Do you want to take a European trip but don’t know where to start? Check out the best places to visit in Belgium; perhaps one or a few destinations may interest you!
This tiny nation is in Western Europe and is a veritable wonderland of attractions and experiences. Belgium’s beautiful towns, historic buildings, and world-famous cuisine guarantee a memorable trip for any traveler.
There are many interesting places to visit in Belgium, including the ancient city of Brussels, the capital of both Belgium and the European Union, and the medieval town of Bruges, which is on the list of World Heritage Sites maintained by UNESCO.
Enjoy the wonderful Belgian chocolate and beer as you stroll the winding cobblestone streets admiring the majestic Gothic architecture. Visiting Belgium will immediately reveal why it is considered by many to be Europe‘s beating heart.
You want to know, what is the ideal time to go to Belgium? The climate is temperate and pleasant throughout the year, making it an ideal vacation destination any time of the year. April through September see the nation at its most beautiful and pleasant temperature and rainfall-wise. At this time of year, people all around the country celebrate with festivals and other outdoor gatherings.
So what are you waiting for? Discover what Belgium offers and start planning your vacation there right away.
Here are a few facts about Belgium:
- The famous Waterloo, where Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated, is south of Brussels- Belgium’s capital.
- Have you ever been to a spa for a refreshing retreat? The word ‘spa’ comes from a city in Belgium named Spa.
- Watched any of these – Lucky Luke, The Smurfs, or Tintin? All three of these comics originated in Belgium.
- Also another interesting fact is that Belgium once took 541 days to form a government. That’s the longest ever taken in history. After that, another 200 days were required to divide 65 of the highest administrative jobs in the country!
- The diamond capital of the world – Antwerp, is in Belgium.
- Belgium has the longest tram line in the entire world. Running 68 kilometers, Belgian Coastal Tram takes the honor.
- Talk yummy! 220,000 tons of chocolate are produced in Belgium every single year!
- The number of comic makers every square kilometer – that’s highest in Belgium and not Japan!
That should suffice for now. Here’s the much-awaited list – of top cities in Belgium and its top attractions!
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
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Where to stay in Brussels
Tours to do in Brussels
Here’s the list of the top places to visit in Belgium
Bruges
How does one define Bruges, which sits in Flemish Belgium’s heartlands? Something akin to a picture-perfect paper cut out of a town from medieval times with an enchanting and crazy labyrinth of streets rimmed by Low Country townhouses and the skyline accentuated by apses of those houses…
Yes, that’s Bruges, where one sees the twisted gargoyles hovering over the Grote Markt. A quick look at the canals and one can catch the drifting gondolas that are perfect for love-smitten couples.
And yes, there’s Holy Blood’s Basilica, where the congealed blood of Christ is stored in a vial (supposedly). Belgium travel without a visit to Bruges is just not right!
Read also: Top 10 Best Christmas Markets in Europe
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Antwerp
People who travel to Belgium don’t find it wise to avoid Antwerp. This relaxed and confident city has a booming industry of diamond trade.
It is the city of the affluent, where one can witness some of the most impressive Flemish houses dotting the meandering streets of the medieval era. Looming the city’s skyline is the Gothicism of Antwerp’s Cathedral, which is a splendor on its own.
And following the echoes of the music-garnished Red Light district will do the trick for those who like to smoke a salami after getting tipsy at one of the many candlelit beer bars. But that’s not all that Antwerp has to offer to those who visit Belgium.
Kissing the shoulders of the mainstream city is the trendy neighborhood that prefers a sleepless style of life with bohemian coffee shops, graffiti artists, fixie riders, antique emporiums, and of course, the MUHKA art gallery. Yes… Antwerp’s modern edge has something for the artsy types and the night owls.
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Ypres
History buffs love Ypres because Ypres hosted one of the bloodiest battles that World War I witnessed. The surrounding ancient fields of this rolling city saw the allied troops, the British, the French, the Canadians, the ANZAC, and more digging to push the German forces back over Passendale Ridge.
That was one epic struggle that Menin Gate Memorial commemorates today. And for those who want to tour the most comprehensive WWI exhibit in Europe, they only need to head for the In Flanders Fields Museum.
Undoubtedly, Ypres remains one of the best places to go in Belgium.
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Hoge Kempen National Park
Belgium has only one National Park, and that’s the Hoge Kempen. It spans over 60 square kilometers; this place can be rightly called the abode of Gods.
With lakes with magical mirror-like waters, pine forests covered with mist, undulating hills, sweeping thistle, and lavender blooms, and rolling heaths, this National Park never fails to sprinkle magic dust upon its visitors.
The awe-inspiring beauty of the park cannot be adequately described with words out of a dictionary. It either requires celestial language to describe its beauty or to feel the transcending freshness lingering in the ether.
It is a place to be for those craving some natural sightseeing in Belgium. For the outdoorsy types, hiking trails, biking tracks, and bridle paths add to the charisma of this place.
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Leuven
Ales and beer, red-brick building, cobbled streets, and some cute Flemish facades – that pretty much sums up Leuven, but there is more! It is the home to old Trappist ales that one might not want to miss, and for beer lovers, Leuven is the home to InBev Brewery – oh yes! Right, sir!
Belgium abbey beers. Who would want to miss something like that?
For the vagabond types that look around for something interesting in history, Leuven is home to a university that has been around for eight centuries and boasts a population of 25,000 students – all kinds of die-hard beer lovers.
If that isn’t enough, Leuven’s City Hall will leave everyone spellbound, and the elegant streets around Grote Markt and specialist craft bars make this city a thing of envy for many European nations. No wonder the Belgium travel itinerary puts Leuven on the list of must-visit tourist attractions in Belgium.
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Ardennes
Ardennes’ rugged hills inspire adrenaline enthusiasts like no other place in Belgium. Camping, biking, hiking – cliffs, caves, forests – lynx, deer, wild boar – many breathtaking castles and some friendly villages – one immediately gets the picture!
Travel to Belgium cannot be complete without a tour of Northern Europe’s arguably most beautiful hiking destination. The Ardennes ranges in Southern Belgium start from Namur city, and passes right through the valleys of the snaky Meuse River, and reach down to plateau Fens right at the edge of the Eifel Mountains.
Along the borders, one can find Chateau de Bouillon, Han-sur-Lesse caves, Rochefort’s Trappist monasteries, misty forests, canoeing waters, and more… It’s nothing short of an explicit love of Nature and a direct bonding with bits and pieces of human history. Why shouldn’t this place be on the list of the best places to visit in Belgium?
Read also: Top 15 Best Experiences in Europe
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Spa
A small charming town in Liege province’s heart, Spa is responsible for giving the prefix ‘spa’ to all international destinations offering bubbling mineral springs.
For those who wonder whether Spa herself is one such bubbly fountain or not, the town has been offering this since the 14th century, and as of today, there is the Thermes bath.
But that’s not everything that Spa has to offer. Regal facades sprinkled everywhere in the town will make everyone wonder whether this town has been moneyed to the hilt.
Adding to the bucket list of surprises are the La Belle Époque pieces of architecture that a traveler passing through Belgium shouldn’t miss.
Read also: Autumn in Europe: Top 15 Fall Destinations in Europe
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Mons
Sitting at a stone’s throw distance from France’s border, the city of Mons is perhaps the most beautiful of all of Belgium’s historical centers. Mons was once the European Capital of Culture, and today it is a photogenic town.
Right over southeastern hillsides, the townhouses are designed to perfection with Germanic and Luxembourgish designs never fail to catch the attention of an otherwise careless tourist.
Talking of Grand Place Square – this is where all the action lies. The town hall’s extravagant facades, shadowed down by a Baroque belfry, call for some attention from cameras that tag along with their masters on travel to Belgium.
Read also: Street arts in Europe: Top 10 Best Cities in Europe For Street Arts and Graffiti
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
Brussels
How can one forget this when it is undeniable that a list of the best places to visit in Belgium cannot be compiled without Brussels? Yes, sir! This city is European politics’ hot seat.
Portugal to Estonia – everyone sends their lawmakers here. Brussels is not just the capital city of Belgium. It is also the capital of the European Union, as some of the most influential and prominent institutions in Europe have their headquarters in this city.
The city’s center is the famous Grand Place, which dates back to the 13th century. A little combing and some concealed beer bars will reveal themselves offering chocolatiers, frothy ales, and Trappist brews. Though not very scenic for nature lovers, Brussels still completes Belgium’s travel.
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
🛏️ Book your hotel ahead of time to get the best deals, click here to find the best hotels to stay!
🧳 One of the best way to explore a new destination stress-free is through guided tours! Check this out to find the best tours at affordable prices.
Related reads to help you plan your trip:
Ghent
A port city located in the Northwest of Belgium and a known student city, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ghent is known for its beautiful architecture, history, and vibrant culture. Just 20 minutes by train from Brussels, this beautiful Belgian town is not far from the capital and very close to one of Belgium’s must-visit destinations – Bruges.
Ghent is the perfect city to explore for a day trip from Brussels and has tons of attractions to offer – read this post to learn more about Ghent!
Where to stay in Belgium? Find great deals and book your hotel through this link!
Don’t want to stress about what to do? Book tours to make your trip easier and more exciting!
🛏️ Book your hotel ahead of time to get the best deals, click here to find the best hotels to stay!
🧳 One of the best way to explore a new destination stress-free is through guided tours! Check this out to find the best tours at affordable prices.
Related reads to help you plan your trip:
- Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Belgium
- Top 15 Things to do in Ghent (Belgium)
- Top 9 AWESOME Day Trips from Ghent (Belgium)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best city to visit in Belgium?
Depending on what activities you seek, there are many amazing cities to visit in Belgium. The three popular ones are Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges.
What is the most popular city in Belgium?
Its capital, Brussels, receives a lot of tourists per year. Cities such as Ghent, Bruges, and Antwerp are also popular.
Planning to visit Belgium? Check out these posts!
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Of course I’ve heard of the main stops… Brussels, Ghent, Brugge, Antwerp; but I love these other gems you’ve mentioned! Definitely adding to my list if I ever get to go back.
Thanks Kylee!