The capital: Brussels
Brussels is the main gateway, with the country's biggest airport twenty minutes away by train. Give it two or three days for the Grand Place, the museums, Art Nouveau streets and its famous food. It also makes an easy base for day trips, because almost every intercity train passes through its three central stations.
The canal cities of Flanders
Bruges is the fairy tale: a compact medieval city of canals, cobbles and lace shops, best seen early in the morning or after the day visitors leave. Ghent has just as much history but feels younger and more lived in, with a big student population, a lively food scene and the Ghent Altarpiece. Many visitors find Ghent the better base and Bruges the better day trip, or stay one night in Bruges to see it quiet.
The port city: Antwerp
Antwerp is Belgium's second city and its style capital, home to Rubens, a cathedral full of his paintings, a world-famous fashion academy, the diamond district and one of the most beautiful railway stations anywhere. It is under an hour from Brussels and pairs well with a stop in Mechelen or Lier.
The south: the Ardennes
The Ardennes covers the forested hills of southern Belgium: Dinant on the Meuse, the caves of Han-sur-Lesse, the castle town of Bouillon, Durbuy and La Roche-en-Ardenne. It is the place for hiking, kayaking and slow country weekends. Trains reach the main towns, but buses are sparse, so plan carefully.
How to combine them
A first trip of five to seven days usually means two or three nights in Brussels or Ghent, a day or a night in Bruges and a day in Antwerp. With ten days, add two or three nights in the Ardennes, or a day on the coast at Ostend or De Haan. Our places to visit list covers restaurants, beer cafés, sights and stays in each base, and the free trip planner helps you put it in order.