I had an issue with my flight where it was canceled and I had to fly into Belgium a day later. Because of that, I didn’t get to visit Antwerp like I originally planned but I am including some research I did on Antwerp below my itinerary. I didn’t really want to go to Brussels since I don’t like big cities, but I included some notes on that as well. I really loved Bruges which I used as my base. I also wanted to check out somewhere that seemed less touristy, so I picked Dinant and was really happy I did. Since I was going to be so close to Luxembourg, I thought that would be fun to see as well. I included other optional things to do at all the cities I visited at the end.
DAY 1- DINANT
Flight arrives in Brussels at 8:45AM
Pick up car rental from Sixt
Drive one hour from Brussels airport to Dinant
Walk the town and go into the Notre Dame
Take the cable car up to the citadel
Explore the citadel
Dinner at Chez Bouboule by the water (loved this place! They had the absolute best mussels I’ve had in my life)
Stay at Ibis Dinant Centre hotel
DAY 2- LUXEMBOURG
Breakfast at hotel
Drive to Chateau De Vianden in Luxembourg
Drive to the Casemates du Bock and explore in Luxembourg
Take in the views at Chemin de la Corniche
Stay in Luxembourg (or find a town right outside Luxembourg to spend the night since Luxembourg is an expensive place to stay)
DAY 3- BRUGES
Drive three hours from Luxembourg to Bruges
Check-in to Hotel Prinsenhof
Waffles at Chez Albert (basically eat waffles at Chez Albert as many times as possible)
Walk around the main square
Go up the 380 stairs to the Belfort tower
Take a horse carriage tour around the old town
Go inside the Church of Our Lady and take pictures from the Bonifacius Bridge right before the sunsets, otherwise it will be really crowded
Dinner at Restaurant Diligence
DAY 4- Ghent
Walk to the train and take the train about an hour to Ghent
Visit the Gravensteen Castle
Buy chocolate at the Temmerman
Visit the Great Butchers’ Hall to see random hanging meat from the ceiling
Cross through the Sint Michielsburg Bridge and explore that area
Take the elevator to the top of the Belfry (this has better views of Ghent than the Belfort did of Bruges)
Visit Sint Bavo Church and Saint Nicolas Church (next to the Belfry)
Take the train back to Bruges
Dinner at Breydel-De Coninck (the food was so good here, I went back twice in a row)
DAY 5- BRUGES
Breakfast at That’s Toast
Canal tour through Bruges
Brewery tour of De Halve Maan (this has the best view of Bruges)
Visit the swans by the canal and make your way over to Minnewater Lake
Waffles at Go.Fre
Head back to the square to have beers at the Bruges Beer Experience (not really worth the tour, but worth doing a beer tasting)
Visit Basilica of the Holy Blood (this church supposedly has the blood of Christ in a vial, which you are able to see)
Visit the Choco Story Bruges (this is the chocolate museum—lots of chocolate tastings and the best chocolate I tasted in Belgium as well as some of the best chocolate I’ve ever had)
DAY 6- FLY HOME
Here are some other suggestions for places in Belgium:
BRUSSELS
Royal Palace
Manneken Pis (peeing boy)
Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (boutiques and restaurants)
St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral
In August-every other summer, the square transforms into a huge flower carpet where hundreds of thousands of flowers are packed tightly together in commemoration of major events, coat of arms of a city, etc. For best viewing spot, the balcony of the Hotel de Ville (Town Hall, €5pp) offers a great wide-angle view of the square (buy tickets ahead)
ANTWERPEN
Grote market (Main market square) to admire the architecture of the town hall and the stunning Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal (Cathedral of our Lady). From the Grote Markt, continue a little further to the Scheldt waterfront to view Antwerp’s bustling port and Het Steen castle. Eat at De Foyer, Plantin Moretus House (print house)
Het Steen (small castle)
city brewery de koninck
Rubens House
Groenplaats (a square)
MAS rooftop terrace (Museum aan de Stroom)
Antwerp Port House, Chocolate Museum.
LUXEMBOURG
Enjoy the view from the Viaduc (Passerelle), stroll through the pedestrianized Old Town, visit the lovely Notre Dame Cathedral and admire the architecture of the Palace of the Grand Dukes (Palais Grand-Ducal). Hop on Hop off Bus. Le chemin de la corniche and place de la constitution has best views (Europe’s most beautiful balcony)
Chocolate House for the famous hot chocolate and desserts
Outside of Luxembourg, visit Beaufort for castle ruins. Mullertha trail also offers some nice nature vibes
