Rusa & Jasper's travels!

The Best of Belgium: Brussels, Bruge, and Ghent.

September 2023

Brussels.

As the Capital of Belgium, and the European union, Brussels is probably top of most people's lists of places to visit in Belgium. Although Brussels has a lot to offer, it shouldn't be considered a microcosm of Belgium as a whole - other parts of the country offer very different experiences. With that being said, Brussels does has its own appeal, and is easily worth spending a day or two visiting.

Things to do in Brussels

Brussels is a large city, with lots of districts, but the center of the tourist region is grote marktGrote MarktThe central square of Brussels is one of the oldest in Europe, and is encassed in magnificent architectural charm. Every building which lines the square is unique and intricate demonstration of European architecture.. Many of the city's key attractions are not far from here, including the Royal galleriesRoyal GalleriesThe royal galleries is an indoor avenue with a distinctive glass roof, lined with various shops. Many of the shops here, particularly the chocolate shops, are very pricey and often cheaper alternatives can be found elsewhere in the city., mannekin pisMannekin PisThis bazar statue and fountain is arguably one of Belgium's top attractions, and attracts inconceivably large crowds for such a small statue. He even gets dressed up in various outfits during special occasions., and St Michael and St Gudula cathedralSt Michael and St Gudula cathedral.

Brussels is quite a flat city, however the Mont des ArtesMont des ArtesThe Mont des Artes is located in Brussels' art district, and is a greag spot for a pleasing view of part of the city. and cinquantinaire parkCinquantinaire parkSlightly further out of town, this pleasant park provides a break from the Brussels hustle-and-bustle, and js a great spot for some photos with the cinquantinaire arch. provide nice viewpoints over sections of the city. You can find the Palais du BruxellesPalace of Brussels
The Palaice of Brussels used to be the residence of the Belgian royal family. Today, it is a large tourist attraction. However, the palace is only open from July to August - outside of these months you can only view the palace from the outside and there may be maintenance work going on. The park adjacent to the palace is open year-round. next to the Mont des Artes.

Unfortunately, it is not really possible to visit all of the main attractions in Brussels without using public transport or hiring a private taxi. Although it is very pleasant and peaceful, the cinquantinaire park is a little way out of town. One of Brussels' top attractions, the atomiumAtomiumThe atomium is an impressive structure, built to commemorate scientific advances in Europe. The shape of the atomium was modelled on the structure of iron crystals., and its neighbouring attraction, mini EuropeMini Europe
are also far from the city center. However, the tram line 7 connects the two locations, so they can be combined into one trip (see the transport section). The parliamentariumThe Parliamentarium
Brussels is home to the European parliament, located in the Luxembourg district (not to be confused with Luxembourg, the city, or Luxembourg the country!). The parliamentarium is the visitor center, and is essentially a museum where you can learn about the history of the EU, as well as how it works and what key actions it has taken recently. is another popular attraction which is slightly out of town, however the line 38 bus runs from the central station to past the European Parliament (see transport section).

In between all these popular attractions, Brussels has plenty of places to buy tasty Belgian food and drinks - see Food and Drink for more information.

Brugges.

Our favourite spot in the whole of Belgium is the quaint and relaxing town of Brugges. Found in the north of Belgium, Brugges makes a perfect day-trip destination from Brussels. Getting to Brugges is easy; it can be reached via a 1-hour train ride, for as little as €5.90 if you purchase a multi ticketMulti-trip train ticket
The best value ticket is the 10-trip ticket, which can be purchased from ticket machines at any large train station. For people under 26 years old, the total price is €59, and the 10 trips can be split begween multiple people, so is ideal for large groups., and has enough attractions to keep you busy for the whole day.

We recommend arriving to Brugges early, for a chance to enjoy exploring the town before it gets busy in the afternoon.

Things to do in Brugges.

Brugges is a beautiful town - arguably one of the prettiest places we have ever visited! Its cobblestone streets, stepped-roof buildings, and old churches really feel like they belong in an idyllic fantasy world. But what makes Brugges stand out isn't what it has, but rather what it doesn't have. We spent a full day exploring Brugges, and failed to find a street that looked run-down or not in pristine condition. The place felt more like a movie set than a real town - impossibly perfect.

Although aimlessly wandering around the enchanting streets is enjoyable, there are a few highlitghs which should not be missed. The Grote MarktGrote Markt is at the heart of Brugges, and from here you can embark on a tour of the town via horse-drawn carriagesHorsesThere are many horse-drawn carriages taking tourists around Brugges, which only adds to its fairy-tale feel., climb the BelfortBelfreyThere are 366 steps to climb in the tower of the Brugges Belfrey, revealing a panoramic view at the top of the tower. Entry will cost you €15, and includes a few small rooms at different levels of the tower. The Belfrey offers the best view of Brugges, and if you go at the right time you will be treated to the bell ringing (which came as a rather loud suprise to us!) for an exquisite view, or marvel at the architecture. Just around the corner, you can enter the Basilica of the Holy BloodBasilica of the Holy BloodThis church is free to enter, and is full of ornate decorations and stained-glass windows. free of charge. Brugge is also home to a chocolate museum, a Belgian fries museum, and a beer wallBeer WallTry to find the wall which doubles up as a display cabinet for hundreds of different belgian beers!

Don't miss the scenic views of the canalCanalThe canal runs all through the center of Brugges, providing plenty of quiet walkways between the houses shrouded in ivy and flowers. The canals can be better explored by taking a boat tour to give a different perspective on the town, which can be enjoyed both on the footbridges or via a boat tour. If you stray a little further from the town center (but still within a 10 minute walk - Brugges is definitely a walkable city), you can find the a small green area bookended by two Dutch style windmills, known as windmill walkWindmill WalkOn the outskirts of the town, two windmills stand tall next to thr canal. The area around them is maintained as a green park and makes for a pleasant spot to sit and enjoy the sun on a summers day., or find Minnewater parkMinnewater parkThis quiet park is home to its own castle, the impressive Bejinhoff, and plenty of swans and other wildlife.

Like every Belgian city, food and drink options are plentiful, but if you want the best hot-chocolate experience in the world, be sure to visit the old hot chocolate house. The ? is a solid choice for some tasty belgian fries or larger meals, including some vegan options.

Overall, Brugges is an amazing day-trip and a must-see town in Belgium.

Ghent

Like Brugge, Gent is an easy train-ride from Brussels and makes for a good day-trip. Gent is a lot bigger than Brugge, and feels more like a real city, with plenty of shops and a wide range of restaurants offering different cuisines. It is also a university city, so is more lively then Brugges (particularly around lunch time and in the evening). Trains take just 30 minutes from Brussels, and again we recommend arriving early to beat the crowds.

What to do in Gent?

Gent is full of striking buildings and architecture, found in the historic old town, including St Bavos cathedralSt. Bavos Cathedral, St Nicholas churchSt Nicholas Church and the BelfreyBelfrey. Perhaps the most famous structure, though, is the gravensteinGravensteinThe gravenstein, also called the castle of the counts, is an impressive stone fortress not far from the town center. It is a marvel to behold from the outside, and from the inside it provides a stunning view of the old town., which can be found just around the corner from the town center.

The cobbled streets that lead to the historic center are lined with all kinds of shops; clothes, chocolates, pubs, boulangeries and more. This means there is enough in gent to keep you occupied for the whole day. Gent is one of the best places to go in Belgium for a range of global cuisines, as well as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. If a food exists, you can probably find it in Gent!
We can recommend Frites AtelierFrites Atelier for the best Belgian fries experience, and Mayana chocoladebarMayana Chocoladebar for all things chocolate!

There is a lot to explore in Ghent, but the most scenic spots are korenleiKorenleiThis stretch of riverside, between rows of old brick houses, is one of the most scenic places to sit and enjoy the sunshine in Ghent. and St Michaels bridgeSt Michaels bridge, which allow you to take stunning brochure-like photos of the town. the most scenic spots in town.

Similarly to Brugge, a canal runs through the heart of Gent, and a boat tour can provide a different perspective on the sights of the city.

Food and Drink

Food and drink is no laughing matter in Belgium, and many great products were invented there. Most notably, the Belgian waffleBegian WafflesBelgium is the home of thr waffle! There are two types of Belgian waffle - the Brussels waffle is square, has a more cake-like texture and often comes with a range of toppings, whereas the Liege waffle has rounded edges, is crispier and sweeter and is best enjoyed without any additional toppings., which can be purchased from stalls on street corners to take away, or they can be enjoyed inside a waffle cafe. Throughout any Belgian city, you won't struggle to find somewhere selling delicious waffles covered in enticing sweet or savoury toppings.

It would be remiss to mention the Belgian waffle, without also giving a shout out to its 'partner in crime', Belgian chocolateBelgian chocolatesUnsurprisingly, Belgian chocolate shops are not hard to come by. You will find a range of shapes, sizes, and flavours in every shop. Of course, it also tastes great in liquid form, either melted over some waffles or as hot chocolate! Most of the shops charge per 100g, so you can mix-and-match the ones you want.. The chocolate shops in Belgium are like no other - each with such a wide range of impressive designs, flavours, and fillings to cater for everyone. You can visit one of the numerous Neuhaus shops, where the Begian praline was invented. Most of the chocolate shops in Belgium have been selling chocolate for many decades, so it's safe to say they know what they are doing!

Slightly lesser-known than chocolates or waffles, Belgium is also the home of chips/fries. Although dismissed as a mere side dish in most places, in Belgium the fritesFritesAlthough fries can be found all over the world, they actually originated in Belgium, and the best fries in the world are still served there. Crispy on the outside, soft and light on the inside, Belgian fries are always cooked to perfection. are definitely the 'main event'. Expertly cooked with care and served with a range of toppings, seasonings, and sauces, a meal of fries is the perfect savoury counterpart to some sweet waffles or chocolate.

Hot chocolate is not the only famous Belgian drink (although it can be enjoyed hot or cold, with a range of flavours and strengths). Belgium has many breweries producing spelialist Belgian beersBelgian beersLike many other things, the beers in Belgium come in an array of types. Most have their own subtle signature flavours and are often served in distinctive shaped glasses. Many pubs in Belgium will have hundreds, if not thousands of local beers to choose from., many of which are drunk worldwide. They don't hold back either; most Belgian beers contain 8 - 15% alcohol, and can be purchased in large glasses holding up to 3 litres at a time!

Whether it's chocolates, chips, or beers, everything Belgium does it makes sure is done properly.

Transport in Belgium

Getting around in Belgium using public transport is very easy and intuitive. Although there are multi-trip tickets and discounts for regular users, these have to be purchased along with a valid personal travel card (MOBIB card), so for anyone staying less than 10 days the best value is to buy singles or day tickets. It just so happens that these tickets are also super convenient to buy. All the trams and busses have grey validation boxes by the doors (for the metro, the same boxes are found at the gates to enter the stations), and by holding a contactless payment card against them the price of a single ticket (€2.10) is taken from the account. You don't even have to work out if you should get multiple single tickets or one day ticket, because once you make enoigh journeys the price taken from your account is automatically capped at €7.50, no matter how many times you validate your card. All you have to do is validate your card every time you travel, and the cheapest ticket will be automatically charged (making a second journey within 1 hour of a first journey counts as a connection, and so will only be charged as one single trip at €2.10). In Brussels, the public transport network is extremely extensive (almost to the point of becoming confusing, with multiple routes to reach the same destination), and usually busses trams and metros run every 3 or 4 minites, so you will never have to wait long.

Getting between cities is also easy using Belgium's train network. Trains from Brussels to Brugges and Ghent are very regular and take an hour and half an hour, respectively. Prices can vary based on your needs, but discounts are available at weekends and for people under 26 years old. Multi-trip tickets are also available, such as tickets providing 10 trips from anywhere in Belgium, at a set price, which can even be shared across multiple passengers.