Day Trips from Brussels (Antwerp and Ghent)

While staying in Brussels for a week, my family of three took Belgium’s train to three cities- Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent. Each city is an hour or under train ride with half off tickets on weekends. (Children under 12 always ride free with the purchase of one adult ticket.)

True urban dwellers, we enjoyed exploring Antwerp, Belgium’s second city. A medieval town, Bruges is a place that our local friends warned is overcrowded and a bit of a spectacle. Ghent has a similar medieval charm with cathedrals, castles, and canals without trying too hard.

After taking the train passed Ghent to Bruges, we wandered the streets for a few hours and decided to leave for Ghent instead. Horse drawn carriage rides for tourists, souvenir shops everywhere, and a McDonalds in a deeply historic building, it wasn’t our scene. The best comparison is to Canada’s Quebec City. Some travelers love the quaint town and others prefer Montreal with its charm hidden within a lived-in city. Nothing is wrong with either, but we prefer Montreal. If you’re similar, skip Bruges for Ghent.

Spending more time in Antwerp and Ghent, here’s what we recommend.

Antwerp

Eat:

• Brunch in the back patio of Kloonies, a popular restaurant along the city’s biggest vintage street. The “Duo Luxe Breakfast” spread easily fed our family of three.
• Chocolate from Leonidas, a 1913 chocolate company with stores throughout Belgium.
• Green curry with chicken at Chai’s Choice, a tiny Thai restaurant near the Central Train Station.

Drink:

• Jenever (juniper-flavored liquor) at De Vagant, a historic bar where locals and tourists mingle.

Do:

• Browse clothing and home goods at Monique Stam, a boutique open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Read books (many of which are in English) at Luddites Books & Wine, a bookstore with cookbooks and a wine bar on the upper level.
• Ride rare wooden escalators in Sint-Annatunnel, an Art Deco 1930s tunnel under the Scheldt River.
• Wander through Zoo Antwerpen, one of the oldest zoos in the world with impressive architecture.

See:

• Antwerp Central Train Station often called one of the world’s “most beautiful train stations.”
• Street art everywhere, including comic strip murals. Here’s a map of most.
• Vlaaikensgang, a preserved medieval passageway

Ghent

Eat:

• Dumplings and bao from Steamy Windows, a popular dumpling restaurant with outdoor seating along a cobblestone street.

Drink:

• Lambic at Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant, a dog-friendly beer hall along the water.
• Jenever from ‘t Dreupelkot, a long-standing, tiny bar with over 200 gins.

Do:

• Picnic outside of Gravensteen, a 10th century moated castle.
• Walk along the water along Graslei stopping at benches along the way for the views.

See:

• Graffiti Alley, a street art-filled alley with new murals going up often.
• View of the medieval skyline from Saint Michael’s Bridge.