Find places in Belgium

Must-Haves

• Grand Place (Centre)
  The gilded guild houses and Gothic town hall make this one of Europe's most beautiful squares, day or night.
• Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (Mont des Arts)
  Bruegel, Rubens and the Magritte Museum under one roof.
• Horta Museum (Saint-Gilles)
  Victor Horta's own house is a masterpiece of Art Nouveau down to the door handles.
• Musical Instruments Museum (Mont des Arts)
  Thousands of instruments in an Art Nouveau department store, with a rooftop view over the city.

Fun for Everyone

• Comics Art Museum (Centre)
  Tintin, the Smurfs and the history of Belgian comics in a Horta-designed warehouse.

Fun for Everyone

• Atomium (Heysel)
  The giant silver molecule from the 1958 World Fair, with exhibitions and views from the top sphere.
• Manneken Pis (Centre)
  The famous tiny statue, often dressed in one of his hundreds of costumes.

Off the Beaten Path

• Comic book route murals (Centre)
  Dozens of comic strip murals painted on city walls, perfect for a self-guided walk.

Fun for Everyone

• Parc du Cinquantenaire (Etterbeek)
  A grand park and triumphal arch surrounded by museums, ideal for a picnic.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sonian Forest (Watermael-Boitsfort)
  A vast beech forest on the city's edge with walking and cycling trails.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Place du Jeu de Balle flea market (Marolles)
  A daily flea market where you can rummage for anything from vintage lamps to old postcards.
• Midi Market (Saint-Gilles)
  A huge Sunday market by Brussels-Midi with produce, spices and food from around the world.

Must-Haves

• Sablon antiques market (Sablon)
  Weekend antiques stalls surrounded by the city's smartest chocolatiers.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maison Antoine (Place Jourdan)
  A legendary friterie whose frites you can eat in many neighbouring bars.

Must-Haves

• Fin de Siècle (Sainte-Catherine)
  A no-reservations Belgian brasserie serving hearty classics like carbonnade and stoemp.
• Chez Léon (Centre)
  An old-school moules frites house in the Îlot Sacré, open since the nineteenth century.

Great for Date Night

• Noordzee Mer du Nord (Sainte-Catherine)
  A fishmonger's standing bar for grilled prawns, fish soup and a glass of white wine.
• Le Cirio (Bourse)
  A historic Belle Époque café near the Bourse, famous for its half and half aperitif.

Must-Haves

• Maison Dandoy (Centre)
  The classic Brussels biscuit maker, also serving waffles in its tea rooms.

Off the Beaten Path

• Café Belga (Ixelles)
  A buzzing café in the Art Deco Flagey building beside the Ixelles ponds.

Must-Haves

• Moeder Lambic Fontainas (Centre)
  A craft beer bar with dozens of Belgian beers on draught.

Fun for Everyone

• Delirium Café (Centre)
  A sprawling beer hall famous for its enormous beer list and party atmosphere.

Great for Date Night

• A La Mort Subite (Centre)
  A wood-panelled tavern from the 1920s, the place to try gueuze and kriek.

Off the Beaten Path

• Brasserie Cantillon (Anderlecht)
  The last traditional lambic brewery in Brussels, with a self-guided visit and tasting.
• À l'Imaige de Nostre-Dame (Centre)
  A tiny hidden tavern at the end of an alley off Rue du Marché aux Herbes.

Must-Haves

• Ommegang (Grand Place)
  A historic summer pageant recreating a sixteenth century procession for Emperor Charles V.

Fun for Everyone

• Winter Wonders (Centre)
  The city's Christmas market and light shows from late November into the new year.
• Flower Carpet (Grand Place)
  A giant carpet of begonias laid over the square in August of even-numbered years.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Amigo (Centre)
  A grand hotel steps from the Grand Place, in a building that was once a prison.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Le Berger (Ixelles)
  A boutique hotel in a former discreet love hotel, with a sense of humour.

Must-Haves

• Belfry of Bruges (Markt)
  Climb to the top of the medieval belfry for views across the rooftops and canals.
• Basilica of the Holy Blood (Burg)
  A Romanesque lower chapel and Gothic upper chapel guarding a famous relic.
• Groeninge Museum (Dijver)
  Jan van Eyck, Hans Memling and the Flemish Primitives in an intimate museum.
• Church of Our Lady (Mariastraat)
  Home of Michelangelo's Madonna and Child under a towering brick spire.

Off the Beaten Path

• Saint John's Hospital (Mariastraat)
  A medieval hospital ward and apothecary with masterpieces by Memling.

Must-Haves

• Canal boat tour (Centre)
  The best way to understand the city, gliding under low bridges past gabled houses.
• Rozenhoedkaai (Centre)
  The classic postcard view of canals, belfry and medieval facades.

Fun for Everyone

• Historium Bruges (Markt)
  An immersive journey back to medieval Bruges, great for families.

Must-Haves

• Beguinage of Bruges (Wijngaardplein)
  A peaceful courtyard of white houses and tall trees, beautiful in spring.

Great for Date Night

• Minnewater (South Bruges)
  The so-called Lake of Love, a romantic spot for an evening stroll.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kruisvest windmills (Sint-Anna)
  Old windmills along the green ramparts, far from the crowds.
• Damme canal cycle (Damme)
  A flat, tree-lined ride along the canal to the pretty village of Damme.

Must-Haves

• De Halve Maan Brewery (Walplein)
  A family brewery with tours and a beer pipeline running under the city.
• 't Brugs Beertje (Kemelstraat)
  A cosy beer café beloved by enthusiasts for its long list of Belgian beers.

Great for Date Night

• Café Vlissinghe (Sint-Anna)
  Said to be the oldest tavern in Bruges, with a garden and a timeless interior.

Off the Beaten Path

• Le Trappiste (Kuipersstraat)
  A candlelit beer cellar under a medieval vault.

Great for Date Night

• De Vlaamsche Pot (Centre)
  Hearty Flemish stews and dishes served in cast iron pots.

Must-Haves

• The Old Chocolate House (Mariastraat)
  Rich hot chocolate and pralines in a tea room above a chocolate shop.

Must-Haves

• The Chocolate Line (Simon Stevinplein)
  Inventive pralines from a pioneering Belgian chocolatier.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dumon Chocolatier (Eiermarkt)
  A family chocolatier making traditional pralines in small batches.
• Markt weekly market (Markt)
  The Wednesday morning market in the main square, with local produce and snacks.

Fun for Everyone

• Procession of the Holy Blood (Centre)
  A grand religious procession through the streets on Ascension Day.

Great for Date Night

• Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce (Centre)
  A canalside boutique hotel right on one of the most photographed corners.

Must-Haves

• Hotel Dukes' Palace (Centre)
  A grand hotel in a former ducal palace with gardens.

Must-Haves

• Saint Bavo's Cathedral (Centre)
  Home of the Ghent Altarpiece, with an augmented reality visitor experience.
• Gravensteen (Centre)
  A moated medieval castle with a witty audio tour that delights all ages.
• Belfry of Ghent (Centre)
  A medieval belfry with a lift to the top and views of the three towers.
• Museum of Fine Arts Ghent (Citadelpark)
  Flemish masters and modern Belgian art in a grand building.

Fun for Everyone

• STAM Ghent City Museum (Bijloke)
  An engaging museum that shows how Ghent grew, with a giant aerial map on the floor.

Must-Haves

• Graslei and Korenlei (Centre)
  Two quays of guild houses where locals sit along the water on summer evenings.

Fun for Everyone

• Saint Michael's Bridge (Centre)
  The best spot to see the three towers lined up together.
• Ghent boat tour (Graslei)
  Short boat tours from the Graslei show the medieval core from the water.

Off the Beaten Path

• Werregarenstraat (Centre)
  A graffiti alley where street art is legal and changes constantly.

Off the Beaten Path

• Blaarmeersen (West Ghent)
  A recreation park with a lake for swimming, sports and a campsite.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Citadelpark (South Ghent)
  A large park with ponds and a waterfall between two museums.

Must-Haves

• Patershol restaurants (Patershol)
  Narrow lanes with some of Ghent's best small restaurants.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Cuberdon carts (Groentenmarkt)
  Buy the purple cone-shaped Ghent sweets from street carts.

Must-Haves

• Mokabon (Donkersteeg)
  A classic coffee house roasting its own beans since the 1930s.

Must-Haves

• Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant (Groentenmarkt)
  A riverside beer café with a long list of Belgian beers.

Off the Beaten Path

• 't Dreupelkot (Groentenmarkt)
  A tiny jenever bar with hundreds of flavoured gins.

Fun for Everyone

• Overpoort (Student quarter)
  The student nightlife strip, packed with bars until late.

Great for Date Night

• Gruut Brewery (Grote Huidevettershoek)
  A city brewery making beers with herbs instead of hops.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Vrijdagmarkt market (Vrijdagmarkt)
  A Friday and Saturday market in a square that has hosted trade for centuries.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tierenteyn-Verlent (Groentenmarkt)
  A historic mustard shop filling jars from a wooden barrel.

Must-Haves

• Gentse Feesten (Centre)
  Ten days of free music, theatre and street parties every July.

Fun for Everyone

• Ghent Light Festival (Centre)
  Light art installations across the city, held every few years in winter.

Great for Date Night

• 1898 The Post (Centre)
  A stylish hotel in the old post office on the Korenmarkt.

Must-Haves

• Ghent Marriott Hotel (Korenlei)
  A modern hotel behind historic facades on the river.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hostel Uppelink (Sint-Michielsplein)
  A hostel with views of the three towers from the waterfront.

Must-Haves

• Cathedral of Our Lady (Old town)
  A Gothic cathedral with four great Rubens paintings.
• Antwerpen-Centraal (Station area)
  A palace of a railway station with a stone hall and glass roof.
• Plantin-Moretus Museum (Vrijdagmarkt)
  A Renaissance printing house with the oldest printing presses in the world.
• KMSKA (Het Zuid)
  The renovated Royal Museum of Fine Arts, with masters and James Ensor.

Fun for Everyone

• MAS Museum (Eilandje)
  A red stone tower of exhibitions with a free rooftop view.

Fun for Everyone

• Antwerp Zoo (Station area)
  One of the oldest zoos in the world, right beside Central Station.

Off the Beaten Path

• Sint-Annatunnel (Old town)
  A 1930s pedestrian tunnel under the Scheldt with wooden escalators.
• Cogels-Osylei (Zurenborg)
  A street of fantastical Art Nouveau and eclectic houses.

Must-Haves

• Grote Markt Antwerp (Old town)
  The Renaissance town hall and Brabo fountain at the heart of the old city.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Sint-Anna beach (Left bank)
  A small river beach with views back to the city skyline.
• Park Spoor Noord (Antwerp North)
  A large park on old railway land with fountains and play areas.

Must-Haves

• De Koninck Brewery (Berchem)
  The home of the bolleke, with a brewery experience and tasting.
• Kulminator (Het Zuid)
  A legendary beer café with aged beers and a vast list.

Great for Date Night

• Oud Arsenaal (Old town)
  A traditional brown café loved by locals.

Off the Beaten Path

• Den Engel (Grote Markt)
  An old local café on the main square.

Must-Haves

• Meir (Centre)
  Antwerp's main shopping street, lined with grand buildings.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kloosterstraat (Het Zuid)
  Vintage and antiques shops along one long street.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Vogelenmarkt (Theaterplein)
  A weekend market of food, flowers and everyday goods.

Fun for Everyone

• Antwerp Christmas market (Grote Markt)
  Festive stalls and an ice rink in the old town.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Julien (Old town)
  A boutique hotel in two old town houses near the cathedral.

Must-Haves

• Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp (Centre)
  A luxury hotel in a former monastery beside the botanical garden.

Must-Haves

• Citadel of Dinant (Dinant)
  A clifftop fortress above the Meuse, reached by cable car.
• Kayaking the Lesse (Houyet to Anseremme)
  A classic family paddle through wooded valleys.
• La Roche-en-Ardenne (La Roche-en-Ardenne)
  A river town under a ruined castle, ideal for walking.

Fun for Everyone

• Caves of Han (Han-sur-Lesse)
  A vast cave system reached by an old tram, with a wildlife park.
• Durbuy (Durbuy)
  A cobbled small town with a famous topiary park.

Must-Haves

• Bouillon Castle (Bouillon)
  The most impressive castle in Belgium, with summer torchlit visits.
• Bastogne War Museum (Bastogne)
  An immersive museum of the Battle of the Bulge.

Off the Beaten Path

• Orval Abbey (Villers-devant-Orval)
  Abbey ruins and gardens beside the Trappist brewery.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tombeau du Géant (Botassart)
  A celebrated viewpoint over a loop of the Semois.

Must-Haves

• High Fens (Hautes Fagnes)
  Boardwalk trails across moorland, the highest point in Belgium.

Fun for Everyone

• Gardens of Annevoie (Anhée)
  Water gardens that run without pumps.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Maredsous Abbey (Denée)
  An abbey with a café serving its own beer and cheese.

Great for Date Night

• Le Sanglier des Ardennes (Durbuy)
  A riverside hotel in the heart of Durbuy.