Thirty years ago I boarded my first Eurostar train. It was ludicrously exciting and remains so. Come with me and discover Belgian cities by train.
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Why you need to discover Belgium by Train
Belgium is the country that I have explored most via the Eurostar from London. Changing trains, at Brussels is easy. You simply walk of the Eurostar and change platforms. You can buy tickets at Brussels Midi or you can book ahead via the SNCB website to your next city.
I have visited all the places mentioned in this post. Some of them as a guest of Visit Flanders or Visit Wallonia, most under my own steam.
Best Belgian Cities by Train
Which Belgian cities are enticing weekend destinations? Here is a selection of the ones that I have stayed in over the years. If the place you fancy visiting isn’t mentioned it just because I haven’t managed to visit yet!
Antwerp: Art, Fashion and History
One of my favourite cities anywhere. Antwerp is steeped in history. Art is everywhere. Pop into the churches and you will see scenes straight out of a Rubens painting, there may well even be a Rubens hanging above the altar. Antwerp is also Belgium’s fashion capital, the main shopping streets are awash with top designer shops and the roads leading up to them lined with boutiques of up and coming designers.
Where to stay in Antwerp
Mr CW and I stayed in the NH Collection Antwerp right next door to the train station. I have also stayed in the Mercure Antwerp City Centre, a short walk from the station.
Bruges: Culture and Canals
Canals, cute streets and a stunning main square. Bruges is popular with good reason. Away from the tourist hotspots there are really excellent museums and churches to explore. Make sure you don’t miss the brewery tour or at the very least pause for a drink at the brewery tap. Best visited outside the high summer months when Bruges gets very crowded. One hour away from Brussels
Where to Stay in Bruges
The CW family have stayed in the Ibis Brugge Centrum and in the Bonobo apartments. Both are walking distance from everything you want to see
Ghent: Mystic Lamb and cute cafes
Buzzy ancient university town. We stayed here with the Cultural Young men when they were older teenagers and we all loved it. Star attraction is Jan van Ecyk’s Mystic Lamb altarpiece in the Cathedral. The Museum of Fine Arts has Hieronymus Bosch to Rubens and Magritte and the excellent STAM tells the story of Ghent. Most of all we enjoyed wandering around the historic centre and sitting in bars taking in the view.
30 minutes from Brussels
Where to stay in Ghent
We stayed in the Castelnou Aparthotel which was a bit of walk to the centre. When I return I would love to stay in either the Monasterium, a former monastery and now an hotel or in Het Rustpunt a working Carmelite monastery.
Leuven: Belgium’s Oldest University
Home to Belgium’s oldest university, 600 years old in 2025. Ancient university buildings are every where you look. Right in the centre the Grote Markt is overlooked by the splendid Stadhuis and the venerable St Pieterskerk. The church and the M Museum both have excellent examples of Dieric Bouts work. For a more modern experience the Stella Artois brewery is in Leuven and open to visits at the weekend.
30 minutes from Brussels
Where to Stay in Leuven
I stayed in Park Inn by Radisson which has the advantage of being on top of the train station. When I return I would love to say in the Martin’s Klooster located in a former monastery.
Liège: Food and Museums
Liège is a great river port and was an industrial hub in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is a handsome place, rather than insanely pretty with many good museums and fine churches. Don’t miss the Cathedral with its impressive reliquary of local boy St Lambert. La Boverie is one of my favourite museums located on an island in the Meuse with a collection of contemporary art and an impressive roster of temporary exhibitions. Liège Guillemins train station is worthy of a journey in itself brand new and designed by Santiago Calatrava.
1 hour 10 minutes from Brussels
Where to stay in Liège
Guillemins station is quite a bit outside the historic centre, you need to catch a bus rather than walk. We stayed in the Ibis Styles Liège Guilliemins hotel right by the station and also handy for La Boverie.
Lier: Clocks and Churches
Lier is tiny town but very pretty. Joanna the Mad married Philip the Handsome in St Gummaruskerk. Step inside the church to find a Rubens altarpiece. Elsewhere you will find an incredibly elaborate clock, it shows Lier tides, moon phases, zodiac alignments and even the time. The UNESCO listed Begijnhof is very pretty and there is a good walk around the line of the old city walls. Visit the museum for Bruegel the Younger.
1 hour from Brussels
Where to stay in Lier
We stayed in Bed Muzet, a youth hostel housed in an old nunnery and part of the campus of the Lier Music college. Music was everywhere.
Mechelen: Ducal capital
Walking around Mechelen is like walking through history. Anne Boleyn was here. Margaret of Austria was here. Both women would recognise many of the streets and buildings. Rubens paintings hang in many of the churches, in the place that they were painted for. Every Saturday the market place and surrounding streets fill with stalls selling everything from hats to hake via haricot beans.
40 minutes from Brussels
Where to stay in Mechelen
We stayed in the Elisabeth Hotel, a former hospital building walking distance from the historic centre with a swimming pool. My friend Susan has stayed in the Martin’s Patershof housed in a former church and little bit further out
Mons: UNESCO treasures and World War history
Mons was a mother and son excursion. We both loved the winding cobbled (quite steep) streets dotted with inviting bars and excellent restaurants. Mons is at the centre of a UNESCO heritage rich area and has a museum devoted to them all and its own UNESCO bell tower. Three museums, an excellent church and an Art Deco gem as well as the bell tower are what will lure to you Mons. Mons Memorial Museum is one of the best museums devoted to war that I have visited anywhere. Once again the train station is a destination in itself looking like the Starship Enterprise.
I hour from Brussels
Where to stay in Mons.
We stayed in the Martin’s Dream Hotel located in a former church.
Ostende: Beaches and Coastal Charm
Ostende was a big hit with Cultural Wednesday family. It has everything we look for. Miles of sandy beaches. Some great museums. Excellent restaurants and best of all a tram route that lets you visit the rest of the Belgian Coast easily. We especially enjoyed seeking out Street Art on a trail round the city, visiting the home of James Ensor and the excellent Mu.zee.
I hour 20 minutes from Brussels
Where to stay in Ostende
We have stayed in the Burlington hotel overlooking the marina and the Hotel Montaigne Aparthotel. It had an excellent family suite with the children’s room equipped with bunk beds and bean bags.
Over the last 30 years I have visited Belgium times without count, most often via the Eurostar. My best friend worked in Brussels for a time and we visited often. My hen weekend was in Belgium. Our boys took their first abroad steps here. Belgium is a small country easily explored by train.
Which is your favourite Belgian city?
