Northern Europe
Ships dock directly at the riverside terminal in the city center with easy pedestrian access to Oudenaarde's historic old town.
Choose the Right Port Day
Only 3-4 Hours
Walk to the Grote Markt, go inside the Gothic Town Hall, visit the Museum of Ancient Arts in the Laken Hall, grab a local Flemish beer at a café on the square, then stroll the Scheldt riverbank before returning to the ship.
Best Beach
Not relevant. Oudenaarde is an inland river town with no beach access.
With Kids
The Grote Markt is traffic-free and open enough for kids to roam. The Town Hall exterior is visually dramatic. Rent bikes as a family — the Scheldt cycling paths are flat, safe, and scenic.
Cheapest Option
Walk the historic center for free, duck into the Town Hall courtyard, and have a Belgian beer and frites at a local café for around €8-12 per person total.
Best Overall
Spend 30 minutes at the Town Hall and Grote Markt, then cycle or walk the Scheldt riverside path. Finish with a proper Belgian lunch — mussels or a stew with local Liefmans beer — at a square-side café. That covers the best of Oudenaarde without rushing.
What To Avoid
Don't spend your whole port day shopping — the retail offering is limited and ordinary. Also skip organized overland excursions to Ghent or Brussels unless your ship offers them efficiently; attempting those independently eats up most of a short port day.
Quick Take
- Port Type
- Historic River Town
- Best For
- History lovers, architecture fans, cycling enthusiasts, and anyone who enjoys a slow Belgian town with great beer
- Avoid If
- You need a packed itinerary or major city energy — Oudenaarde is small and quiet
- Walkability
- Excellent. The entire historic core is walkable from the dock in under 10 minutes
- Budget Fit
- Very budget-friendly. Most sights are free or cheap; a meal and a beer won't break the bank
- Good For Short Calls?
- Perfect for a half day. The town center can be covered thoroughly in 2-3 hours
Port Overview
Oudenaarde sits on the Scheldt River in the East Flanders region of Belgium, about 30 kilometers south of Ghent. River cruise ships dock directly along the Scheldt quay, putting you practically at the edge of the historic center. It is a genuine, unhurried Flemish market town — not a tourist trap, not a major city, but a place with real architectural bones and a local character that hasn't been polished for mass tourism.
The headline attraction is the Stadhuis, one of the finest late-Gothic town halls in Belgium, anchoring a handsome Grote Markt that feels lived-in rather than staged. The town also has a surprisingly strong cycling culture — it sits on the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) route — and the flat riverside paths are genuinely pleasant to explore on two wheels.
Be realistic about scope. Oudenaarde is small. Thorough exploration of the center takes two to three hours, not a full day. If your ship docks here for six or more hours, consider combining a town walk with a riverside bike ride or a day trip to nearby Ronse or Geraardsbergen. If you only have three to four hours, the town center alone is plenty.
Is It Safe?
Oudenaarde is a low-crime, relaxed Flemish town. Normal travel awareness applies — keep an eye on belongings in crowds at the Grote Markt — but there are no particular safety concerns for cruisers. The streets around the historic center are well-lit, well-maintained, and busy enough during the day to feel comfortable. Emergency services are responsive and Belgium's medical infrastructure is excellent.
Accessibility & Walkability
The riverside dock approach and the main square are largely flat, making Oudenaarde manageable for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. The Grote Markt does have historic cobblestones that can be uneven in places, so wheeled mobility aids may need to navigate carefully. The Town Hall interior has some steps. Riverside cycling paths are paved and flat but only practical for those comfortable on bikes. Overall, the core of the town is more accessible than many European historic centers.
Outside the Terminal
You step off the gangway directly onto the Scheldt quay, which is open and uncrowded. There is no terminal building to navigate — you simply walk along the riverbank path into town. Within a few minutes you will see the spire of the Town Hall orienting you toward the Grote Markt. The first few blocks feel genuinely Flemish: brick facades, a few local shops, and cyclists passing through. It is a calm, pleasant arrival with no aggressive vendors or tourist hustle.
Local Food & Drink
Oudenaarde has a modest but honest restaurant and café scene centered on the Grote Markt and the streets immediately surrounding it. Expect solid Flemish cooking: waterzooi (Flemish stew), mussels in season, stoofvlees (beef stewed in beer), and frites served with proper Belgian mayonnaise. Prices are reasonable by Northern European standards — a main course runs roughly €14-22 at a sit-down restaurant. Café terraces on the Grote Markt are the most convenient option for a quick lunch without wandering far from the town center.
For beer, Liefmans is the local name to know. A kriek (cherry beer) or Liefmans Goudenband alongside a plate of local cheese is a respectable light lunch option. Don't skip the frites from a local frituur — Belgian fries are genuinely in a different league.
Shopping
Shopping in Oudenaarde is limited and local. There are independent shops, a few chocolatiers, and some artisan food stores around the center, but this is not a destination for serious retail. If you want Belgian chocolate, lace, or specialty food items, pick them up here as a convenience rather than making a special trip. For serious shopping, Ghent is a much better option if you have time.
Money & Currency
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- USD Accepted?
- No
- Card Payments
- Cards widely accepted at restaurants, museums, and shops. Contactless payment is common.
- ATMs
- ATMs available in the town center near the Grote Markt.
- Tipping
- Not mandatory in Belgium. Rounding up or leaving small change is appreciated at cafés. 10% is generous at restaurants.
- Notes
- Prices in Oudenaarde are moderate by Belgian standards. Cash is still useful for smaller cafés and market vendors.
Weather & Best Time
- Best months
- May, June, September
- Avoid
- November through February — cold, grey, and some attractions keep limited hours
- Temperature
- 12-22°C (54-72°F) during peak river cruise season (April-October)
- Notes
- Rain is possible year-round. Bring a light waterproof layer. Summer days are long and comfortable but rarely hot.
Airport Information
- Airport
- Brussels Airport (BRU)
- Distance
- Approximately 65 km
- Getting there
- Train via Ghent or Brussels with connections, or private transfer. No direct airport shuttle from Oudenaarde.
- Notes
- Ghent-Sint-Pieters station is a more practical rail hub. Allow 90+ minutes for the full journey to Brussels Airport.
Planning a cruise here?
Uniworld, AmaWaterways, Scenic & more sail to Oudenaarde.
Getting Around from the Port
Walking
The dock is within 5-10 minutes' walk of the Grote Markt and Town Hall. The entire historic center is compact and flat.
Rental Bike
Cycling is a natural fit here. Flat riverside paths along the Scheldt are well-marked and connect to surrounding countryside.
Taxi
Available for transfers to nearby towns like Ronse (about 12 km) or the train station if you want to connect to Ghent.
Train
Oudenaarde train station is about 1 km from the dock. Direct trains connect to Ghent (about 30 min) for cruisers wanting a bigger city fix.
Top Things To Do
1
Stadhuis (Town Hall) & Grote Markt
The late-Gothic Town Hall built between 1526 and 1537 is one of Belgium's architectural showpieces. Even from the outside it is worth standing in front of for 10 minutes. The interior houses local historical exhibits and gives access to the council chambers. The surrounding Grote Markt has café terraces and a good sense of everyday Flemish life.
Book Stadhuis (Town Hall) & Grote Markt on Viator2
Museum of Ancient Arts in the Laken Hall (MOU)
Housed in the historic Lakenhal adjacent to the Town Hall, this museum focuses on Oudenaarde tapestries — the town was a major tapestry-weaving center from the 15th to 18th centuries. The collection is genuinely impressive for its scale and condition. Good choice if you have time after the Town Hall.
Book Museum of Ancient Arts in the Laken Hall (MOU) on Viator3
Scheldt Riverside Walk or Cycle
The Scheldt riverbank paths running north and south of the dock are flat, scenic, and give a completely different perspective on the town than the city center. Walking is fine; cycling extends your range significantly. The countryside opens up quickly once you leave the town edge.
Book Scheldt Riverside Walk or Cycle on Viator4
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady of Pamele)
A 13th-century Gothic church on the opposite bank of the Scheldt, reachable by a short walk over the bridge. Less visited than the Town Hall and worth 20-30 minutes for the architecture and quiet interior.
Book Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady of Pamele) on Viator5
Local Café Beer Stop
Oudenaarde is the home of Liefmans, a well-known Belgian fruit and brown ale brewery. Drinking a local beer at a café on the Grote Markt is genuinely a worthwhile cultural experience here, not just a tourist cliché. Ask for a Liefmans or a regional Flemish brown ale.
Book Local Café Beer Stop from $4Practical Tips for Cruise Passengers
- The tourist office near the Grote Markt is small but useful — grab a free town map and ask about current opening hours for the Town Hall and museum.
- River cruise lines docking here often offer guided town walks; these are worth taking if included, as local guides add real context to the tapestry history.
- If you want to reach Ghent independently, the train station is about 1 km from the dock — factor in walk time and check the schedule before you commit.
- Wear comfortable shoes with grip. The Grote Markt cobblestones are uneven and can be slippery in wet weather.
- Don't overlook the Pamele church on the west bank — it takes 10 minutes to reach and most ship groups skip it entirely.
- Oudenaarde is a stop on the Ronde van Vlaanderen cycling route. If you are a cycling fan, ask locally about the Tour of Flanders Experience museum, which covers the race history.
Frequently Asked Questions
The dock is directly along the Scheldt riverbank, roughly a 5-10 minute walk from the Grote Markt and Town Hall. No transport needed for the main sights.
Yes, for 2-3 hours. The Town Hall and Grote Markt are genuinely impressive, and the town has a calm, authentic Flemish atmosphere. It is not a full-day destination on its own.
Yes, by train in about 30 minutes, but only if you have 5 or more hours in port. The station is a 1 km walk from the dock, so budget time for transit both ways.
It is fine for a few hours. The open Grote Markt gives kids space to move, and flat cycling paths along the Scheldt are great for families on bikes. There are no dedicated child attractions.
Two things: its extraordinary late-Gothic Town Hall and its centuries-long history of tapestry weaving, which is well-documented in the town's museum. It is also known to cycling fans as a key location on the Ronde van Vlaanderen race route.
Book your Oudenaarde excursions now to secure the best tapestry museum tours, brewery tastings, and Scheldt Valley cycling adventures before your ship arrives.
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