WorldsAway

Hello everyone,

We had initially planned to go to either Paris or Prague for seven nights over the holidays, but we ended up booking direct return flights to Brussels and any suggestions on an itinerary would be very helpful.

We arrive in mid-morning in Brussels on the 26th and, in addtion to seeing Brussels, we would also want to see Bruges, Ghent and maybe even Antwerp and we can do day trips to visit them as they are so close by train. We would even consider staying overnight in one of them if you think that would be nice. We know we cannot do it all in the time we have so which would you choose to visit and how many days do we need to see Brussels?

Thanks again for all of your informative advice and I hope that the responses you give will not only help me, but other travellers as well.

november_moon

On a trip several years ago, we had about the same amount of time in Belgium and we split our nights between Brussels and Bruges - 4 nights in Brussels and 3 nights in Bruges. I liked that because we got a good balance between urban and smaller town, but we didn't have too much moving around. And, as you say, day trips to other places are easy in Belgium. From Brussels, we took a day trip by train to somewhere in the Ardennes mountains - I am drawing a blank right now though and can't remember where we went other than it was very pretty and quaint - lol. From Bruges, we took a day trip to Ghent. Staying overnight in Bruges was very nice - I really enjoyed being there in the evenings because it is so pretty with the canals and bridges and it is very quiet also because the day visitors have gone.

lavandula

I think november moon makes good suggestions. Seven days is not too little (or too much), and if you find you are unhappy with one of your bases you can do day trips to Ghent, Antwerp, Ieper (WWI history), Namur or Dinant (towns in Wallonia, Dinant especially picturesque), depending on your interests. But if you like museums, Brussels will easily keep you busy for 4 days. Make sure you seek out some Art Nouveau (the dominant architectural style in the suburbs), for this the Horta House is optimal. In the same area, on a Wednesday evening, is the market at Place du Chatelain. If you like big monuments, the Atomium at Heysel / Heizel is worth half a day, and it is near Mini-Europe. Also out of the centre is the Autoworld museum and the military museum, in Parc du Cinquantenaire / Jubelpark (metro: Schuman or better, Mérode). All these are activities a little out of the centre, which you can do if you have 4 days. In the centre there is also Coudenberg (the archaeological remains of an old palace) or the Musical Instrument Museum, which is in an old Art Nouveau department store. Go to the rooftop restaurant for a view of Brussels and some traditional meals. And if you like cartoon art, there is a Comic Strip Museum. Those are all good activities if you have more time, and I haven't even mentioned beer, chocolate, frites or waffles. And of course you will want to visit the Grand' Place, the Manneken Pis, Galeries St-Hubert in the centre. And food is also amazing in the Belgian capital. Maybe one of those little restaurants near Place du Chatelain...?

Lots more tips if you want!

Lavandula

WorldsAway

Thanks for your help.

We are now considering spending the first three nights in Brussels, take the one hour train to Bruges in the morning of the 4th day, spending that day and overnight, then take the 20 minute train to Ghent the next morning, spend the day and overnight, before returning to Brussels the next morning for the final two nights. We would then be able to leave our large luggage at the hotel in Brussels we are returning to and take smaller, overnight bags for the Bruges/Ghent two night trip.

What do you think?

lavandula

Hi again, yes, that would work, although because Belgium is so small and the distances between cities so minimal, unless you specially wanted to spend the night in either Bruges or Ghent, you needn't do so - you could in fact use Brussels (or Ghent) as a hub for the whole trip. But I understand why you would want at least a night in Bruges, it is very pretty at night. With Ghent (Gent), even though it is so central, there is a logistical problem to consider, and that is that the old town is quite some distance from the station. You can walk it, or better, catch a tram from the station. You probably want Gent St.Pieters station. But the trick will be, do you want lodgings near the station or in / close to the town centre? Something for you to consider - there is no best answer. In Bruges there is a bus service to and from the station also, and it would be recommended to stay in the centre of town.

Lavandula

KayF

I think with only seven nights, staying in four places is too much (Brussels twice, Brugge and Ghent). If it was me, I'd travel directly onwards to Brugge on arrival and stay there first. Next stay in Ghent, then stay in Brussels last. I know you said you wanted to leave your large suitcase in Brussels but to me it's a lot of checking in, checking out, packing, moving on, that's a bit unnecessary and eats into your time.

First time I went to Belgium I was sure I'd see it, never want to go back and cross it off my list (preconceived ideas that were completely wrong). We ended up going multiple times when we lived in the UK and especially loved Brugge. People say it's touristy. Well there's a reason people want to go there. Everything about it was great, our reasonably priced, terrific accommodation, food, architecture, friendly people, chocolate!

We visited Ghent for the day, on another trip to Brussels, but in hindsight I wished we'd stayed overnight in Ghent. Brussels is great, we went there a few times but I preferred the smaller towns. Personally, I definitely wouldn't stay the whole time in Brussels, I'd say allow two or three full days there. On one visit, we went to the Royal Palace which I loved. We also enjoyed a large outdoor market in Brugge (on twice a week I think). We found public transport in Belgium pretty easy.

WorldsAway

Well, as is standard here on Fodors, the useful information we get from informed travellers makes us reconsider yesterday's plan almost every day

Here is our revised itinerary:

26th: morning train direct to Bruges
26th/27th: Bruges
28th: morning train to Ghent
28th: Ghent
29th: morning train to Brussels
29th/30th/31st/1st: Brussels
2nd: Home

We can also stay three nights in Bruges and take a day trip to Ghent and come back to Bruges later in the evening so we can have dinner in Ghent so we do not have to check in and out of another hotel. Is staying overnight in Ghent worth the extra work?

Thanks again.

lavandula

I lived in Brussels so at the time never overnighted in either, but on subsequent trips back to Belgium I have stayed in Bruges (often travelling onward from there), but never Ghent. I don't think it has ever spoiled Ghent for me - if you want to have a dinner in Ghent and get back to Brussels or Bruges, it's all close enough that you can catch a late train back. But your reworked itinerary looks workable. Honestly, there are lots of ways you can divide your time amongst the three cities and it just comes down to individual preference, I don't think there is a best, and this looks just fine to me. Just a query about your first day (26th) - will you be jetlagged? Because that first day might not be a day at all, you might be sleeping it off, which leaves you with only one day in Bruges. Will that worry you? Because maybe you should be budgeting that extra time for Bruges that you have allotted to Ghent, if that is the case. Or shave a day off Brussels.

Ghent is similar to Bruges in that it has a medieval core, but is much more of a big city feel. But still very worthwhile, you won't regret any time you spend there.

Lavandula

cdnyul

We were in Brussels six weeks ago (8 nights) and we are going next week for five nights.
Our daughter lives in Brussels.
The Belgian rules have changed since September and now you need this:

https://coronavirus.brussels/en/belg...1K8g9FKAwXLu54

If you are willing to share a little more about yourself (approximate age, interested more in culture than getting drunk, country you are coming from, 26th of which month, etc.) that would be useful.

KayF

I think your revised plan would be fine but as mentioned, it doesn't give you much time in Brugge. It really depends on what you are comfortable with. You could stay in Brugge and Brussels only and visit Ghent from either place (can't remember which is more convenient but distances generally are small). If you decide to visit Ghent for a day trip, you are more flexible. You could go early morning and stay until after dinner. Or you could go late morning and have lunch on arrival. Or not go at all if you fall in love with Brugge

If you decide to stay in all three places, you don't need to prebook the local trains so as long as you can store your bags somewhere, you could have an extra morning in Brugge and get the train after lunch. Same with moving on to Brussels, you could just wait and see how you feel and if you want extra time in Ghent or Brussels.

GKS

This thread is very helpful as I have a 7 day trip coming up in April. May I ask, is it easy to get Ubers/Lyfts in Bruges and Ghent and Brussels?

lavandula

I don't think Lyft is a thing there, but there is Uber X in Brugge, not Uber. Within Flanders, Uber is available in Ghent, Antwerp and Leuven. There is also a local company, Talixo, but most people would catch a taxi instead, that is what is normal.

Lavandula

lavandula

Oh, and yes to Uber in Brussels also.

Lavandula

northie

when you stay in Bruges make sur eyou go to the Chruch of Our Lady to see the staue by Michelangelo-the only work that was moved outside Italiy in his life time . i fchirs are back by the time you go the choir at this church is magnificent.

Christina

Lyft doeesn't exist outside the US and a limited area of Canada.

WorldsAway

Has anyone stayed at either of these two hotels in Bruges and what are your thoughts:

- Hotel Heritage - Relais & Chateaux
- Hotel de Castillion

Thanks

WeisserTee

Good luck with your trip and be sure to post a trip report when you return! we haven't had many trip reports on Belgium for a while...

GKS

We just booked at Hotel de Castillion, so I'm curious what others have to say about it!

WorldsAway

Hi again,

We are thinking about visiting a Flanders Field war memorial as a day trip from Bruges. Where would this be best seen and what would be the best way to get there by train?

Thanks.

lavandula

Most of these are centred around Ypres (ieper), which was flattened in WWI and rebuilt entirely as a medieval city. There are tours you can do from Bruges (disclaimer: I haven't done this), or you can catch a train to Ieper from Bruges and see the Cloth Halls and the In Flanders Fields museum in Ieper as well as the Menin Gate, which is a memorial inscribed with the names of the war dead on Belgium's side. There is at every evening at 7pm a performance of the Last Post by a bugler at the Gate. It is very moving when you have had a chance to read how many names there are. If you want to see any of the battlefields or cemeteries you will either need your own car or take a tour. There are buses that go in that direction but this might take a little planning on your part. Some of the sites are around Zonnebeke, Passchendaele (Passendale) and the Tyne Cot cemetery, but there are certainly others. There are numerous tours and guides leaving from Ieper, but I don't know what they are doing around the pandemic and I would think if you are leaving soon you might think about contacting some and asking what their current policy is. The rules are being changed frequently so today's guidelines may not be tomorrow's. There are two other current threads on this board about trips to Belgium with some names of tours and guides, do have a look.

Lavandula