Six Magical Belgian Cities To Visit

Belgian city breaks always hit the spot – this is arguably one of the best European countries to spend a few days soaking up the sights of some gorgeous medieval old towns. 

With plentiful canals, often pedestrianised centres, and the ability to string a few cities together thanks to the country’s compact size and reliable rail network, Belgium is an easy-going getaway further helped by the speedy Eurostar connections to London.

However, picking a city break in Belgium isn’t as straightforward. While there are common threads across the country – frites, beers, chocolate and canals – all of the nation’s cities have personalities and reasons to visit. From the EU’s bureaucratic capital of Brussels to magnificent Mechelen bundled in Burgundian history, these are my favourite cities to visit in Belgium.

Mechelen

Best for an easy-access, walkable, delicious and Burgundian city break

Medieval Mechelen (pictured top) is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most underrated cities, especially as it ticks all the boxes for a perfect city break. It’s the ideal size, with plenty of things to do without requiring any public transport – unless you fancy taking a boat ride along the pretty Dyle. There’s a first-class food scene ranging from traditional Belgian food to vegan hotspots, including many unique places to eat on the Mechelen food trail inspired by the ingredients found in a Burgundy-era cesspit (trust me, it’s far more delicious than it sounds). And, it’s not inundated with cruise ship passengers, meaning you can amble around soaking up the three historic town halls, canal-tracking paths, museums and hidden palace courtyards without worrying about crowds.

Allow yourself at least a few days to learn all about Mechelen’s Burgundian history as the former capital of the Low Countries (then, much of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg). As you climb the never-quite-completed St Rumbold’s Tower, VR sets will transport you back in time. In the recently renovated Hof van Busleyden Palace, artworks and interactive displays share the history of this city, which Margaret of Austria loved. And, once you’re done sightseeing, you can kayak along the inner canal, rewarded by some excellent local brews canalside or at Het Anker, a former Beguines’ brewery.

Dinant

Best for a peaceful riverside city break in often overlooked Wallonia

While most first-time visitors to Belgium tend to stick to the more famous, larger cities in the northern, Dutch-speaking Flanders region, they are missing a trick. Wallonia, the southern, French-speaking part of the country has plenty of draws with handsome, river-flanking Dinant being just one. The low-key historic city is an excellent base to explore more of the Meuse Valley and it’s namesake river European hidden gems, with enough attractions and decent restaurants to fill the evenings and a day or two.

One of Belgium’s most famous beers, Leffe, hails from here, being founded by monks in the 12th-century Abbaye de Leffe. Nowadays, there’s a museum across the river dedicated to the brew. Dinant was also the home of Adolphe Sax, who gave his name to his invention, the saxophone, ensuring music has remained an essential part of any experience in the Meuse. If it’s sunny, rent a kayak and explore the river. Rainy? Marvel at the stained glass inside the hulking onion-domed cathedral. Hungry? You won’t be for long. 

Ghent

Best for cultural events, imposing architecture and a surprisingly youthful energy

Gorgeous Ghent seamlessly blends medieval history with youthful energy and artistic festivities. This is a good city break for culture enthusiasts in Belgium, especially if you schedule your visit to coincide with one of the animated annual events like July’s Gentse Feesten.

Not that there’s a bad time to visit. The imposing, moated, 12th-century Gravensteen Castle, the former Castle of the Counts, is fascinating to tour year-round. The network of canals, especially those flanked by historic gabled facades around Korenlei, are pretty even in the rain. And between all the top-notch museums and galleries –the SMAK Contemporary Art Museum has some great exhibits – there’s always something else to discover in Ghent.

Brussels

Best for a busy city break of museums, galleries and international flair

Brussels blends a bit of everything into one. Sure, it might have something of a sterile and bureaucratic reputation as the EU’s central HQ, but that also makes it one of the most international cities on the planet. If you want to dive into that part of the city’s story, I highly recommend the interactive Parlamentarium and House of European History museums which add informative context to how the various branches of the EU works.

Prefer to street clear of politics? Dive into the magnificent, historic architecture starting at UNESCO-listed La Grand-Place, a central square market square flanked by buildings spanning from the 14th to the 19th century, some literally sparkling from their golden facades. Add on a visit to The Royal Palace for more stately sights and the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts crammed with Flemish masters. Or, just soak up the international vibe, snack on first-class frites from street sellers, hop between the craft beer bars of the Bailli-Châtelain neighbourhood, and find out why Brussels doesn’t deserve any kind of boring reputation.

Bruges

Best for canals, chocolate and usually crowds

One of Belgium’s most beautiful cities, Bruges is what you imagine when you think of a postcard-perfect representation of old-town Europe.. Narrow, calm canals snake through most corners of the historic centre, pretty cobbled streets weave between restaurant terraces and leafy squares, and tourists in their thousands keep it crowded. There’s no denying that Bruges has become a poster child for overtourism. I recently returned after my first visit 15 years ago, and I couldn’t believe how busy it is now, even in the supposed shoulder season. But there’s a reason everyone flocks here: it’s gorgeous with a capital G.

It also combines everything we love about Belgium into a relatively compact core. Galleries, like the Groeninge Museum, are stacked with canvas courtesy of Flemish masters, Boat trips depart by the dozen, slowly gliding up the storybook waterways. The main squares are shadowed by fairytale architecture, with the medieval Belfry of Bruges as its centrepiece. And you barely need to walk to stumble upon another Belgian chocolate shop, beer bar or crowded photo spot. Stay overnight, and at least get a slightly calmer few hours with the nearly-still, reflecting canals bathed in the golden glow.

Antwerp

Best for a solid Brussels alternative as a big city with plenty going on

A weekend in Antwerp, Belgium’s second city, promises a good middle ground. It’s big enough to feel like a “proper city” with an imposing, palatial train station setting the tone for the rest of the city. In its central square, the Grote Markt, you get some of the grandeur of Brussels’ Grand Place, but with fewer photo shoots and fairer prices. The Cathedral of Our Lady’s Belfry soars higher still than Bruges’ counterpart and comes with the bonus of Rubens’ masterpieces inside. And, if you’re a fan, you can get a further fix at his former home-turned-museum, the Rubenshuis.

But what makes Antwerp one of the best cities to visit in Belgium is its contemporary side. Modern art is well-represented in a couple of galleries; it bills itself as the nation’s fashion capital and has a dedicated museum, MoMu, to back up its claim; and with a decent-sized university, there are some cracking beer bars that won’t break the bank. Antwerp might have been known for its Diamond trade and district for centuries, but there’s also plenty of new to rewrite the old.

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