Big Holiday Guide

Brussels superbly located for quick-trips to several charming cities in Belgium. Three days’ journey in this article have been highlighted because of their proximity to Europes capital.

Antwerp

Slightly more than half an hour by train from the heart of Brussels is the busy city of Antwerp. If you have a longer stay in Brussels, you will want to have a day here to enjoy the fashion shops are interesting and it’s a nice mix of good restaurants. If you prefer to stay overnight then the abundance of good, clean hotel would be a welcome sight – especially since they cost significantly less than you would pay at Brussels. You can book a hotel from the tourist office in downtown Grote Markt.

Equivalent to the Grand Place for Antwerp is the Grote Markt square is fun. Here are some must-see sights in Antwerp if you just for a short visit:

- After checking out Grote Markt to the Onze Lieve amble Vrouwekathedraal – one of the medieval church of the most impressive to be found anywhere in Belgium, Onze Lieve Vrouwekathedraal dates back to the 15th century.

- Museum lovers will enjoy the Maritime Museum, Museum Rockoxhuis, Momo (a museum dedicated to fashion), Plantin-Moretus Museum and the Museum voor Schone Kunsten (art).

- Quite similar to Brussels, there is no shortage of restaurants and cafes in Antwerp – but significantly less expensive to eat.

Bruges

A little farther than Bruges Brussels from Antwerp, but still comfortably placed for daily travel. It takes about an hour to reach Bruges by train and it was worth the effort if you consider the beauty of this medieval town preserved also offered. Therefore, Bruges can often be packed in peak season and can be difficult to get accommodation so be sure to reserve space in advance if you plan to spend the night. Being a tourist hotspot, eating out in Bruges can be somewhat more expensive than anywhere else in Belgium, and the food tends to satisfy the mass number of tourists who flood the city during peak times.

Once you get into the heart of Bruges, it’s not surprising to learn that it’s one of the most visited places in Belgium – there is a beautiful medieval charm here, including ancient buildings, the streets narrow and winding ancient network of criss-crossing canals.

- Make sure you take a romantic boat ride along the canal towns are beautiful. You can get tickets for under six Euros.

- Bruges has two segments to the central square – Markt and the Burg. The latter has some of the most interesting buildings in Bruges include Heilig Bloed Basiliek, upper & lower chapel and Stadhuis (town hall).

- Flanders offers a selection of museums that are useful as Groeninge (featuring a collection of early Flemish art penalties 14th century). Another Gruuthuse Museum lovers will enjoy the museum – located in the middle of a medieval mansion offers a beautiful collection of art Gruuthuse & rugs.

- St. Salvatorskathedraal is a gothic cathedral that dates back to the 13th century.

- Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk take more than two hundred years to build and broad church of our lady dates back to the thirteenth century.

- Two of the grandest sights in Bruges is Stadhuis (perhaps grandest town hall in Belgium, originally built in 1376) and Belfort (also dating back to 13th century) which rises in the Markt in the grandest manner. It is here that saved the city charter.

- Markt is one of two boxes downtown center of Bruges – an open market has been held here as long ago as the tenth century.

- If you do not take enough chocolate in Brusses do not worry – Bruges has more than enough Belgian chocolate shop to maintain your cravings satisfied.

Ghent

Ghent is severely under-rated as a tourist. With it’s ancient city center consisting of a narrow canal, traffic-free cobbled streets & fortress and cathedral smooth a very attractive place to plan day-trips to. It’s also just a half hour train ride from Brussels.

Here are the must-see sights in Ghent if you happen to come for short stays:

- Fabrics of Ghents downtown was built in the 13th century and 14. As Brussels is very easy to navigate through Ghent thanks to a comprehensive transportation system and well-managed society. Your first port of call should be to Stadhius impressive (the biggest town hall in Belgium) that dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. Close-by, Belfort was built in the 14th century and offers stunning views over the city.

- It took about six years to complete the St hudred Baafskathedraal – Ghents Cathedral and the oldest and most productive parts of the works of gothic stretching back to the twelfth century.

- Ghent has some amazing buildings listed (many thousand years) and you can see many of them in and around the area that runs from St. Michielsbrug to Baafskathedral St.

- Gravensteen Castle was built in the eleventh century and it’s one of the most prolific landmarks of Ghent. Closeby is the Museum voor en Sierkunst Vormgeving (by displaying various Ghent describes life for several centuries) and the fish market (Vishmarkt). There is an alternative to visiting the museums – the Museum voor Schone Kunsten have a large display of art dating back to the 14th century while Bijlolemuseum held in a building which was first built in the 13th century.

- Pop into Vrijdagmarkt, area a pleasant market & restaurant peppered with old-fashioned market stalls and a cafe / bar.

- Walk along the river Leie for one of the most enjoyable runs available anywhere in Belgium.

- Ghent has a large selection of restaurants, cafes and bars and they range from pokey student type affairs to more elegant and expensive offerings. South of the city is known for its student population so you’re more likely to find young people here. There is a wide selection of options throughout the city – from the traditional Belgian fare to Thailand, Italy and Asia.

- If you plan to stay the night you should be able to find a room that meets your requirements. Accommodation is usually fairly easy to secure (except for July when the city hosts Gentse Feesten). It’s possible to secure the basic space from as little as € 25 – or if you can afford something more extravagant you can sleep in style for 400 euros.

If you live in Brussels extends to a week or more, you should certainly consider the day-trip to at least one of the beautiful cities of Belgium.