Just after we moved to Cape Town, my husband and I realized that our American Airlines miles didn’t do a lot of good on the African continent. They basically only fly to Europe or back to the States. As such, we decided there was no better time than to use up all of our miles spending Christmas in some of the most Christmas-y places on Earth! Hence I present this Belgium December Itinerary!

We both really wanted to go to Belgium, but the only miles flights worked into Munich and out of Frankfurt so we decided to take a trip to Belgium bookended with nights in Munich and Rüdesheim am Rhein. This was mostly because we heard Germany shuts down after Christmas Eve (it does) and we couldn’t arrive until the 23rd. I have left those days out of this itinerary since, most likely if you’re going to Belgium, you will just fly straight there rather than tack on two eight-hour train days.

Warning: This is an intinerary for drinkers. If you don’t like beer, and you don’t like going to bars, then this itinerary will make no sense. Of course, if you don’t like beer, you’re missing out on a huge part of Belgian culture. Belgium is a country of beer and beer drinkers and we set out to find as many of the best beers and bars and ancient pubs as we could. And also churches and museums and history and all that jazz.

All-in-all, we tried more than 40 different Belgian beers (I tried to track, but lost count at some point) and many of our favorites we ordered again and again. So without further ado, I present our:

10 Day Belgium Itinerary

Belgium Travel Tips
Interactive Map
Day 1 – 3: Brussels
Day 4: Brussels > Ghent > Bruges
Day 5 – 7: Bruges
Day 8 – 10: Antwerp

 
 

The Breakdown:

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Comfort Level: Mid-range grown-ups who like to drink a lot
All-In Budget: $2334.46 USD (€1,938 per person), $4,668.91 total (€3,875)
Per Diem: $100 per person per day + trains (~$1,500 pp, ~€1,245 each)
Accommodation: $969 (€805)
Flights from Cape Town: $374 each + 85,000 miles (we flew business on the way there)
Actual Spending: $2,353.32 + flights and accom = $4,071.01
Amount Under Budget: $622.07

OK, I know what you’re thinking…$2300 is a lot to budget per person for a two-week vacation. Or is it? I’m getting old enough that I can’t tell anymore. Maybe it’s a lot for a twenty-something but quite reasonable for thirty-somethings? Whatever, this was not backpacking and we were not eating ramen in hostels. We did stay in the cheapest hotels and Airbnbs we could find, but visiting Western Europe is something I’ve waited to do until I had the money to do it. I never wanted to go to Belgium if I couldn’t afford to drink delicious Belgian beers all day! And drink them we did.

This was both our Christmas trip, my birthday present, and our biggest trip of the year, so we wanted to do it right. We did eat cheap breakfasts of bread and pâté and salami, eat cheap street food, and do some grocery shopping when were staying in a place with a kitchen, but for the most part we ate one or two meals out a day and drank delicious beer and hot, mulled wine from around noon to midnight. It was glorious!

NOTE: The numbers above are for 13 nights, including the three nights we spent in Germany, that are excluded from this itinerary. The total spending without those is:

Accommodation: $749.03 (€622)
Daily Spending: $1772.29 for both of us (€1470)

Here is a fun pie chart of our spending by category:

Guess what we spent the most on!! I’ll give you a hint…it’s booze.

Drinks: $770.37 (~€640)
Trains, Trams, Ubers: $524.60 ($223.11 if you exlcude the long distance trains to and from Germany)
Dining Out: $632.21 (~€525)
Groceries: $107.52 (~€90)
Misc: $56.98 (most of this was a SIM card with €30 of overpriced data)
Gifts: $60.53 (€50)
Activities: $201.12 (~€167)

 

Things to Know Before Traveling in Belgium

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Belgium is a cash country.

We weren’t expecting this as I like to put all travel and dining expenses on a credit card to get double miles. If you’re planning on taking a trip to Belgium on credit, don’t. I mean, never take trips you can’t afford in the first place, but be aware it won’t be possible here. Most restaurants accept cards, almost no bars did, and some places that did have a €20 minimum. Just be prepared, and always keep some cash on you. Museums will almost always take cards (some pay-to-enter cathedrals will not) and train stations and hotels of course take cards as well.

Everyone speaks English.

Due to the multi-lingual nature of Belgium, we didn’t encouter a single person who didn’t speak English. We learned some Dutch and I have a little French, but for the most part, if we asked for something in Dutch, the shop owner would reply in English. On our first night in Antwerp, a guy outside a bar said something to me in Dutch and I responded, “I don’t speak Dutch.” I then asked him, “How do you say ‘I don’t speak Dutch’ in Dutch?” And he responded, “You just say, I don’t speak Dutch.” Because everyone will understand you. I can’t tell you how many times I asked, “Spreekt u Engels?” or “Parlez-vous Anglais” only to have the person look at me weird and say: “Of course I speak English.” Regardless, I always like to dabble with local languages as much as a I can.

You don’t need to tip, but a little is OK.

As I spent several years of my life in the service industry, I am very sensitive to tipping in other countries. In Belgium, the service charge is generally included in your bill, but feel free to round up or leave a few extra euros if you really enjoyed the service. Anything more than 10% would be considered weird.

Don’t buy train tickets in advance.

Other than long distance, international trains, your best bet is to get any intercity tickets once you get to the station. They are easy to buy, the machines all work in English, and everyone at the counter speaks English in case you need help. The national trains are basically day passes from one station to another, so it doesn’t matter which train you end up on.

Wear comfortable shoes.

Belgium is older than dirt and all the streets are cobblestones. Don’t try to be sexy. You’re going to be walking for like three to six hours a day if you’re doing it right. I wore some boots with a low heel (because my flat boots recently died) and was OK, but I wished I’d had my flat boots the whole time. Man, I miss those boots. Though it did give me a reason to stop and sit for a beer every couple hours!

Mind your pints.

Drinking Belgian beers has likely claimed many Americans who are used to drinking eight Coors Lights and partying ’till dawn. Coors Light is 4% alcohol. Many Belgian beers are more than twice that. Luckily, Hudson and I are professional drinkers and we had no problem keeping up, but even we had to pace ourselves a bit and try to mix in a 5% or 6% beer to balance out all those 8s and 9s and even 11s. They don’t taste strong either, so do it the Belgian way and sip slowly.

Love your foam.

Belgian beers are meant to have a lot of head (the foam on top of a beer). This is the way it’s done. If you get a beer that is half head, sit and wait until the foam goes down and then drink it. Do not take it back and say “please fill up my beer more.” Every Belgian beer has its own dedicated glassware and they are not usually meant to be filled to the top. Get your beer, let them pour it or pour it yourself, and enjoy the anticipation while it settles.

Sharing Is Caring.

For some reason, Americans realllly hate sitting next to strangers. On the train, on the bus, anywhere, the further the better. But know that in Belgium, and in everywhere else I’ve been in Europe, it’s very common to share a four-top table with another twosome if there are no other seats available. And many restaurants just have long wooden benches at grand hall style tables, so you’ll never know where your table starts and the next begins! It’s communal and it’s nice. So, if a place looks full, feel free to ask a table if they mind if you joining them. They won’t, I promise. And if someone asks to join your table, don’t be a weird American, smile and say “of course!”

Holiday hours may vary.

We were in Belgium over Christmas and New Years and while some things were closed, there were plenty of places still open. Brussels seemed to close down more on the 24th and 25th and literally everything was closed on the 1st. But in Antwerp, lots of places were open on Christmas Day (though not museums, of course). You won’t always be able to check hours, but just be aware the place you want to go might be closed. Luckily, the Christmas markets remain open on these days so you can always get a glühwein!
 

Points of Interest

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Everywhere we stopped and stayed is pinned on this map, along with places we wanted to stop, but didn’t make it to. Sorry, Mons!

 

Day 1 – 3: Brussels

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Since you will most likely be flying into Brussels, this is where your journey begins! While I saw a lot of people trashing Brussels during my research for this trip, it’s a beautiful city with some cool places to explore and cool bars if you know where to look. It’s the only truly French city on this itinerary, which is fascinating to see once you reach the Flemish side of Belgium.

Where to Stay: We stayed at an AirBnB in Flagey (pronounced flah-zhay, not flag-ee), a cool part of Ixelles that is easily accesible to the center on the tram. Definitely get yourself a 3-day tram pass if you plan on using it instead of walking. Otherwise it’s €2.50 each ride, which adds up fast!

If Airbnb isn’t your thing, the Hotel Brussels is very reasonably priced (though a bit further out from the center) or the Zoom Hotel is a nice compromise between Ixelles and staying inside the loop. It’s more expensive, but it’s also wayyy trendier. Both are right on the Louise Ave. trams lines, so it’s easy to get around. If you’re renting a car instead of taking trains, staying in Ixelles means avoiding the downtown traffic and gives you easier access out to the countryside if you want to explore more. You can still take the tram into the city, and if you plan on drinking beers, you shouldn’t be driving anyway.

Day 1:

Saint Michael’s Cathdral
A la Mort Subite
Au Bon Vieux Temps
Train World
The Black Sheep
L’Amere a Boire
Le Pantin
Frites!

Depending on what time you get in, you may just want to do dinner and drinks in Ixelles, and that’s totally cool. But if you have enough time (and energy) to make it to the city center, take the tram to Parc and check out Saint Michael’s cathedral. We were lucky enough to be there during a service and they will let you stand at the back and listen to the massive organ.

After you’re done oogling the towering cathedral, grab some lunch at A la Mort Subite, a cute little brasserie serving croque monsieur and madame, among other things. They do it a little differently than we find in America, but still simple and delicious. A la Mort Subite is right near Delirium Cafe, which you probably think you want to visit, but you don’t. It’s a charmless tourist trap and Delerium probably has the worst beers we drank in Belgium. But hey, if you really must. You can also see the statue of a little girl peeing, “Jannekin Pis,” because #feminism. Instead of that nonsense, head down an alley to Au Bon Vieux Temps. The service was terrible, some guy laughed at my French (I think), and everyone was sort of mean, BUT the bar itself is really cool, with stained glass windows and vaulted ceilings, and they have the rarest beer in the world: Westvletern 12, which has been given the title “la meilleure bière du monde” or “the best beer in the world.” I didn’t necssarily agree, but it’s brewed by monks in the abbey to this day, served in an unlabeled bottle, and they hand you the cap as proof of what you’re drinking, so that was pretty cool.

Train World: OK, you probably won’t do this, but it was honestly a super interesting museum. It’s about 20 minutes out on the tram (from the stop at Parc to the end of the line) and covers the history of Belgian and European rail with tons of actual trains you can walk through. If you like trains at all, you will enjoy this museum. Even if you don’t, it’s still really cool. But I’ll leave that up to you. It took us about three hours to get through the whole thing, so be prepared.

Once you’re back to Ixelles, grab a burger at The Black Sheep. Yes, I know burgers aren’t Belgian food, but you’ll be eating plenty, trust me. After dinner, head to one of the most chill bars in Brussels: L’Amère à Boire. L’Amère à Boire is hip and intimate with tons of beers (obviously) and a super cool vibe. Like sour beers? Try the Geuze Boon. I’m pretty sure everyone except us was a local.

More Drinks: Head to Le Pantin for an extensive (though relatively standard) beer selection and some kooky, yet cozy decor. Bonus points because they have chess and other board games and let you take in frites from outside. There is a yummy stand right in Flagey square if you’re not already full from your huge burger. Again, we were definitely the only tourists in this place.

Day 2:

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts
Cafe Novo
La Fleur en Papier Doré
La Porte Noire
Mannekin Pis
Grand Place
Le Marmiton
Le Cercueil
Goupil le Fol

Your first full day will be spent on one of the biggest attractions in Brussels: The Royal Museum of Fine Arts. Make sure to wear your walking shoes as it should take at least three hours to get through the three different parts of the museum: The Musée Fin de Siècle, Musée Magritte, and the Musée Oldmasters. The ticket for all three costs €13 and is totally worth it. The Musée Fin de Siècle (turn of the century museum) was easily my favorite, showing the competing styles of realism, pointillism, and impressionism that were all taking place during the end of the 19th century. The early 20th century saw the dawn of Art Nouveau, a style of art, decor, and architecture that was born in Belgium and is featured prominently in the exhibit. There will also be a rotating exhibition, but it cost €20 more per person when we were there, and we weren’t ready to drop €100 of our budget on a museum. We had drinking to do, after all.

Tip: Before heading into the museum, grab a baguette sandwich at a coffee shop or a waffle at the truck that’s parked on Place Royale. You can’t miss it!

After walking around the museum for three or four hours you will be hungry again, so head to Cafe Novo for some traditional Belgian dishes like Vol au Vent, Boulettes, and Steak Tartare. Next head to La Fleur en Papier Doré, the oldest bar in Brussels. It’s so old-world charming in here, you won’t want to leave. Try the Bon Secours Myrtille, my favorite beer in Belgium. Also, the Troubadour Magma is another gem.

If you’re still in the mood for a bar, on the same block is La Porte Noire (The Black Gate) which is supposed to be an awesome Celtic whiskey and beer bar, but we were there a little too early and it doesn’t open until 5pm. I read that the famous Belgian surrealist Magritte used to hang out with the  famous Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali at both of these bars. Super cool. OK, now it’s time to head to the most inexplicably famous thing in Belgium: Mannekin Pis. This world-reknowned statue of a little boy pissing, for some reason, is the most famous thing in the country. I don’t get it, but stop by, take a picture if you like, and keep moving.

From here, you can finally make your way to the Grand Place: the gorgeous center of Brussels that will have you craning your neck in every direction. Of course, it goes without saying that as you are walking you will be faced with endless numbers of chocolate shops and lace shops and every other kind of shop Belgium is known for. Enter as you please! Most of the fun of visiting cities is just walking around looking at all the buildings anyway.

As we were visiting during Christmas, the markets lined the streets surrounding Grand Place and we spent much of our time drinking vin chaud (French for gluhwein) and perusing the myriad stalls that were mostly selling the same things. Also during Christmas, Grand Place puts on a cheesy, but entertaining light show every hour after sunset until 11pm I think. Definitely worth sticking around to watch.

As soon as you’ve finished your wandering and you’re ready for dinner, head over to Le Marmiton for some more Belgian fare. This place has reasonably priced set menus (for Belgium) including lots of Belgian classics like Beef Carbonnade stew, mussels, and grey shrimp croquettes. I know “grey shrimp” sounds gross, but I promise, they’re just yummy shrimps.

Still want to drink more? Me too! For your next bar, head to Le Cercueil (“The Coffin,” in French) which is a goth, skeleton-themed bar. It’s a little over the top, but whatever. Definitely not a place that’s open during the day.

Your very last bar, and this is a MUST-SEE is Goupil le Fol. This little hole-in-the-wall is just off Grand Place back towards Ixelles and is dark, intimate, and unique. The ceiling is covered in old records, the juke box plays nothing but old French music, a la Edith Piaf, and the house specialty is fruit wine that comes in cherry, raspberry, or hazelnut. The bar has been a staple of Bruxelles since the 1960s, but I heard the owner was trying to sell, so who knows how long it might be there! Apparently Magritte and Dali liked to hang out here too.

 

Day 3:

Le Balmoral
Porte de Hal
Marolles Flea Market
La Porteuse d’Eau
Comic Book Walls
Moeder Lambic
Place Sainte Catherine
La Vilette
L’Archiduc
Madame Moustache
Bar des Amis

Start the morning by heading out to Le Balmoral for breakfast, an American-themed, 50s style diner where everything is Barbie pink. It’s a little out of the way, but it looks incredible. It’s also the exact opposite of all the dark, anicent pubs you’ve been patronizing to this point. We couldn’t go because we did not know it was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Note: the diner is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Please tell me how the bagels are.

From here, hop on the tram (Line 4) to Hallepoort, a medieval gate marking the original boundaries of the old city. Inside the castle-like gate is a history museum devoted to telling the story of the second wall of Brussels. Hallepoort (or Porte de Hal in French) is the only important vestige of this wall.

If you decide to skip Le Balmoral and you’re already hungry, you can stop at La Porteause d’Eau, a simple and traditional brasserie just on the outside of the gate.

From Hallepoort you will be in prime position to start your tour of Brussels’ famous comic book walls! There are dozens of walls sprinkled throughout the city, and you can find a full guide here. There isn’t much else to see in the southwest corner of the old city except a super cool flea market which was open on a Tuesday in January, so I imagine it might be happening every day. I found it much more exciting when looking for comic book walls to not know which wall exactly I was searching for, so I have offered no information on the pins on my map. Happy hunting!

After all that walking, you’re probably ready for a refreshing lambic. And where better to have one than at Moeder Lambic? Lambics are traditional Belgian fruit beers that are typically low in alcohol and high in bubbles. Framboise (raspberry) is the classic, but there is also kriek lambic (with cherries) and geuze, which is a mix of aged lambics that produces a second fermentation creating a musty, acidic, highly carbonated beer. I personally love the sour stank of the geuze, but it’s not for everyone. Some people describe it as “barnyardy,” but at least give one a try!

Once you’ve given your feet a long enough rest, it’s time to get back on the pavement! Walk up Rue St Géry past a few cool bars (stop again if you like) and up to Rue Dansaert to find a quirky neighborhood full of art and shops. After that you can visit the other main square in Bruxelles, Place Sainte Catherine. During Christmas there will be a second market located up here, but after a long day of walking, maybe you’re ready for dinner at La Villette. The moules au vin blanc were alright, but the classic Flemish stew was better. Then stop in for some after dinner jazz at the swanky art-deco stlye bar, L’Archiduc. If you’re still trying to party, hit up Bar des Amis and Madame Moustache for some raucous late night fun. Then definitely take an Uber back because the tram is closed and your feet are exhausted and if you’re not drunk by now, you’re doing it wrong.

 

Day 4: Brussels > Ghent > Bruges

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On your way from Brussels to Bruges, hop off the train for a few hours to walk around Ghent, tour the Gravensteen castle, and notice the vast difference between Wallonian and Flemish architecture. The train station is about 10 minutes from the city center by tram, and you need to take the #1 tram to Korenmarkt. If you have bags to store, there are lockers in the Gent Sint Peters station.

Due to some unforseen circumstances, we only had about two hours to explore Ghent so we toured the Gravensteen castle, crossed St. Michael’s bridge, walked through the winter market, drank some glühwein of course (we’re speaking Dutch now!) and checked out the two main cathedrals. Our original plan was to stay in Ghent for afternoon cocktails and dinner and take a late train out. Alas, the best laid plans….

Here are all the places I wanted to go, but didn’t:

Max: The most legit Brussels-style waffles
Tierenteyn-Verlent: Apparently the best mustard shop in the whole world? I honestly just forgot this was on the list because our day was so hectic and we barely had any time, but I was definitely planning on stuffing my suitcase full of mustard.
De Rechters: Traditional Belgian cuisine, get the stoverij (beef stew).
‘t Dreupelkot: Cozy little living room style bar that doesn’t open until 4pm. Sadly, we had to leave by 1pm. This was #1 on my list of bars in Ghent.
De Alchemist: A cool gin bar, opens at 3pm.

Your train ticket from Brussels to Bruges is good all day so as soon as you’re done exploring, you can make your way to my favorite place in Belgium (Hint: it’s Bruges). Get there after dinner, check in to your hotel, and have a nice relaxing night.
 

Day 5 – 7: Bruges

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Ohhhh, Bruges. Brugge. The most charming, magical city in the entire world. I could probably move here, but then I would never have anywhere more magical to visit. If you’ve seen the movie In Bruges, you know Colin Farrell is bitching the whole time about how shitty Bruges is while everyone else thinks it’s a “fucking fairytale.” He is wrong and they are right. Bruges is a fucking fairytale.

Where to Stay: We stayed at Hotel t’Putje and I would 100% recommend it. They are a little closer to the train station from the center (less than 1km) so an easy walk with your bags, but still just a quick stroll to the main square. And strolling is what this city was made for. Bruges is a tiny town and you can literally walk everywhere without a problem. The rooms were nice, and reception went above and beyond for a package we were receiving. My only complaint is the wifi is shared by floor and we got pretty terrible reception in our room so if that’s important to you, then maybe stay somewhere else. Also (and this isn’t really a complaint, but just noting) the room didn’t have a fridge. I really like being able to bring drinks back to the room or save leftovers from dinner for a late night snack, or keep some cheese and pate handy for a cheap breakfast. Luckily it was cold enough to chill our beers by hanging them in a bag out the window. Yes, we seriously did that.

Most people will tell you “Bruges is small enough to do in a day.” Those people are stupid. Or maybe, they just don’t drink. Bruges is a gorgeous city and you didn’t come to Belgium to race through a couple museums and GTFO. Enjoy Bruges, walk everywhere in Bruges. Go to the same bar three times because you love it. You won’t find a more charming city and especially after the sprawling busyness of Brussels you will be relieved by how quaint and walkable and magical everything is. It’s a fucking fairytale.

Day 5:

Grote Markt
Belfort van Brugge
Cambrinus Cafe
Basiliek van het Heilig Bloed
City Hall
de Garre
Cambrinus Pub
‘t Beertje
Simon Stevinplein Markt

When you get to Bruge, the first thing you will do is go to the center. The Christmas market opens at 10am, though many stalls will still be closed or just getting started. While I love breakfast, I am also fine for a couple hours if I have some coffee. Whether or not it’s Christmas time, you will be going to Grote Markt, walking around and falling in love with all the charming fucking buildings. Grab a waffle for breakfast and don’t feel pressure to get them covered in Nutella or strawberries or whipped cream, many Belgians are waffle purists and just take them plain.

The best views in Bruges can be found at the top of the Belfort, 366 stairs above the city. The line to get in was surprisingly long, and we waited over an hour. Instead of just buying a ticket for the Belfort, get the Brugge Musea pass, which covers almost every museum in the city and will pay for itself on your third visit. €20 each is a little expensive, but most the entry fees are €8-12 anyway. When you get to the top of the 12th century tower, you will see the massive bell structure with 47 different bells and the carillion (a keyboard to play the bells) that was added in the 16th century. Try to wait around for the hour or half hour to see them in action!

Pop back down to the markt for another glühwein or jenever shot. Yes, it’s totally normal to drink glühwein all day in the Christmas market. If you’re already hungry, you can pop into the Cambrinus Cafe just off the square. Not to be confused with the Cambrinus restaurant, the cafe offers yummy platters of meats, fruits, and cheeses, all with a delectable selection of beers. It’s the perfect amount of food to tide you over.

After your lunchtime beer and snack, head to the Basilica of the Holy Blood to see what is supposed to be the blood of Christ. Is it? Maybe, but it just looked like moldy gelatin to me. Still, it’s a cool building and worth the five minutes it takes to stand in line. In the same square is city hall, a gorgeous building that your Brugge Musea pass gains you entry to. I wouldn’t pay for this separately if you didn’t get the pass, however.

After City Hall, you will be looking for a famous bar hidden down an alley off Wollestraat. The bar is called de Garre and it’s three ancient floors crammed with old wooden tables, a legit beer menu, and every beer you order comes with a little serving of gouda! Make sure to get their in-house de Garre Tripel.

After a couple beers, take a stroll through the narrow alleys that twist away from the main square. While Brussels has most of the lace, Bruges has all the Flemish embroidery. These finely woven pillows, bags, and tapestries make the best gifts in my opinion. There are no shortage of shops, so peruse until something strikes you!

OK, so maybe by now you’re hungry for a real meal, but I have a confession to make. Hudson and I sort of forgot to eat several times in Bruges. We would have a late breakfast and then a late lunch snack and then by the time we were hungry for dinner it was like 10pm and we were beyond tipsy from all the beers. Don’t be like us. There are dozens of little bistros all over Bruges, all with somewhat similar menus. You can get croque monsieur or mussels and basically everywhere serves spaghetti bolognese (who doesn’t love Italian?). Wander into wherever strikes your fancy! I had Bistro den Amand and Bistro De Pompe on my list. I wouldn’t recommend the croque monsieur at Aubergine.

For your post-dinner drink, find your way to ‘t Beertje, a cozy beer bar with an extensive menu on the way back to the hotel. Then please ask them if they found a pink and white hat with a pom-pom. Then please mail it to me.

If you’re still craving a nightcap, the “other” Christmas market in Bruges stays open late night and was quickly renamed “the party market” by us. There’s music bumping, people playing a drinking game that involves recklessly hammering a nail into a stump, and everyone is definitely drunk. Fun times! Walking back to the hotel, you can’t miss it. Man, did we get drunk in Bruges.

Day 6:

Cafe Breakfast
Sint-Janshospitaal
Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk
Groeninge Museum
de Halve Maan Brewery
Gentpoort
Kon Astridpaark
Canal Walk
Vlissinghe

We didn’t have the breakfast offered at the hotel, but there are plenty of places around to grab an overpriced croissant if you like. Just eat something before you hit the museums. Saint Jans Hospital is what it sounds like, an old hospital, but it has been converted into a museum. The modern art exhibition they had going didn’t do anything for me, but the permanent collection is still good. Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk, or The Church of Our Lady houses Michaelangelo’s Madonna and Child, among others. The Groeninge Museum is where you will get to explore paintings by all the Belgian masters such as Peter Rubens and Jan van Eyck. Bruges is a medieval city and the religious art from that time is incredible to see. Your museum pass will cover all of these stops.

You’ve got a lot of walking to do today as you will be heading away from the city center. The only brewery in Bruges in de Halve Maan, which offers tours for €9 that include a beer. They also have a brasserie that does lunch until 3. The tour is more like a “history of brewing” than a current operation, but it’s interesting nonetheless and takes about 90 minutes. Grab lunch here if you’re hungry before walking through a residential neighborhood to Gentpoort. It will be a welcome change to see daily life in Bruges and escape the throngs of the city center.

Gentpoort is one of the ancient city gates which houses a somewhat unimpressive museum inside. It will take about 10 minutes to walk through the whole thing, but I just like medieval buildings. Walk back towards the center through Kon Astridpaark and then along the canals. The canals are picture perfect, and you may find yourself stopping several times to do just that.

Eventually, you want to end up at Vlissnghe, the oldest bar in Bruges. Yes, we went to the oldest bar in every city. The sausage stew we got was the best sausage I have ever had in my life. I’m not kidding. And I eat a lot of sausage. There were a ton of tourists in here, but what can ya do? Also note, they don’t take cards at all.

After Vlissnghe it’s time for my favorite bar in Bruges!!! ‘t Poatersgat is a cellar bar that doesn’t open until 5pm and is impossible to find when it’s closed. the entrance is a door that rises from the sidewalk to your knees and only becomes visible once the steep staircase is opened up. It’s dark, it’s a cellar, they have good music, and a great beer list. The Cuvée des Trolls was my favorite here, and of course, we had another Troubadour Magma.

Now try not to stop at the party market on your way home…I dare you!

Day 7:

Frites Museum
Choco-Story
Historium
Beer Museum Bruges
More gluhwein
De Kuppe
‘t Zwart Huis
‘t Poatersgat
Le Trappiste
Comptoir des Arts

If you’re anything like me, you will be hungover on your last day in Bruges. That damn party market got me every time. There are a few sort of novelty museums in Bruges that we meant to visit, but somehow missed all of them. The Frites Museum stops taking entry at 4:15 and we got there at 4:25. Historium looks really cool, but was €20 which we thought was overpriced. I’m not that into chocolate so we skipped that one, and we figured we were getting a lot of beer history with all the beer we were drinking, so we skipped that as well. I was really excited for the Frites Museum. Pick one, pick three, whatever strikes your fancy! Whenever I’m doing museums, I like to only do a half day so I don’t get too worn out, but whatever works for you. Go to the museums, stop for a glühwein and watch the people ice skating, duck into de Kuppe and enjoy a coffee…jk, de Kuppe is another beer bar! You’ve been rushing around for days and you have a busy night. Hey, you can even head back to the hotel and take a nap to help nurse that hangover. We’re going out tonight.

The last five places on this itinerary constitute the places I was most excited about–and two of them were closed for the holidays. Please get dinner at ‘t Zwart Huis and tell me it was the most amazing jazz dinner ever. Then hit up another cellar bar, Le Trappiste which is a more touristy version of ‘t Poatersgat, but still a must-see. Then head to Comptoir des Arts for your digestif whiskey and some more jazz/blues. Then go back to ‘t Poatersgat for one more because you love that place and it’s way more sultry and chill than Le Trappiste. I had the perfect night planned, so now you must live it for me!

Some other things in Bruges:

Bistro Kok Au Vin: Fancy restaurant, great reviews, a little too expensive for my tastes.
Poule Moule – Mussels near Grote Markt
Chez Albert – The best waffles in Bruges?
Curiosa – We did eat here, and it was alright, the lamb was great, the rabbit stew was meh.
de Kelk – Cool bar with an awesome beer list known for vintage beers

 

Day 8 – 9: Antwerp

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I feel like Antwerp definitely doesn’t get the credit it deserves. When people think of Antwerp (if they think of it at all) they think of shopping and diamonds and that’s about it. While there are diamonds, and shopping, I am into neither of those things. What Antwerp does have is that ancient Flemish charm with winding alleys, castles, the classic market square, and lots of great bars to boot. It’s no Bruges, but let’s be honest–nothing will ever be Bruges.

We spent only one full day in Antwerp, and it was Christmas Day, so a lot of things were closed, but we still had a full day of walking and exploring and enough stuff was open that it wasn’t a problem. I’ve put two days in here since museums were closed that we would have otherwise loved to go to, and we easily could have filled up an extra day.

We stayed at an Airbnb on Borzestraat, just a few minutes walking from Grote Markt.

Day 8

De Wilde Zee
Desire de Lille
Groenplaats
Hetsteen
Sint-Pauluskerk
Oude Beurs
Quinten Mastjis
Saint Carrolous
Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp
Paters vaetje
Den Engel
Elfde Gebod
Cabron

De Wilde Zee is an awesome little shopping neighborhood just away from the main strip and the main square. The streets are windy, the buildings are charming, and they are filled with cool little boutiques and even my favorite street art in Belgium.

Desire de Lille is a little breakfast cafe tucked in here, the perfect place to start your day. After you have a breakfast gluhwein at Groenplaats market, of course. From there you can walk to Vridjamarkt, which hosts the oldest antique flea market in Belgium (Fridays only) and just enjoy the narrow city streets. From here, walk down to the river and follow it until you get to Hetsteen castle. During the holidays, there will be another market here with lots of gifts and gluhwein and jenever and scarves and mittens and warm fireplaces to sit around. The castle was closed when we went, but whatever. Castles are still cool from the outside.

Next make your way to Saint Paul’s, a gorgeous Cathedral housing a collection of Flemish art that may or may not be on loan from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts during its renovation. Either way, entrance to the church is open to all, and the courtyard is worth a peak as well.

Next up is Oude Beurs, another charming neighborhood with charming old buildings and goddamnit Belgium is just so fucking charming. I couldn’t shut up about it. And guess where you’re going next…that’s right…the oldest bar in Antwerp!

Quinten Mastjis (named for the famous painter) was actually the oldest bar we went to in all of Belgium, dating back to 1565. Nuts. It was packed on Christmas day, they have a great selection of beers, and a nice traditional Belgian menu as well. I probably could have spent the rest of the day/night in here.

Saint Carolus Borromeus Church is another fancy church with fancy insides and fancy paintings, and you pretty much get it by now: Belgium is full of old fancy churches that are really cool to look at. The last church of the day is the big kahuna: The Church of Our Lady. While the Royal Museum is being renovated, The Church of Our Lady is housing a large portion of the permanent collection, including super famous Flemish dudes like Peter Rubens and Jan van Eyck and Mastjis.

OK, enough cultural stuff for the day. Now it’s time for drinks and more drinks and dinner and some more drinks!

Paters vaetje – Cozy bar in the center of Antwerp with an excellent beer selection

Den Engel – Average bar in the square mysteriously full of old people. One cool thing in Belgium is that the old people party just as hard as everyone else. In America old people are relegated to the stereotypes of early bird specials and watching Matlock. Not in Antwerp.

Elfde Gebod – This is where we had Christmas dinner and you definitely want to go to this place. The inteior is covered with statues of saints and angels and weird old paintings and the whole place was just oozing sacriligious medeival charm. Once again, the rabbit was disappointing. I’m beginning to think this classic Belgian dish just isn’t good no matter who makes it.

Cafe Cabron – This was actually the first bar we went to as we arrive late on Christmas Eve and there was some sort of partying happening and we ended up staying the whole night. The beers were cheap, the vibe was on point, the music was great. It reminded me of some of my favorite local neighborhood bars back in D.C. We talked about checking out more places, but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is also where I discovered one of my Belgian staples: The Tripel Karmeliet. They serve it literally everywhere and you can’t go wrong.

Day 9

Barnini
Rubenshuis
Oud Arsenal
Vlaeykensgang
Vridjamarkt
‘t Zuid
Royal Museum of Fine Arts (closed for renovation until 2019)
Fotomuseum
Museum of Modern Art
Chatleroi
Modemuseum
Cafe Kulminator
Korsakov
De Peerdestaal
Witzli-Poetzli
de Muze
Pelgrom

It’s your last full day, so let’s really pack it in, shall we? If you need breakfast before Rubenshuis (the house of Peter Rubens) there is a cute little panini cafe called Barnini, but it makes more sense to do it after. The museum doesn’t open until 10am, so if you’re an early starter, you’re on your own. Of course, Rubenshuis was closed since it was Christmas Day, but it was top of my list for Antwerp. Ready for a beer yet? I know I am. So pop into Oud Arsenaal since they open for business at 10am. Trust me, it’s not weird to drink beers before noon here. Is it anywhere?

Next you have a little bit of a walk down Vrijheidstraat to get to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts. If you’ve waited to eat, there are tons of cafes around here. If your trip to Belgium is happening in 2018, I’m sorry. This museum is still closed for renovation until 2019. But don’t fret! The neighborhood of t’Zuid is full of museums and art galleries and all that jazz. It’s nowhere near as charming as the old center, but nothing ever is. Everyone’s taste is different, so take your pick of the museums in the area. They are all marked on the handy Google Map up at the top of this post. While you’re in the neighborhood, don’t miss Chatleroi Cafe: hip, old school, vintage vibes, good music, and of course: beer.

Once you’re finished with ‘t Zuid, it’s time to head back to the center via Graaf van Egmonstraat. Don’t forget to keep your eyes peeled for Antwerp’s comic book walls as well. They aren’t as ubiquitous as Brussels, but they’ve still got some good ones. Walking this way will take you to the Modemuseum, which is a museum of fashion, so Hudson opted out. Definitely not something everyone is in to. Or, you can walk back the way you came to make your way into Korsakov, a bar where the upstairs feels like 1950s Berlin, or Cafe Kulminator, one of the more famous bars in Antwerp.

For your final meal in Belgium, you may be interested in checking out De Peerdestaal, or “The Horse Stable.” Unsuprisingly, they have a horse steak on the menu. Personally I’ve only had horse salami before, but I have no moral or ethical objection to eating a whole horse steak. I don’t know why people are so weird about which animals they will and will not eat. How about an ostrich? Kangaroo? Korean dog soup?

And for your last bars of the trip, take your pick:

Witzli-Poetzli – A cozy, artsy, eclectic bar
de Muze – Warm and inviting jazz cafe oozing with character
Pelgrom – It would only be appropriate to end your time in Belgium at a cellar bar!

Day 10:

Meir Shopping Street
Antwerpen Centraal

If you are really into shopping, then maybe you visited Meir already, but we were more than happy to just walk by on our way to the train station. And of course, Antwerpen Centraal is a site to see in itself. Now for the real question:

Flight home or….Train to Amsterdam!?!?

OK, we totally didn’t do this, but you should if you can and we realllly wanted to. It just didn’t make sense with our flight from Frankfurt, which we was our only option with miles. But if we had a choice, we easily would have flown out of Amsterdam rather than Frankfurt. Antwerp isn’t a huge airport so you will get better flights out of Amsterdam anyway. The train only takes 1h15 so why not! Spend a day, spend an afternoon, spend an evening, or just spend one day in Antwerp so you can give Amsterdam the time it deserves.

I’m sorry we missed you Amsterdam, but we will be coming back to do the Netherlands properly in like two to three years. I promise!

Welp, that about wraps her up. Thoughts? Questions? Disagreements? I’m all ears!

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Apology: All photos were taken on an a five year-old Samsung S4 because I am still not allowed to buy a new camera after losing yet another new phone in October. I am just not allowed to have nice things.