Belgium is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. The scenic areas all throughout Belgium provide stunning views and wonderful landscapes. Be sure to make a Belgium itinerary so when visiting, you don’t miss out on anything!
Located in Western Europe, Belgium offers a wide variety things to do and see. When my family and I visited Belgium this past summer we fell in love with the beauty of it all. Each town we stopped at or passed through had gorgeous, tall castles and old stone buildings with rich history.
When traveling anywhere it is important to have some form of guidelines so that you are able to see everything you want. Every time my family and I go on vacation we make sure we have a set plan for each day. This is my recommended Belgium itinerary so that you see the beauty within this wonderful country.
Day 1
For the first day you are in Belgium, I think it is best to start in Antwerp. This beautiful city is almost directly above Brussels and is Belgium’s main port city.
Cathedral of Our Lady
Antwerp has lots to offer travelers. The city itself is so stunning and has a lot of different things to see throughout. Upon arrival in Antwerp you need to walk around the area. The buildings and churches are stunning and full of rich history. When walking around make it a point to stop by the Cathedral of Our Lady. This cathedral is beautiful on the inside and outside. Original built in 1521, the cathedral still stands today and allows for visitors to view.
Scheldt River
Your next stop should be the Scheldt River. This river is the main water entry-way for all of Belgium. All along the river, looking out and across the way are beautiful views.
Het Steen Medieval Fortress
Along the water-way is the Het Steen medieval fortress. It available for visitation all year long. The structure itself was built between 1200 and 1225. Over the years of its standings the castle has become a prison, residence, and now a museum. Definitely a really unique structure to check out along the Scheldt River.
Street Shopping
After seeing all the wonderful sights, you should head towards De Meir Street Shopping. The De Meir Street Shopping is an adorable little shopping area filled with lovely stores and places to walk around. My mom and I found our tourist sweatshirts and souvenirs in some of those very shops.
The Rubens House
Then, if you want to add a little history to your day, head over to The Rubens House. This is located more towards the outside of Antwerp, so I recommend it be your last tourist stop of the day. Because the museum is currently under construction, you’ll have to wait until this summer to gain its rich history. The entire museum is the former home and workshop of Peter Paul Rubens. Rubens was a Flemish artist and diplomat and considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradition.
Dinner Restaurant
Finally, you need to make dinner reservations at the De Bomma restaurant. Located right alongside the river, this authentic Belgium food restaurant offers a variety of choices. Because the restaurant requires a reservation you’ll need think ahead of your trip to make sure you eat at this delicious place! The amazing view over the river and delightful food make this restaurant a definite must when in Antwerp.
Day 2
The next day of this Belgium itinerary entails driving around to see different cites and towns, and ending in Brussels. The first stop of the day is Bruges.
Bruges
Bruges is a petite little area that is located in the northwest region of Belgium. By wandering the beautiful cobblestone streets and touring the main squares of Bruges people everyday bring this city to life.
Once arriving in Bruges there is an adorable little place to grab breakfast called That’s Toast. This restaurant comes highly recommended by locals in the area and a large amount of tourists. Definitely recommend stopping by to grab a bite before you start your day!
Center of Bruges
When you are done eating your delicious breakfast, you can walk around the Center of Bruges. This historic town has little shops to visit, snack places around every corner, amazing chocolate shops, and a beautiful canal running right through its’ center.
Among the many available options to do or see in this town, one option is climbing the Belfry Tower. This 13th-century tower is 83 meters high and shows an entire view of the city of Bruges. However, because the tower is so old there are 366 stairs to get to the top view. Many choose not to climb up, but many also say the steps are worth the view!
Bruges Chocolate
The Chocolatier Dumon are these amazing chocolate shops in Belgium, well known for their quality and freshness. These adorable little chocolate stores create fresh-chocolate daily for your enjoyment. There are a few in the city of Bruges so be sure to stop by one of them and get a delicious box of chocolates.
Food & Beer
After grabbing some chocolates, head over to the Brewery De Halve Mann. This is a family-run brewery and the oldest brewery in Bruges, dating back to 1856. All of their beer recipes have gone through six family generations, leading to today’s owners. Everything about this brewery is unique and authentic, so you should definitely stop by and grab a family crafted beer.
Then if you are in the mood, there are two delicious waffle places to eat at nearby. Lizzie’s Wafels is open Wednesday through Sunday and offers a variety of options to choose from. And also there is Chez Albert. Personally I prefer Chez Albert because I think they provide more options to choose from and they are said to be easier to communicate with regarding what you would like to order.
If you are not the mood for any Waffles, there is an amazing French fry place called Casa Patata. We actually discovered this place while we were walking around Bruges. Everyone was getting food from this place and it looked so good, we had to try it. It was amazing and the toppings they put on the French fries are so good.
Tanner’s Square
Lastly, before you leave the town of Bruges you must visit Tanner’s Square. Known as Huidenvettersplein by the locals. This is one of Bruges intimate little squares, hidden from large crowds and tourists. In this small cute square there is lots of medieval surprises around every corner. Being the oldest square in Bruges it is very popular with the locals and appreciated by all tourists who stop by.
Ghent
Heading back towards Brussels, you should stop in the city of Ghent. Ghent has been around since the 1500s. It offers magnificent museums to visit, medieval streets to walk down, and vast amount of cultural spots.
One spot in Ghent to see is the Saint Bravo’s Cathedral. Similar to the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp, the Saint Bravo’s Cathedral awes us with its beauty and attention to detail. The building is over 600 years old, originating to Saint John the Baptist who implemented some of the Roman Catholic qualities you’ll see today.
Furthermore, another amazing place to see in Ghent is the Gravensteen Castle. This castle dates back to 1180. From starting out as a castle, to becoming a court, a prison, a mint, and even a cotton factory this medieval castle has seen it all. Seeing this Castle in photos is no comparison to what it looks like in person. The entire castle towers over the surrounding buildings and is definitely a must stop along the way to Brussels.
Dinner in Brussels
Once you arrive in Brussels there is so much to do and see. Because you had such a long day exploring, I highly recommend getting dinner and just relaxing the rest of the day.
The restaurant known as Pasta Divina is one of the best restaurants I have eaten in Belgium. This is a modern Italian restaurant that is owned by this cute old couple. The wife cooks all the homemade pasta and pasta sauces in the back, while her husband attends to everything up-front and ensures that the restaurant runs smoothly. Definitely make reservations here for dinner.
Day 3
History of Belgium
Spending only three days in Belgium does not leave lots of time for learning about its history. But it does offer short periods of time within all the buildings, churches, and places you visit.
One amazing tour that my family and I did was with Roby Clam for Battle of the Bulge. This tour was from 9:30am to 12:30pm in the morning and definitely worth our time. Roby Clam had a lot of information to share and provide to us. We were really glad to listen to the stories he knows about the battle and learn more about how Belgium is what it is today.
Chocolate Tour and More
After finishing up the tour, we grabbed lunch in a small town outside of Brussels. Then we headed back to do our own version of a Chocolate self-guided tour. I honestly loved doing our own self-guided tour rather than paying for someone to walk us around Brussels. We were able to stop in shops, breweries, and anywhere else we wanted to.
Starting at the Grand Place, our first stop was Neuhaus Bruxelles Grand Place. This chocolate shop was deemed the best truffle in the world in 2017 and I can see why! The chocolate in this shop was literally some of the best chocolate I have ever had before. They have these amazing corny dones that you have to try!
Then another amazing chocolate shop is Pierre Macrolini. This luxury chocolate place offers a large variety of options including some amazing macarons. This shop is located near the Neuhaus store because they are in the same building.
After grabbing some chocolates, if you are hungrier, there is a great waffle place called Maison Dandoy. They have a lot of choices for different toppings and each one looks just as good as the next.
Manneken-Pis Statue
Then you will want to walk to the Manneken-Pis Statue. This is a famous landmark that is only 55.5 cm tall. The statue shows a naked little boy urinating into the fountain’s basin and in my opinion is not the coolest thing to see in Brussels. However, this famous statue has been around since 1619, so it can be very cool to see since it’s been standing for so long.
More Chocolate Shops and Food Eateries
After eating all the sweets and walking around there are two great food options around all these areas. Tonton Garby is a sandwich place and Belgium Frites Papy offers a variety of lunch or dinner options to eat.
Then you are going to want to head over to Rue De La Montagne. In this area there is plenty of options for good quality Belgium beer. Some great spots include Brasserie de la Reine, Brasserie Ommegang, and À La Mort Subite.
After grabbing some dinner and a drink or two there are two more amazing chocolate shops to stop at. The first is called Elisabeth. And the other is called Le Comptoir De Mathilde. Both are delicious chocolate places you must stop at and try some. The second shop, Le Comptoir De Mathilde offers more than just chocolate including Hot Coco, a bar selection, and Crepes. These are both amazing and worth trying!
I loved visiting Belgium. In my opinion it is one of the most overlooked European countries people never plan to visit. The people are extremely kind and helpful everywhere you go. And the history and sights to see are endless. I hope you enjoy this Belgium itinerary I have put together and plan to visit soon! Make sure to check out my cheap Amazon travel essentials for all your trips.
