Brussels is a beautiful city bursting with beautiful buildings, great food, and outstanding beer. It’s more than worth a visit in its own right, but one the best things about the Belgium capital is location, location, location. In just a short train ride you can be in dozens of cities, making it the perfect home base for exploring the entire region. So where to go? Let’s break it down: here are the best day trips from Brussels.
All of the day trips from Brussels listed here are easy enough to do on your own, but if you prefer having a guided tour, I’ve added some suggestions for those, too. (FYI: Some of the links are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them.)
The Best Day Trips from Brussels
Best Brussels Day Trips Within Belgium
Brussels is conveniently located within train-ride distance to several other countries (more on those below), but it’s also the center of Belgium. If you want to explore all of Belgium (we spent a week doing just that), get a SNCB Rail Pass. It allows for 10 one-way trips anywhere in Belgium usable for multiple people, all for 83€. My friend and I split the pass and covered all our day trips and train rides over a week on it.
Belgium has three main regions. The Dutch region in the north (called Flanders) includes Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp. The French region in the south (called Wallonia) includes Leiges, Dinant, and Ardennes. And in the middle is the Brussels region (you know, called Brussels). The culture, food, and especially the language changes with each region, and all are worth checking out.
Bruges, Belgium
Bruges is one of the most popular day trips from Brussels. It’s one of the best well-preserved medieval towns in all of Europe and the entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Not to mention it’s only an hour away from Brussels on the train. Go for an adorable historic town, a beautiful Market Square and medieval Belfry, and stop at the Church of Our Lady to see the Madonna and Child carved by Michelangelo. Recommended tours: Bruges Day Trip from Brussels or combine with Ghent.
Ghent, Belgium
Ghent is another popular day trip destination from Brussels and my favorite city in Belgium. (Here’s why I fell in love with Ghent.) Not quite an hour away from Brussels, Ghent is larger than Bruges but with just as much history. The architecture is similar to Brussels — and arguably better — plus there’s a medieval castle right in the city center. Go for a tour of the Gravensteen castle, a walk along the Leie river, and exploring the squares. Don’t forget to eat a mastel, a sweet traditional Ghentian pastry. This tour goes to Bruges and Ghent or both with Antwerp.
Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp is Belgium’s second largest city after Brussels and much of it is similar to its big sister. Only a half hour away from Brussels, Antwerp is known for its Diamond District, its own ornate Grote Markt, and stunning train station. It’s so close to Brussels you can tour the entire city in half a day, or combine it with Ghent and Bruges for an all-day tour of Belgium’s biggest cities.
Dinant, Belgium
Heading in the other direction of Belgium is Wallonia, the French region. Dinant is about two hours from Brussels and known for its scenery. The Meuse river runs through the tiny town flanked by a steep cliff. Up against the cliff is the striking Collegiate Church or Our Lady and above it the Citadel of Dinant. The walled fortress was originally built in 1051 and faced sieges ever since — including during both World Wars. This tour stops at Dinant en route to Luxembourg.
Best Day Trips from Brussels Outside of Belgium
Brussels is also just a day trip away from some of Europe’s best cities. If you plan to explore outside of Belgium, whether for the day or longer, grab a Eurorail pass. Passes are available for continuous time periods or certain number of days per month, all over Europe.
Day Trip to Amsterdam from Brussels
Once upon a time the Netherlands and Belgium were one country (along with Luxembourg) so the cultures, architecture, and food are very similar. That’s not to say you shouldn’t visit both! Amsterdam is just two hours away from Brussels so it’s easily doable for the day. Go for the canals and to compare the beer, frites, and architecture between the two countries. Before you go, arm yourself with these 5 surprising facts about Amsterdam. This tour covers all of Amsterdam’s sites plus windmills.
Day Trip to The Hague from Brussels
Another great city in the Netherlands, The Hague, is under two hours away from Brussels. The Hague is most famous for the United Nations’ International Court of Justice, but the seaside city is charming. It’s also not far from the medieval town of Gouda (it’s like Bruges but with better cheese) and Delft, so you could easily see all three on a southern Holland day trip from Brussels.
Day Trip to Luxembourg from Brussels
The entire country of Luxembourg is smaller than Rhode Island, so you might be able to cover it in a day! The train to Luxembourg City from Brussels takes 3.5 hours. Luxembourg is known for wine, beautiful scenery, and medieval fortification ruins built by the Romans and reinforced by dozens of European empires over the ages. This tour covers two countries in one day, including Luxembourg.
Day Trip to Paris from Brussels
Even Paris is close enough to Brussels to do a day trip, with just an hour and a half train ride. Parts of Belgium may speak French but Paris is quite a contrast. Go for pastries and tour the opera house! It is possible to go to the Champagne region, but you’d have to go through Paris so it might not be worth it.
Day Trip to Cologne from Brussels
If you want a complete contrast from the language and culture found in Belgium, head east to Germany. Cologne is two hours away from Brussels and completely different. Go for the striking architecture contrasting medieval and modern, German beer, and German food. This Cologne tour includes the tiny town of Monschau.
Day Trip to London from Brussels
If you want to get really ambitious, it’s actually possible to do a London day trip from Brussels. The new Eurostar train goes under the North Sea, getting you from Brussels to London in just two hours! It’d be tough to pack everything to do in London in a day, but you could go for some classic English food and see a site or two.
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I’m a huge fan of day trips because they give you the opportunity to experience a whole different city or even country without the hassle of hauling your luggage and finding a hotel. And with Brussels just a day trip away from so many places, it makes the perfect home base for doing just that.
Related :: What to Eat in Belgium, Why I Fell in Love with Ghent, and Why You Should Go to Brussels
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Whiskied Wanderlust.
