Best Day Trips From Brussels: Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp

Swans on a canal in front of medieval houses in Bruges

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Brussels · Day trips

Best Day Trips From Brussels by Train: Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp

🚆 By train🏰 Bruges⛪ Ghent · Antwerp

The three best day trips from Brussels are Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp, and all three are easy by train. Bruges is the most picturesque, Ghent mixes medieval sights with a lively student city, and Antwerp is the port city for beer, fashion and the old town. Each has a guided tasting tour with a start time you can plan around.

🏰Bruges

Medieval canals, chocolate and beer

⛪Ghent

Castle, cathedral, brewery tour

🍺Antwerp

Old town, port, beer and gin

🚆Getting there

Train from Brussels

Your perfect day, hour by hour

Morning
Lunch
Afternoon

Which day trip fits you?

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Bruges: the classic

A 4-hour chocolate and beer tour from the Burg, with a tower climb of 366 steps.

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Ghent: the afternoon

A beer and sightseeing tour starting at 2:00 PM in front of Saint Bavo Cathedral.

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Antwerp: the beer city

A 4-hour tour from Groenplaats with 5 local beers, a brewery visit and geneva gin.

Historic buildings along the river in Ghent

Statue fountain in the old town of Antwerp

Brown buildings beside a calm canal in Bruges

What is included

3 chocolate tastings
Selection of 4 local beers
Visit of the Straffe Hendrick brewery
Gourmet small plates paired with the beers
A visit to one of the three towers of Bruges (366 steps)
Entry and admission fees
A live guide in English or German

Not included: tips or gratuities for your guide.

See dates & prices →

How to plan a day trip from Brussels

Pick the city, then fix the tour start time and work backwards: check the train schedule, leave a margin, and arrive at the meeting point at least 15 minutes early. Ghent starts at 2:00 PM, so it leaves your morning free. Bruges and Antwerp are 4-hour tours, so start early.

The three tours

Bruges chocolate and beer tour: from the Burg, English and German.
Ghent beer and sightseeing adventure: 2:00 PM, from Saint Bavo Square.
Antwerp beer tour: from Groenplaats, English, Dutch and German.

Is this tour right for you?

Great if you

are based in Brussels and want an easy day out
like guided tastings more than museum queues
travel as a couple, with friends or in a group
want a plan for the day, not a research project

Think twice if

you cannot be at the start on time: tours start on schedule
you are under 16 for the Ghent and Antwerp tours (minimum age 16)
you want to see all three cities in one day: pick one

Practical tips before you book

Arrive at least 15 minutes before departure at the Burg.
Wear comfortable shoes: the centre is cobbled and the tour includes a tower climb.
Booking closes 2 hours before the start, but busy dates fill earlier.
Public transportation is nearby. From Brussels, Bruges is roughly an hour by train: check the tour start time on the booking page before choosing your train.
Tips for the guide are not included.

Where the tour starts

The tour starts at the Burg Square, Burg 12, 8000 Bruges, in the heart of the city. Meet your guide at least 15 minutes before departure. Open the meeting point in Google Maps.