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By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 4th December 2023 | Updated: 4th December 2023
Recently we set foot in the wonderful country of Belgium for the first time, to have our fill of chocolate, waffles, chocolate-covered waffles and beautiful architecture! Not only were we surprised at just how beautiful Belgium is, (to be honest there isn’t a place we’ve visited in Europe that isn’t beautiful) but how much history and local delicacies there are to discover too. So, pack up those bags and get ready to plan a trip to spend 3 days in Belgium; our guide to Bruges, Ghent and Mechelen.
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide
3 Days In Belgium Map
3 Days In Belgium Itinerary
3 Days In Belgium: Day 1 – Bruges / Brugge
Population – 117,260 | Area – 138km2
First up the waffles, windmills and gingerbread houses of Bruges. Once the second-largest city in Europe behind London, now the quaint ‘Venice of the North’ Bruges is a haven for tourists travelling through Europe and Belgium and it is easy to see why! (Also due to featuring in a rather well-known film…).
First stop of the day should be at Sanseveria, (quite possibly the most amazing bagel place we have ever come across!), before heading to Markt to marvel at the architecture and Belfort Brugge. With 366 steps and its 47 bells, the beautiful Belfort can be heard chiming all over Bruges, so why not climb up it and experience the city from above?
Now if waffles and chocolates are your thing then the chocolate covered waffles from Chez Albert and Go. Fre will be heaven! Located just off Markt down Breidelstraat these waffles shops are on opposite sides of the road and you won’t be able to miss them for all of the queues. It is very much worth it though!
If the waffles haven’t quite filled you up then head for some local beer tasting at Brewery Bourgogne des Flandres. With lots of local brews to try and wonderful views over the canal outside, you can easily sit and while away a few hours. A few doors down from the brewery lies Hotel Orangerie, with quite possibly the best spot for an afternoon tea, (and some rather nice cakes too!).
If you want to get off the beaten track and away from the horse and carriages, then follow one of the canals out of the city centre and along Potterierei. Not only are the buildings along this stretch of canal too quaint to comprehend, but when you reach the end of the canal you’ll be met with views to the first of 4 windmills along this stretch of the city canals. Koeleweimolen, De Neuew Papegaai, Sint Janshuismolen and Bonne Chieremolen are historic grain windmills built around the 1770s and are wonderful examples of Belgian history.
📍 See – The Bruges Windmills
📍 Eat – Waffles covered in chocolate
📍 Do – Have afternoon tea overlooking the canals
Like Belgium? Check out: How to spend 4 days in Amsterdam the capital of the Netherlands
3 Days In Belgium: Day 2 – Ghent / Gent
Population – 1248,358 | Area – 156km2
The next city you should stop by is Ghent, with its picturesque canals, wonderful frites and famous shrimp croquettes. Just 25 minutes from Bruges by train, you can easily take a day trip to Ghent if like us you based yourself in Bruges. (We used our Hi Belgium Pass to get from Bruges to Ghent).
From Ghent train station you simply hop on board one of the many trams that take you into the centre and within minutes you’ll be standing outside the famous singing belfry on Sint Baafsplein. You can climb the belfry, Het Belfort van Gent for 360-degree views over the city of Ghent, to Sint Baafskathedraal, Sint Niklaaskerk and Stadshal city pavilion.
After being blown away, (literally and figuratively, it is damn windy up there!), from the belfry, head into Sint Baafskathedraal for some peace and tranquillity, before stopping by the Stadshal and enjoying whatever attraction may be on that day. We were lucky enough to hit a foodie festival!
With some 127 bridges in Ghent, the best way to see at least some of them is from the water! So take a boat ride with De Bootjes and enjoy the wonderful Graslei and Korenlei canals. From the water you can even see the Gravensteen a medieval castle that dates back to 1180. To get even more of a feel for the canals be sure to wander up and over the bridge when on dry land too.
After your water excursions, some food will be needed, (well it was for us!) so head towards Groot Vleeshuis, a historical landmark on Groentenmarkt worth a wander through, before grabbing some of those famous frites and shrimp croquettes from Frites Atelier across the other side of the square.
From all that wandering and eating you’ll be pleases to know it is just as simple to get back to the station as it is to get in. So hop on a tram and you’ll be back to the train station in no time.
📍 See – The Belfry on Sint Baafsplein
📍 Eat – Shrimp croquettes
📍 Do – Take a boat ride on the canals
Planning your own trip to Belgium? Make sure you check out our Travelling Tedaldi Amazon Store Travel Guides for all your guidebooks and maps. (We’ve done the hard work for you and linked all the things we used to plan our trip!)
3 Days In Belgium: Day 3 – Mechelen
Population – 84,000 | Area – 65km2
The final destination on our 3 cities in Belgium that you must visit guide is the university city of Mechelen. Slightly more under the radar than our previous two cities, Mechelen is located between Antwerp and Brussels, so makes the perfect place to stop by train on your way in or out of Belgium. (We used our Hi Belgium Pass to get from Bruges to Mechelen, just 1.5 hours by train, before carrying on to Brussels).
Being one of Flanders most historic cities means that Mechelen has historic buildings left, right and centre, as well as wonderful squares and markets.
Getting to or from the train station you should walk along the Dijlepad or Dyle Path. This floating walkway leads you along the Haverwerf and Kruistuin from the Botanical garden through to the city centre. It gives you a completely new perspective of the canals in Belgium, and we found it a lot more peaceful than trying to traverse the shopping streets of Bruul!
At the end of the Dijlepad, you come across Kraanbrug, a bridge over the canal that gives you supposedly the best view to some of the oldest houses in Mechelen. The beautiful 16th and 17th-century houses called Het Paradijske, (Little Paradise) with paintings over the windows showing ‘earthly paradise’, De Duiveltjes, (The Little Devils), known as having one of the most beautiful facades in all of Belgium, and Sint-Jozef (St Joseph), is a sight to behold.
Before wandering into the city centre be sure to stop along the Vismarkt at Sister Bean for one of there hot chocolates with all the trimmings! After devouring the hot chocolate head onwards to Grote Markt, the main city square with the incredible Sint Romboutskathedraal as a backdrop. This wonderful city square is surrounded by shops, cafes and restaurants all in the typical Belgian gingerbread-style buildings.
After marvelling at the beautiful architecture start heading back towards the train station via one of the many shopping streets. With chocolate to buy at every turn, little bakeries selling fresh goods and a gift shop or two, this is where to buy anything and everything you may want to take home / on your next trip!
📍 See – Het Paradijske, De Duiveltjes and Sint-Jozef
📍 Eat – Hot chocolate with all the trimmings
📍 Do – Walk the Dijlepad
Fancy a trip to Brussels during your visit to Belgium? Check out our post on ‘Is Brussels Worth Visiting?’
Where to stay in Belgium
During our 3 days in Belgium, as we were planning on doing day trips we stayed in a unique AirBnB near the centre of Bruges. (We’re talking an AirBnB in the roof of an apartment building, with views over the city kind of unique!). Basing yourself in Bruges makes it super easy to get around to other locations in Belgium as the main train links are only a short walk away.
For more accommodation options like this check out the map below:
3 Days In Belgium FAQs
How to get to Belgium
There are a few ways to get to Belgium, flying into the international airport at Brussels, driving if visiting from elsewhere in Europe, or as we did, via train. Setting off from the UK, you can take the Eurostar all the way to Brussels in just 2 hours, then switch trains throughout the rest of the country.
Check out Kiwi.com for some of the best flight options and thetrainline.com for more detailed information and tickets for trains throughout Belgium.
How to get around Belgium
The best way to get around Belgium is by train. No hassle of driving and finding somewhere to park, no getting lost or going the wrong direction, just being sat on a train enjoying the Belgian countryside! Once in the cities though the best way to get around is either on foot or by public transport. In Ghent there is a great tram system, Mechelen has a good bus system and Bruges is small enough you can just walk everywhere.
We previously used the HI Belgium Pass for our trip, but it has now been discontinued. However, you can now you can get the best rail travel deals through Belgiantrain.be. We would suggest getting a money-saving pass or Weekend Ticket depending on how much of Belgium you plan on seeing.
Best time to visit Belgium
We visited Belgium in the early summer, (before school holidays), and it was warm and not too busy in terms of tourists, but Belgium is a wonderful place to visit in any season. If you were to visit during Easter or Christmas, you would get a chance to explore the seasonal markets that are held, but it is more likely that it will be busier.
What are the best places to see in Belgium?
We barely scratched the surface with the best places to see in Belgium, but we can say most definitely that you should see and experience Bruges, Ghent, and Mechelen. They each have their own character and unique architecture, as well as local dishes you have to try.
Is it better to stay in Bruges or Ghent?
Depending on where you want to visit during your trip to Belgium will determine if Bruges or Ghent is better to stay in. We chose Bruges purely due to its picturesque centre and for it being slightly quieter at that time of year. However, if you chose to spend longer in Belgium, or even visit different places to our 3 days in Belgium itinerary, then a more centralised location such as Ghent may suit you more.
What is Belgium known for?
Belgium is most well-known for its chocolate, waffles, and wheat beer, but that isn’t all Belgium is famous for. Other things that Belgium is known for include being the capital of the European Union, having incredible electronic music festivals, and of course, being the inventing nation of French fries, (yes you read that right, French fries are not French!).
Can you do Belgium in 2 days?
No, you can not visit all there is to see in Belgium in 2 days. You could spend 2 days in Bruges, Ghent or Brussels but that would be it.
Why is Bruges so famous?
With its picturesque streets, famous swans and incredible food and beer, Bruges is famous for a number of reasons. The other reason is because of a rather well known film, that is well worth a watch before your trip to Bruges to get you inspired for the locations you can visit.
How many days in Bruges is enough?
Bruges is actually quite small, so 2 to 3 days would be plenty to see all the main sights as well as a few lesser known locations.
Is Belgium walkable?
Belgium is extremely walkable, with historic city and town centres that are well connected with public transport, so you really don’t need to have a car unless you plan on visiting destinations that are off the beaten track in Belgium.
Does it rain a lot in Belgium?
Belgium isn’t known for being a particularly dry country as it does tend to rain a fair bit, (on average 200 days a year, which is more than the drizzly UK!). So be sure to pack waterproofs and / or an umbrella for any trip to Belgium. That being said, when we visited in June we didn’t have any rain.
Belgium or the Netherlands?
Belgium and the Netherlands may be neighbours, but they are very different and each worth visiting in their own right. They are similarly priced for tourists, so it really depends on if you would like to visit somewhere with tulip fields and canals galore, or frites, chocolate and some rather good beers.
Is 3 days in Belgium enough / How many days do you need in Belgium?
3 days are great if you are after a short city break in Belgium. However, 3 days are not nearly enough to explore Belgium to its full potential. Ideally, you would want at least two weeks to really venture around the whole of Belgium.
Is Belgium expensive to visit?
Belgium isn’t the cheapest European country to visit, but it can be somewhat cheaper than its neighbouring France and Austria. To help make your trip to Belgium cheaper, check out the local tourism offices for any public transport passes and local attraction tickets that you could get for your stay.
Is Belgium worth visiting?
100% yes, if not for the culture and beautiful architecture, just for the food! The frites and shrimp are delicious, the waffles even more so, and if you like beer then this is one of the best countries to be!
Is Bruges or Brussels better?
Bruges is better if you are after a quaint and smaller place to visit, but Brussels is just as beautiful in terms of historic Flemish architecture and just as high up there with its gastronomic offerings.
Tours
Tours are another great way to get around and visit multiple locations in Belgium. Check out some of the top tours in Belgium here:
Conclusion: 3 Days In Belgium
So for your fill of chocolate, waffles, and beautiful architecture, this 3 days in Belgium guide is the perfect starting point! Make sure you check out our other posts from Belgium for even more tips and tricks.
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.