Find the many sights in the capital of Belgium, Brussels

Brussels is the famous capital of Belgium, and besides that, it is also the capital of the European Union. The city may not be the most beautiful in Belgium, but it has some great sights to visit. The sights can be further from each other, but the city is easily travelled and you should see them. The most important things to see are:

• Find the famous Manneken Pis and his less famous sister, Jeanekke Pis
• Visit the European Union
• See the impressive Atomiom
• Be amazed at the Grote Markt

Tourist occurrence: High

How to get here: Brussels is easily accessible from all parts of the world. There is an airport with many international flights. Besides, it is easily reached by public transport and by car.

How much time needed: 2 days will give you sufficient time to get to know the city.

See the canals of Bruges, the most popular city of Belgium

Bruges may be a small town, but the beauty of this charming city is unparalleled. You can walk for hours through these amazing alleys, canals, and fantastic buildings. There are also a lot of good places to get chocolate and have dinner with some tasty beers. The most important things to do in Bruges are:

• Take a canal boat ride
• See the Belfort
• Walk at the cute Begijnhof
• Walk through the gorgeous city centre

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How to get here: Bruges is easily accessible from many parts of Belgium. The train from Antwerp and Brussels will both take around 1–1.5 hours.

How much time needed: 2 days.

Head to my favorite Belgium city Antwerp

Antwerp may not have as many sights as Brussels or have the cute canals of Bruges, but the city is very charming as there are many bars and restaurants to choose from. Antwerp is a big port city famous for its diamonds and the city of Schelde. There are some great museums in this lovely city as well. The biggest highlights of Antwerp are: 

• See great art during a visit to the Rubenshuis
• Visit probably one of the most beautiful train stations in the world
• Walk through the lovely city centre 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: Antwerp is easily accessible from many parts of Belgium. The train from Brussels will take around 45 minutes.

How much time needed: 2 days.

Visit great Belgian nature in the Ardennes

The Ardennes are great forests and hills in the French part of Belgium, where there are many hiking options and you can enjoy the amazing nature it has to offer. The villages in the area are often cute to have a stop in as well. In the summer, the Ardennes are great for kayaking experiences. When lucky, you can find wild pigs, foxes, deer, and more. I would recommend renting a small house in nature for the days we are here.

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How to get here: The Ardennes are pretty big, so it is hard to say how to reach the area, but the car is more convenient than public transport, although you can reach everywhere by train and bus.

How much time needed: 2-3 days.

Walk the underestimated city of Ghent

Ghent is one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium and is often overlooked when people visit Belgium. The old city centre is almost as beautiful as Bruges and has fewer tourists. As in many places in Belgium, there are many nice bars and restaurants to go to. The biggest highlights of Ghent are:

• Visit the great castle of Gravensteen
• See the beauty of the Korenlei and the Graslei
• Stand on the Sint-Michielsbrug to see 3 churches in a row
• Walk through the lovely city centre

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: Ghent is easily accessible from many parts of Belgium. The train from Brussels and Antwerp will both take around 45 minutes. Bruges is 30 minutes by train away.

How much time needed: 2 days.

Try one of the many fantastic beers of Belgium

Although there are many places in the world where craft beer is getting more popular, in Belgium there is a beer culture far before it. There are so many beers to try, and many taste amazing. The specialties of Belgian beers are the blonde, double, and triple beers. There are also some very famous Trappist beers, made by monks, that are very special. West-Vleteren is often chosen to be the best beer in the world, and you can drive to their place to get some beers (but you have to make an appointment). In Belgium, it is not uncommon to walk into a random bar where there are hundreds of beers to choose from.

Enjoy the student city of Leuven

Leuven is a city with many students, which makes it very vibrant. There are many good bars and creative places to visit on a nice trip here. Leuven may not be one of the more famous cities in the country, but it can surely keep up with the others. Besides, Leuven is the beer capital of Belgium. The city has some cool things to see:

• Enjoy the quiet Begijnhof
• Have a nice walk through the city
• Enjoy a beer in one of the many bars

Tourist occurrence: Low

How to get here: Leuven is easily accessible from many parts of Belgium. The train from Brussels will take around 25 minutes and Antwerp around 50 minutes. 

How much time needed: 1-2 days.

Final thoughts

Belgium is a small but worth-visiting country, as it has many cute and interesting cities to visit. Besides, there is a lovely nature area to enjoy hiking and finding wildlife. Ending a lovely walk through a city or nature with a beer from one of the many famous breweries will make a trip unforgettable.