosma, with wooden tables© CosmaSharing plates and dry-aged meats, four minutes from the Grote Markt

Cosma

Restaurant · Mechelen · Befferstraat · €€€€

What to order: several starters to share, such as the prawn gyozas or the risotto croquettes, and a Piedmontese beef tartare

Open Wednesday to Friday for lunch and dinner and on Saturday evening · closed Sunday to Tuesday
The dining room of the Het Anker brasserie© Het AnkerFlemish cooking with the house beer, open every day

Brasserie Het Anker

Restaurant · Mechelen · Great Beguinage · €€€€

What to order: a Flemish dish cooked with Gouden Carolus and the house draught beer

Open every day from 10:00 · kitchen from 12:00 to 21:00
A selection of dishes and the dining room at Tinèlle© TinèlleFranco-Belgian cooking with a Michelin star in a former convent

Tinèlle

Restaurant · Mechelen · Het Predikheren · €€€€

What to order: the three-course lunch menu at €58 or, à la carte, the Mechelse Koekoek croquettes and the turbot

Open Monday to Friday for lunch and dinner · closed at weekends

To stay nearby

Spa hotel

Hotel Vé

On the Vismarkt, beside the Dijle · Former fish smokehouse · Pool, sauna and jacuzzi

Why we like it: A four-star design hotel on the Vismarkt, in a former fish smokehouse, with a wellness area and its own Bistro Fuego.

A room under the Gothic arches of the former church, with a stained-glass window at the back© Martin's HotelsHotel

Martin's Patershof

A hotel inside a former church · Breakfast in the old choir · Green Key label

Why we like it: A four-star hotel inside a former church, with rooms in the nave and breakfast in the choir.

A room at the Het Anker hotel© Het AnkerSmall hotel

Hotel Het Anker

Inside the brewery and the Grand Beguinage · Doubles, triples and family rooms · Pets allowed for a supplement

Dogs welcome

Why we like it: The hotel of the Het Anker brewery, in the Grand Beguinage: about twenty air-conditioned rooms, a brasserie downstairs and bike parking.

Itineraries

Features in these plans