Belgium Itineraries

Quick Tour - Bruges, Belgium in 2 Days

Bruges is known as the “Venice of the North,” and with good reason. The capital city of Belgium’s West Flanders region, Bruges is brimming with history and culture along its winding canals. If you’re pressed for time, a two-day stay in Bruges is a fabulous introductory tour to Belgium.

Day 1, Bruges: Start with a heart-pounding climb to the top of the Belfry of Bruges - it’s 366 but worth every step when you gaze out over the city from way up here. Later, when you’re back down at street level, listen carefully you’ll hear the 47 bells in the tower chiming over the city. Belgian history comes to life at the Market Square and its Cloth Hall, Cranenburg House and 14th-century war hero statues.

Day 2, Bruges: Don’t miss the Historium, where you’ll travel back in time to medieval Bruges, via virtual reality. Make sure to include the soaring Church of Our Lady on your Bruges two-day tour - it’s where Michelangelo’s famous Madonna and Child sculpture is housed, as well as a fantastic art collection and the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. Stop by the Groeninge Museum, in a building that was once Eekhout Abbey - look for 18th- and 19th-century works by Jan van Eyck and Hugo van der Goes.

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Belgium in 4 Days

If you have a long weekend in Belgium, spend it Bruges, Brussels and Ghent - that’s more than enough time to soak up the charm and culture of this compact country.

Day 1, Bruges: Start with a heart-pounding climb to the top of the Belfry of Bruges - it’s 366 but worth every step when you gaze out over the city from way up here. Later, when you’re back down at street level, listen carefully you’ll hear the 47 bells in the tower chiming over the city. Belgian history comes to life at the Market Square and its Cloth Hall, Cranenburg House and 14th-century war hero statues.

Day 2, Bruges: Don’t miss the Historium, where you’ll travel back in time to medieval Bruges, via virtual reality. Make sure to include the soaring Church of Our Lady on your Bruges two-day tour - it’s where Michelangelo’s famous Madonna and Child sculpture is housed, as well as a fantastic art collection and the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. Stop by the Groeninge Museum, in a building that was once Eekhout Abbey - look for 18th- and 19th-century works by Jan van Eyck and Hugo van der Goes

Day 3, Brussels: Move on to Brussels, where your first order of business should be to try a tasty Belgian waffle. Then, fortified, fill your day in Brussels with visit to Grand-Place, the Museum of Musical Instruments, the Horta Museum, Cantillon Brewery, the Atomium, and, yes, the “peeing boy” statue, or Manneken Pis.

Day 4, Ghent: Your full day tour in Ghent should include an iconic photo of St. Michael’s Bridge, the epitome of the city’s cozy canal atmosphere, a stroll along the Grass Quay and Corn Quay with their striking medieval architecture, Gravensteen Castle, the Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market), one of the oldest squares in Ghent, and a climb up to the best view of Ghent at the top of the Ghent Belfry - this UNESCO World Heritage Site is Belgium’s tallest belfry.

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Belgium in 7 Days

A week-long Belgium guided tour is plenty of time to hit all the highlights. Start in Bruges, the “Venice of the North,” then move on to Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp and Flanders Field.

Day 1, Bruges: Start with a heart-pounding climb to the top of the Belfry of Bruges - it’s 366 but worth every step when you gaze out over the city from way up here. Later, when you’re back down at street level, listen carefully you’ll hear the 47 bells in the tower chiming over the city. Belgian history comes to life at the Market Square and its Cloth Hall, Cranenburg House and 14th-century war hero statues.

Day 2, Bruges: Don’t miss the Historium, where you’ll travel back in time to medieval Bruges, via virtual reality. Make sure to include the soaring Church of Our Lady on your Bruges two-day tour - it’s where Michelangelo’s famous Madonna and Child sculpture is housed, as well as a fantastic art collection and the tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. Stop by the Groeninge Museum, in a building that was once Eekhout Abbey - look for 18th- and 19th-century works by Jan van Eyck and Hugo van der Goes.

Day 3, Brussels: Move on to Brussels, where your first order of business should be to try a tasty Belgian waffle. Then, fortified, fill your day in Brussels with visit to Grand-Place, the Museum of Musical Instruments, the Horta Museum, Cantillon Brewery, the Atomium, and, yes, the “peeing boy” statue, or Manneken Pis.

Day 4, Ghent: Your full day tour in Ghent should include an iconic photo of St. Michael’s Bridge, the epitome of the city’s cozy canal atmosphere, a stroll along the Grass Quay and Corn Quay with their striking medieval architecture, Gravensteen Castle, the Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market), one of the oldest squares in Ghent, and a climb up to the best view of Ghent at the top of the Ghent Belfry - this UNESCO World Heritage Site is Belgium’s tallest belfry.

Day 6-7, Flanders Field: The sobering Flanders Field site is a must-see for World War I buffs visiting Belgium. Take 48 hours for a Flanders Field tour and see the highlights, including the Memorial Museum Passchendaele, military cemeteries, the Flanders Field Museum, the Yser Tower, the Menin Gate and more.

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