Ferry crossings to places like France and Holland  have become incredibly popular with people travelling from the UK.  

With the flexibility of being able to take your car to Europe and a wide range or facilities and creature comforts on board a ferry it’s obvious to me why they are becoming the go to choice for travellers.

One of the things that caught my attention about travelling by ferry from the UK was the price.  

It’s definitely a cost effective way of getting to France, Holland, Belgium or Germany especially for families.  

Not only are ticket prices reasonable, but you also save on other holiday costs like car hire and additional baggage allowance.

Normandy Castle

If you don’t enjoy flying or would rather avoid stressful airport lounges taking the ferry might tick lots of other boxes for you too.  

The check in time is only 45 minutes and when you are onboard the ferry you are free to leave your car and enjoy the onboard bars, restaurants and relaxing sea views.  

You can also take your dog if you don’t want to leave them behind during your holiday.

Brittany Ferries offers the widest choice of cross channel ferries to France from the UK departing from Portsmouth, Plymouth or Poole and traveling to Cherbourg, St Malo, Caen, Le Havre or Roscoff.

Ferry Crossings to France: Dover to Dunkirk

Crossing time: 2 hours

Prices from £39 per person

Up to 24 sailings per day

Dunkirk

If you are choosing a ferry to France from the UK then the crossing from Dover to Dunkirk could be perfect for you.  

It provides very easy access to France and also other European destinations because it’s close to the Belgium border.

Taking this ferry to France can also make for an excellent day trip to the historic town itself, which is an incredibly popular destination with British tourists.

Dunkirk was the famous evacuation site during World War II and is the perfect destination for tourists interested in how this and other events like it in the local area shaped the future of Europe.  

A visit to Dunkirk brings together scenic sandy beaches and historic attractions like the Dunkirk War Museum to make for an incredibly memorable experience.

Click here for more information and to book.

Ferry Crossings to France: Dover to Calais

Crossing time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Prices from £39 per person

Up to 30 sailings per day

Calais

Calais is a famous beach resort in Northern France and is one of the quickest and easiest French ferry ports to get to from the UK.  

It’s been incredibly popular with British tourists for shopping for many years.  

Many empty cars visit Calais by ferry and come back with excellent local produce and lots of cheap wine and beer.

If you prefer your shopping to be more about luxury, Calais is also an excellent place to visit to pick up the latest trends at great prices from Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein and many more.

Make sure you don’t leave Calais without a spot of sightseeing though.  

The Lighthouse provides the perfect viewing point over the city and on a clear sky day you might even catch glimpse of the White Cliffs of Dover.

Click here for more information and to book.

Ferry Crossings to France: Newhaven to Dieppe

Crossing time: 4 hours

Prices from £49 per person

Up to 21 sailings per week

Castle Dieppe

Taking the Newhaven Dieppe ferry is the easiest way to access the stunning Normandy coast line and this very popular French location.

Dieppe is a famous fishing town and holiday destination surrounded by impressive and beautiful limestone cliffs.  

For more ideas for exploring this area, Suitcases and Sandcastles shares her experience of the spectacular cliffs at Étretat which is well worth a read.

The town’s harbour is an interesting place to watch the world go by before taking a stroll along the mile long promenade.  

You will have trouble deciding which restaurants to visit, but I can assure you that the locally caught fresh fish will be a complete delight where ever you choose to eat.

Dieppe is also the perfect ferry port for visiting Paris.  

You can arrive in Paris in just over two hours either by train or car, lending itself to the ideal day trip to the capital.  

If you want to explore the local attractions, then Château Mussée is a must with it’s impressive sculptures and views over the town from the cliffs.

Click here for more information and to book.

Ferry to Holland: Newcastle to Amsterdam

Crossing time: overnight

Prices from £64 per person

Sailings 7 days per week

Amsterdam

Start your holiday in Newcastle by joining the overnight ferry to Amsterdam with DFDS.  

You can board the ferry from 2pm and enjoy the onboard bars, restaurants and cinema.  

After an evening packed with entertainment get a good night’s rest in one of the cosy cabins knowing you will wake up a short distance from central Amsterdam.

Amsterdam is the perfect city to explore on foot, with it’s subdued nature and extensive canal network.  

Taking a canal cruise is a great way to learn about the city’s history and enjoy it’s splendid architecture.  

It has a vast array of museums and attractions to chose from, or if you prefer something a little more quirky why not visit the cat boat along Singel canal or take an eye opening stroll around the more colourful parts of the city.

It takes just 30 minutes to reach central Amsterdam from the port, or an hour to get to Rotterdam.  

If you are travelling further a field for a road trip then Bruges and Brussels are around 3 hours from the ferry.

Click here for more information and to book. 

Planning A Trip? Why Not Pin For Later

4 Awesome places to visit be ferry from the UK. Visiting Europe by ferry is an excellent option for travellers and can be the perfect start to a day trip or a European road trip. Find out more about taking the ferry to Calais, Dunkirk, Dieppe and Amsterdam here

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17 COMMENTS

  1. I love to travel by ferry – it is so much more relaxed and you can bring as much luggage as you want! Also want to visit Amsterdam so thanks for the tip x

  2. I really like travelling by Ferry (when it’s a decent company!), my favourite one so far has been from Denmark to Norway, was almost like a mini cruise! 😀

  3. I’ve not taken a ferry in the UK, but I used ferries while living in Japan. They are a nice way to travel, and I’d like to try some of these trips.

  4. Having travelled by ferry to the Isles of Scilly this summer, we would definitely do it again! It’s cost effective and a really pleasant journey!

  5. Fabulous this is food for thought as i Love a ferry ride i dont know what it is but it really relaxes me ready for the explore at the other side

  6. We are planning to explore Dunkirk at some point and take the ferry. Have done UK to Amsterdam and really enjoyed that. These are some great ideas

    Laura x

  7. I would have loved to do something like this but my husband cant swim and he would feel too nervous. Loved your post!

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