Looking for the best day trips from Brussels? We wrote this blog post just for you!
Brussels is an exciting and dynamic city, filled with history and attractions that make it one of the most interesting places to visit in Europe. But suppose you’re looking for a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
In that case, plenty of amazing day trips from Brussels will take you away to explore the stunning scenery, taste delicious regional cuisine, and experience unique cultures. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or an adventure filled with nature and exploration, there are plenty of ways to make your dreams come true with day trips from Brussels.
The countryside around Brussels is full of rolling hills and quaint villages filled with architectural wonders such as impressive castles, grand manors, and historic churches. For those who love nature, there are numerous parks with trails winding through forests and along rivers where wildlife can be spotted, including deer, wild boar, rabbits, foxes, and more. Day trips in this area can include everything from leisurely walks to cycling tours or even horseback riding adventures.
Foodies will appreciate the many gastronomic experiences that can be had on day trips from Brussels; local dishes like carbonades flamandes (beef stew), waterzoi (chicken soup), Flemish waffles or Belgian beer will tantalize your taste buds. And art lovers won’t be disappointed either – cities such as Ghent or Bruges offer great examples of Gothic architecture and contemporary art galleries featuring artwork from all over the world.
For those looking for something a little more off the beaten path, day trips from Brussels provide plenty of opportunities to explore unique towns such as Dinant or Malmedy – both famous for their picturesque beauty – or cultural gems such as Mechelen which is home to several festivals throughout the year.
So, read further and start planning!
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Top 10 BEST Day Trips from Brussels (Belgium)
Bruges
Positioned hardly around 15km from the North Sea and 100km northwest of Brussels, Bruges day trip from Brussels is the best choice for a heavenly visit. Also known as the Venice of the North, Bruges is aptly known for stunning architecture, rich history, and a great chance to enjoy Belgium’s signature chocolates. This charming medieval city offers some of the best things in Belgium.
Here you can wander around the lavishly arranged streets and get the sights of charming architecture. Admire the pre-historic bell tower, the Belfry of Bruges, in the city’s heart, and the well-known Saint Salvator Cathedral and Hospital of St. John.
Explore the rich past of Historium Bruges, its audio guides, and the exotic Flemish art of The Groening Museum with the day trip to Bruges from Brussels.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: European Honeymoon: The Most Romantic Destinations in Europe
Luxembourg
Luxembourg day trip from Brussels is fascinating for travelers who favor stunning rural scenarios. After two and a half hours of journey, you can reach the Grand Duchy capital and start exploring the Kirchberg quarter and some of its significant buildings, including the European Commission and the European Court of Justice.
Luxembourg is a fascinating destination for those who are fond of rich ancient architecture and medieval castles and who love to marvel at Notre Dame Cathedral. At this primary point, Renaissance adornments and late Gothic architecture meet.
Your day trips from Brussels to Luxembourg also include charming streets, and you can even get a glimpse of the fortifications of the city as well as the Palace of the Grand Duke.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
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Antwerp
It is the exciting port city on the Scheldt River delta of Belgium. Antwerp is known to have rich art, architecture, and history, which date back to the Middle Age. It is a unique old place which you may desire to visit.
It is the perfect destination for the best day trip as it is positioned 55km far from the capital of Belgium. Located in the Low Countries, the sizeable Gothic church has incredible masterpieces of Paul Peter Rubens, a famous baroque painter. Explore the diamond district from the Central Train Station and also meet the locals at the market!
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: Best Cities in Europe to Visit: Top Weekend Getaways in Europe!
Are you planning your travels? Here’re my top travel resources!
I’m a serial planner both in life and in travel – I have bucket lists, things to do, see, and everything. So, I always love when my life is sorted easily using tools and resources that would make my general planning a little smoother and easier. Therefore, in my many years of traveling the world, I’ve seen myself returning to these travel resources repeatedly. And here I am, sharing my tips to make your life easy and breezy so you can stress less, travel heaps, and focus on the fun part of travel!
- Booking.com – I book all my hotels through this website and don’t honestly use anything else. They always have the best prices, in my opinion.
- Airbnb – If I’m traveling long-term to one destination, I book my flats through Airbnb.
- Skyscanner – The best place to find cheap flights on flexible dates. I use this a lot to score cheap flights within Europe!
- SafetyWing – Always travel insured! Never leave your home country without one. It is worth the extra money, I promise you!
- GetYourGuide – Hands-down, the best place to find cool and unique tours if you don’t feel like winging it, and go straight to a local expert. I use this a lot in new destinations to get acquainted with the area!
- My Pretty Wild World Travel Diary (coming soon) – A book you can write down your travel plans, create itineraries, track down your budget, and dot down memories along the way! A handy book you can keep and read later to revisit memory lane.
- Pretty Wild World Travel Planning Printables (coming soon) – Are you a nut like me when it comes to planning? Yes? Good. My travel planning resource in one zip file is an easy-to-use printable planner that comes with tips that helps you plan your travels during the planning stage, a pre-flight checklist, an itinerary planner, and so on.
Ypres
Ypres is the best tourist attraction around Brussels for history aficionados who are curious about the horrific battles of World War I. It is 123km away from Belgium’s capital. This fascinating destination, as well as the road to it, is full of stunning views.
The battlefields of Ypres Salient cover this captivating town, allowing you to return to the past when visiting the memorials, war museums, and cemeteries. You can also discover the rich history of the war, its villains, and its heroes.
The German cemetery Langemark, Saint George’s Chapel, and the Menin Gate Memorial are some of the city’s prominent landmarks.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
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Leuven
Located east of Belgium’s capital, Leuven is renowned for its lively environs and breweries in September. It is a fantastic option for visitors who wish to enjoy the tours from Brussels.
Some incredible sights include “Plaza Mayor” or Grote Markt, the imposing Town Hall, St. Peter’s Church, and a stunning monument of Gotico brabantino. Along with it, don’t miss the world’s longest bar in the Oude Mark.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: The 10 Inspiring Destinations Worth Visiting in Europe
Hasselt
You can get here by car, and Hasselt is the best place for those who want to spend a pleasant day while exploring the serene and exotic landscapes. Here, you can enjoy the tour of the stunning Japanese tea garden of the 17th century and let the waterfalls, paths, and cherry trees give you a relaxing and inspiring feel.
Look back into the past of the Bokrijk, a museum complex and captivating park, and have some great experiences at Plopsa Indoor Hasselt, a superior outdoor zone and beautiful theme park with Indoor attractions and rides.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: European Fashion: Top 10 Fashion Capitals of the World
Hold up! Have you thought about the importance of travel insurance?
Remember this: anything can happen. Travel is fun, but your health is more important; thus, I always, always, always recommend getting insured during the duration of your trip. I have benefitted from having one multiple times, and it has been covered for thousands of euros!
The latest one is not necessarily “health” related – it was during the peak of the unspeakable terrible C that consumed the world. I was living in Vietnam when I received an email from SafetyWing (my travel insurance) that if I want they’ll fly be back home to Finland as the world goes through a global emergency alert. I flew back fully covered, and dealing with SafetyWing was a breeze despite the roar of people in contact with them trying to get back home.
I can’t highly recommend them enough. Otherwise, I rarely get sick; hence I don’t always need to head to a hospital, but knowing that I have travel insurance makes me feel safe at the very least.
Read my post about why you should get travel insurance for more information. Otherwise, you can get a free quote from SafetyWing – they’re the best, in my opinion.
Ghent
One of Belgium’s best-kept and oldest treasures, Ghent is a cultural heritage defined by theatre, music, visual arts, and film. It is positioned 60km from Brussels and can be accessible by train or car.
One of the best attractions in this captivating medieval city is exploring it with quick walks to get a glimpse of its amazing medieval architecture. You can also get the feel of its vibrant atmosphere.
The Van Eyck brothers have built “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” in Saint-Bavo’s Cathedral. Visit the Town Hall, Belfry of Ghent, and get closer to the trading history of Ghent at the Old Fish Market.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Book this unique experience: Ghent and Bruges Day Tour from Brussels
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Paris
The cosmopolitan capital of France, Paris, is one of the largest cities in Europe and has a population of over 2.2 million residents. This capital has over 12 million residents in the metropolitan area. River Seine passes through the north of the city and is well deserved to be reputed as the most romantic and beautiful city with the realms of art, culture, fashion, design, and food.
It is well known as the Capital of Fashion and the City of Lights. Paris houses the best and the most luxurious fashion brands and designers, including Dior, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint-Laurent, Chanel, Lancome, Clarins, and L’Oreal.
It houses a lot of iconic landmarks, including the world’s most fascinating and legendary Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum, Lido, and the Moulin Rouge.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: Best One Day Trips from Paris: Overnight Trips from Paris
Amsterdam
This capital of the Netherlands is located 200km from Brussels, and it is the best option for a memorable day trip from Brussels to Amsterdam. It doesn’t just offer scenic beauty due to waterfront views and the canals and becomes an oasis of culture, history, and art.
Get indulged in the history at Anne Frank House, learn about art at Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum Rembrandt House Museum, and the well-known Heineken Experience.
If you are an adventure enthusiast, you can enjoy the day trip by renting a bike. You can explore the historical landmarks, streets, and pubs of Amsterdam. You can have a pleasant experience at the same time when enjoying a relaxing boat ride.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Book this unique experience: Day Trip to Amsterdam from Brussels
Read also: Top 10 Day Trips from Amsterdam
What are my favorite travel must-haves?
As a frequent traveler, I’ve learned a lot throughout my years of travel, and there are five items that I always carry with me regardless of where I go and how long the trip is. Here are my five travel must-haves!
- Warm packable jacket – I always carry a light jacket, even when heading to warm countries. There hasn’t been a time I never used it, especially in airports and planes.
- Transparent toiletry bag – I often bring a carry-on if I’m only traveling within Europe for a few days. Life is so much easier to go through security checks with a transparent toiletry bag.
- Kindle Paperwhite – I love a good read and always take my Kindle everywhere. It keeps me entertained during long flights and waiting times.
- Powerbank – I don’t know how I could travel without one! Having a power bank saved me a ton since I carry a lot of electronic devices with me.
- Travel Adapter – I never leave my luggage without a travel adapter! I carry one with me all the time. It is just one of that travel-must haves that doesn’t hurt to have in your bag at all times.
Namur
The administrative capital of French-speaking Belgium, Wallonie, Namur, is just 60km southeast of the capital city of Belgium, Brussels. It is smoothly accessible by train, road (E411 Highway), or boat (the Meuse from France and from the South of Belgium to Holland).
It is the smallest city which can be explored on foot. The center of Namur, the areas along the Sambre and the Meuse, and the Citadelle are the primary areas to see. The Centre of Namur is sandwiched between the junction of the Meuse and Namur station.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: Top 10 Best Christmas Markets in Europe
Moorsel
It is a village in the East Flanders province in Belgium in the Denderstreek, a deelgemeente of the Aalst. This village and the neighboring communities form Faluintjesgemeenten. Moorsel has 4600 residents, and it is the largest one of four villages.
It houses a chapel devoted to Saint Gudula. She visited the church of Moorsel every day, which is located 2 miles from her home. The church was constructed of sandstone from Meldert in the 14th century. St. Martin is the deity of the parish church.
The substructure of Romanesque was built in the 12th century. It is based on the foundations of the St. Salvator church of the 7th century. The church had three altars in a barbecue manner and was built by Jacob Ulner.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: Top 10 Beautiful Castles in Belgium
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Dinant
This city is small but very beautiful, and it is located in the province of Namur, Belgium. It is stretched over the Meuse River off the steep rock facing the eastern side, while the thinner strip is placed on the west of a forest.
The old town is a relatively impressive panoramic sight in Wallonia but remote. The main sights are closely located to one another. It has limited accommodation opportunities, and Dinant is an excellent option for a fabulous day trip from Belgian cities, including Charleroi, Brussels, or Liege. You can also start your journey to have a more intense exploration of the Ardennes.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: Top 15 Summer Music Festivals in Europe
Maastricht
You can explore this picture-perfect city of Maastricht in the Dutch province of Limburg, east of Brussels. It is a typical melting point due to its location. It is just a couple of miles away from Belgium and Germany.
You can check out two beautiful plazas around Maastricht – the Vrijthof and the Markt. Along with high-end museums and medieval architecture, the city can also captivate you with the St. Pietersberg Caves, which were dug as centuries-old shelters. It has famous artwork from the Second World War.
Where to stay in Brussels? Book your hotel and find great deals from this link!
Read also: Top 15 Best Experiences in Europe
Planning to visit Belgium? Check out these posts!
Where to stay in Brussels
Booking.comTours to do in Brussels
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