When I think back to various holiday trips, I often remember the boat rides best. Whether travelling at high speed and splashing water or enjoying a peaceful paddle in a calm lake, getting out on the water is always an experience. Here we present ten great boat trips in Europe that we highly recommend, listed in no particular order. What great boat trips in Europe would you recommend?
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1. canoe in sperone, Corsica
Corsica is stunningly beautiful almost everywhere and one way to experience this beauty is to hire a canoe and paddle around. We did this at the beautiful beaches of Sperone. Read more about islands, beaches and canoeing.
2. river boat in Omis, Croatia
The wide Cetina River flows through the Croatian town of Omis, with high mountains rising on its sides. Here you can take a leisurely boat trip upstream through the intensely green countryside. Read more about boat trip on the river Cetina.
3. Banana boat on the Adriatic Sea, Italy
If you're looking for a bit of speed and excitement and want to get wet in the process, a trip on a banana boat might be just the thing. You'll find these everywhere, including here on the Italian coast.
4. Ferry Sardinia - Sicily
The ferry between Sardinia and Sicily runs overnight and takes 12 hours. We had no cabin but slept on a bench each on the deck. Hard, but fantastic to wake up to the sunrise! Read more about Ferry Sardinia - Sicily.
5. Catamaran on the Baltic Sea coast, Poland
Poland's Baltic Sea coast, especially around Rewa and Hel, is a paradise for anyone who wants to go windsurfing, kite-surfing or sailing. Peter and Lennart first sailed Lennart's catamaran. Read more about Hel and Rewa.
6. Passenger ships to Comino and Gozo, Malta
If you're on the main island, you can join various boat trips to the smaller islands of Comino and Sardinia. Gozoand you should definitely do it! The sea is turquoise blue and it's hard not to think of words like paradise.
7. Tramp boat in Ksamil, Albania
Albania's coastline is fantastically beautiful and off Ksamil there are several islands with nice little beaches. We rented a pedal boat and glided around for a day. Read more about Pedal boat among Albania's islands.
8. Gondola in Venice, Italy
When you're in Venice, you have to take the Gondola, right? To get around it is much cheaper and more efficient with a vaporetto, water taxi, but for the experience it might be worth a trip? (Us 10 years ago!)
9. The steering console in Cala Gonone, Sardinia
The most beautiful place in all of Sardinia, in our opinion, is Cala Gonone. Many of the beaches here are only accessible by boat and the best way to get there is to hire your own dinghy. Read more about boat trip in a paradise in Sardinia.
10. Taxi boat to Saleccia Beach, Corsica
Saleccia beach is a short distance from St Florent and may be one of the most beautiful beaches in Corsica. To get here you need a boat or an off-road vehicle. Try the fast boat taxi! Read more about Saleccia beach.
Previous posts in this series:
- 10 tasty dishes in Europe
- 10 beautiful beaches in Europe
- 10 cool big cities in Europe
- 10 magical nature experiences in Europe
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Catherine says:
Hihi! Love the picture of Peter steering and these banana boats. Almost gets a little anxiety when I see them. Urk.
07 March 2016 - 8:55
4000mil says:
Haha, is also in the process of "collecting" for a similar post. But it will probably be "in the world" and completely different boat trips than the ones you have. Possibly the 6 that can touch.
But I have 1,000 ideas for best-of lists and I can't seem to get started because I always think that there will be even better experiences around the corner....
Your 4th one makes me hungry.
07 March 2016 - 10:35
Eva says:
Wonderful wonderful went on a boat trip on Naxos a full day of diving and visiting a cave how wonderful as any delicious picture! nice Monday hug
07 March 2016 - 10:59
Ama de casa says:
A lot of wonderful boat trips! Water is always fascinating, I think 🙂
We have rented a canal boat in England once, and in France five times. Highly recommended! Especially France which has safer weather and great food along the canals. There are so many places to choose where you can hire a boat, much more canals in France than you think! You can go on some of the rivers too.
We also rented a sailboat for a week in Greece. I can also recommend that. Wonderful! 🙂
07 March 2016 - 11:12
Only British says:
I have six tips that stand out a bit more than others:
1. Wheeled steamer through the Danube Delta. Very cool among exotic birds and villages on grass islands where we got our lunch fish from small wooden boats.
2. Sweden's fast route with Saga Lejon from Nyköping to Västervik with a stop at the beach somewhere along the way.
3. Surprisingly, a trip on the Rönne River in Ängelholm in the summer is a trip from the centre of the town to the shore through what is an incredibly lush European bird sanctuary.
4. Boat from Westminster to Hampton Court Palace. Here you'll see a completely different London, with multiple palaces and fish in the Thames (and a lock at Richmond).
5. From Boppard to Bacharach on the Rhine. A trip past the fabled Loreley Rock and the Palatinate Castle in the middle of the river before lunch in picturesque Bacharach.
6. Dolphin safari along Exmoor National Park and the Devon coast: https://barabrittiskt.wordpress.com/2014/06/29/norra-devons-kust/
07 March 2016 - 11:42
Åsa says:
We have only travelled by tourist boat in Porto since we moved here, but have plans to one day take the boat across the river Tejo and Sverker has won a dolphin safari on dart throwing. We will see when we take out that win! /Åsa
07 March 2016 - 11:48
Motorhome Helge says:
How nice to make such summaries. 2:an we also travelled in Omis. Just as it was, something came flying over our heads. It had 2 arms and 2 legs. There was also a cable car over the river!
07 March 2016 - 12:32
Alexandra says:
Haha I first wondered who it was Peter sat next to in the gondola!
07 March 2016 - 12:46
admin says:
Katarina, haha glad you like that picture, I do too 😉 Banana boat is not really my thing, but the boys in the family had fun 😉.
4000 miles, what fun, I look forward to it! 🙂
Eva, oh that sounds like a lovely boat trip! 🙂
Ama de casa, canal boat in France sounds really charming! And that it is wonderful to sail in Greece does not surprise me one bit 😉
Just British, so many interesting tips! Wheeled steamers on the Danube delta sounds really cool! Good Sweden tops too, Sweden should not be forgotten! Will check out the link about dolphin safari when I'm home at the computer! Many thanks for your great tips!
Asa, what a great prize he has won! Looking forward to hearing about it! 🙂
Motorhome Helge, nice that you also went on the river boat in Omis! We had the same experience as us, with people whizzing by in the air... 😉.
Alexandra, haha, I felt that I had to write an explanation 😉.
07 March 2016 - 15:35
Maria says:
There were many nice tips, thanks for that! 🙂
07 March 2016 - 17:29
Mr Steve says:
In my youth, I remember that we had a Pettersson boat in a lake, but boating was not something I was keen on, so I didn't become a "sea dog".
However, I have many fond memories of boat trips in the Greek islands.
07 March 2016 - 17:16
Lennart says:
There's something about water whether you're boating or parking your campervan!
You try to stay close to water if possible.
07 March 2016 - 19:37
Elin Nyqvist says:
Your new theme is really nice! I often visit your blog, very inspiring. See that you have been to Albania. I'm thinking of going there. What is it like there?
07 March 2016 - 20:34
scottishmoments says:
Oh what cosy boat trips!!!
The coolest boat trip I have been on is probably when I was on a whale safari off Skye and got to see both whale and shark. But the steamer Thomée on Storsjön in Östersund is a super cosy boat trip!
07 March 2016 - 20:46
admin says:
Steve, I can imagine that travelling around the Greek islands by boat is fantastic! I've heard of many who have done it, and none have been disappointed!
Maria, it's on us 🙂
Lennart, we can only agree! We live in a houseboat and when we travel with the motorhome we almost always go to the water. There's a reason why we followed the coastline around Europe 😉.
Elin, thank you, I'm glad you like the theme! We like Albania a lot! There are nice beaches, dramatic mountains, very hospitable people and it is very cheap! You can find our travel tips to Albania here: http://www.freedomtravel.se/restips/europa/balkan/albanien/
Scottishmoments, oh it sounds cool with whale watching! We have been on that in NZ and it was also cool, but then we didn't see a shark 😉.
07 March 2016 - 20:54
Decdia says:
I haven't really been on a boat, but a canal boat in France sounds really nice and appealing.
07 March 2016 - 22:40
BP says:
Great tips and not least great pictures. Experiencing that sunrise in Sicily was definitely worth the overnight stay on a hard bench. We have done Venice and Malta.
07 March 2016 - 22:03
admin says:
BP, just like that! When the morning came and we approached Palermo, we had totally forgotten the uncomfortable night! 🙂
Decdia, I agree with you, many people have talked about canal boating in France and it sounds charming!
08 March 2016 - 8:24
Deciree says:
But how wonderful it looks ... says one who is a little boat and water scared ... But let's see if I dare to go out in the autumn when we go on our holiday. 🙂 Riverboat and gondola I would probably fix 😉.
08 March 2016 - 8:31
Marianne - Glimpses of the world says:
So many nice and very different boat trips!
I had to think about it, and then I realised that I have not been on so many boat trips in Europe. There have been more outside Europe. But I have of course been on many great trips in Norway, and I have, among other things, taken a boat between Malta and Comino and Comino and Gozo when I stayed overnight on Comino.
You have so many great photos from Corsica that it's almost impossible not to be tempted to travel there!
09 March 2016 - 0:40
Christine - 29GRADER says:
Lovely post! 🙂
09 March 2016 - 4:06
admin says:
Deciree, there are more or less daring boat trips! Riverboat or gondola I promise you dare to go! 🙂
Marianne, there are of course many other parts of the world where you can experience wonderful boat trips! 🙂 And Corsica really IS so beautiful, an absolutely amazing island!
Christine, glad you liked it! 🙂
09 March 2016 - 8:49
Steel city anna says:
Lovely pictures! I have a little unexotic tip, Ferry cross the Mersey (as in the song) in Liverpool 🙂 .
In that gondola picture there is a couple in the background that made me smile, very focused on their ice creams 😀.
09 March 2016 - 20:58
Elisabeth says:
So much beauty!!!
12 March 2016 - 21:54