Holiday apartment in Sas van Gent: fortress, canal and polder

Sas van Gent combines its fortress, canal and industrial past with a landscape of wet grasslands, reeds, polders and dikes. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Sas van Gent will therefore find a variety of ways to experience culture, nature and active exploration.

Holiday apartment in Sas van Gent for history and industrial heritage

The Sas van Gent fortress was built in 1562 to protect the lock that enabled shipping via the Sasse Vaart. During and after the Eighty Years’ War, the defences were expanded; at the time, the city was considered one of the strongest fortresses in Europe. Beneath the “Generaliteit” bastion are preserved underground passageways that once served for the delivery and storage of ammunition. Near the Kloosterlaan, the remains of the water-powered grain mill are clearly visible in a fortress rampart, while a final section of the fortress wall still stands near the Veerweg.

The Industrieel Museum Zeeland is housed in a listed former sugar-storage shed in Sas van Gent. The permanent exhibition explores Zeeland’s industry in various zones and pavilions with interactive presentations. The museum can be reached by bus; from the Sas van Gent–Bolwerk stop, it is a five-minute walk. The Infocentrum of the Heemkundige Kring Sas van Gent displays a large model of the fortress as it looked approximately around 1750. Markt 4 is a church of cultural-historical and architectural-historical significance, as well as a very rare example of a concrete vaulted construction from the period in which it was built.

Canisvliet and the canal promenade

Canisvliet lies in the surroundings of Sas van Gent. It is a Natura 2000 site and former tidal creek with shallow shores, wet grasslands and reed beds. Because of its large population of creeping marshwort (Apium repens) in the shore grasslands, Canisvliet is protected as a Natura 2000 Habitats Directive site. This natural area complements the historical and industrial themes, which are located close together, with a distinctly different landscape.

The promenade on Kanaleneiland offers a close-up view of ships travelling along the Ghent–Terneuzen Canal. Information boards there explain the origins of the canal, the swing bridge and the local industrial heritage. A restored lock, more than 100 years old, is also located along the promenade.

Routes between the canal, fortress and polders

The Schepentrekkersroute crosses Kanaleneiland in Sas van Gent and follows information boards explaining the historical role of the canal. The “Vesting, water en industrie” route takes an estimated 1.5 hours and passes historical sites connected with the water and industry of Sas van Gent. The “Vesting en Industrie” tour leads over and along the remains of the bastions of Sas van Gent. A tour of the Cuyperskerk includes climbing the bell tower, with views over Sas van Gent.

For longer days, the sporty “Fietsen door Nederland en België” cycling route covers around 42 kilometres through polders and along dikes, partly following less-travelled paths. The “Sas, Dijken & Polders” route first passes several sights in Sas van Gent and then continues into the polder landscape of (Zeeuws-)Flanders. When choosing your accommodation, this allows you to focus on the aspects you prefer: fortress, water, industrial heritage or open countryside.

Further destinations

For further travel planning, you can also discover Sluiskil, Axel, Westdorpe, Biervliet, Koewacht, Terneuzen, Zaamslag and Philippine.

For the higher-level travel overview: Terneuzen.