9 Nights 10 Days

Belgium

---

Breathtaking Belgium

Cities : Brussels, Brugg, Ghent, Antwerp

 

Day 1

Arrive Brussels
Welcome to Belgium. Arrive in Brussels - the capital city and also the Headquarters of the European Union and NATO. Transfer to the hotel. Check in and relax. Later walk to the comic café for lunch in the sablon area where you get the best burgers and hot chocolate.
Post lunch walk around the city covering the comics tour walk, the Grand Place that has 7 streets leading to it and hailed the most beautiful square of Europe. One of the lanes also leads to the famous Manneken Pis Statue know to have over 900 clothes and whose clothes are changed once every 3 days. From here walk again through the lanes to see the famous pub Delirium next to which stands the girlfriend of the Manneken Pis called Jeanneke Pis. Jeanneke Pis is a modern fountain and statue in Brussels - south of the Grand Place. Enjoy the day walking around and in the evening make your way back to the Grand Place to see it illuminated and looks very different. The restaurant Chez Leon Moules Fritters are a must try for some authentic mussels fritters which are delicious, else hang out at the Delirium which serves around 100 variety of beers. For those who would like to indulge in a good dinner try the Belga Queen which was a Bank before. It is around 10 minutes from the Grand Place. Walk around the area of the Grand opera house and the Mint. Brussels is the city built on 7 hills and Belgium is also the birthplace of Tin Tin the comic character. Overnight in Brussels.

Day 2

Brussels - Mini Europe - Brussels
Wake up this morning and head to the train station to take the train to the famous Mini Europe or by Tramway or using the Hop On Hop Off bus. One can enjoy the Mini Europe interactive exhibits along with a visit to the Atomium. A truly unique voyage ! Stroll amid the typical ambiance of the most beautiful towns of the Old Continent. The incomparable chimes of Big Ben welcome you to the heart of London. The gondolas and mandolins will invite you to discover the charms of Venice. Follow the T.G.V. from Paris to the other end of France. You can make the models work yourself: the eruption of Vesuvius, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the bullfight in Seville and many more. In total 300 models and sites in a quite unequalled craftsmanship. Next to this is the water park Oceade where you and your family can spend half the day. All in all a perfect day out and then well in time to enjoy the night in Brussels

Day 3

Brussels - Ieper (Ypres) - Brussels
Its time to wake up, have breakfast and proceed to the train station to take the train to Ieper (Ypres) which is 1.5hrs away. Ieper (Ypres) is an ancient city located in the Flemish province of West Flanders (West-Vlaanderen) in the Westhoek region of Belgium. On arrival head to the information center and then make your way to the Flanders Fields museum which presents the story of the First World War which lasted 4 years from 1914 - 1918. Ieper was one of the main spots that experienced the maximum brunt of the attacks and as a result was completely devastated. Since India was under the British Rule at the time, 130000 Indians (infantry & cavalry) were deployed to fight the war. The merin Gatehas a memorial to the Indian soldiers and also inscribed on the gate are the names of the lost soldiers. Hence a very strong Indian connects. Flanders Fields is commemorating 100 years of the war from 2014 - 2018. After spending the day here you can take the train back to Brussels for the night. Overnight in Brussels.

Day 4

Brussels - Brugge
Post breakfast check out and make your way to the train station to board the train to the town of Brugges. The historic center of this town is on the list of UNESCO. Its recommended to do a horse carriage ride here that lasts around 30 minutes. One of the stops is the Beguinage House where the war widows or unmarried women were housed. Post this walk around the city center, head to the chocolate museum -Chocostory. Here you can try your hand at the actual making chocolate that lasts around 1 hour and is a very unique experience for kids and adults. This can be coupled with a visit to the museum of potatoes and fries too. The chocolate museum is 3 storey?s high and traces the origin of chocolate and what is it today. There are several restaurants where one can have a great meal. Brugges has so many canals that it is often referred to as the Venice of the North. Brugge also has 24 art museums, 55 chocolate shops and also ranks top in the world in terms of the amount of Michelin stars per capita. A highly recommended restaurant for dinner is the Vlaamsche Pot owned by Mario and is fantastic for authentic vegetarian and non-vegetarian Flemish dishes. Overnight in Brugge.

Day 5

Brugge
Wake up to breakfast this morning and spend the day walking around and taking in the most of the picturesque city, visit the Lake of Love, discover the Church of Our Lady with the statue by Michaelangelo, the Market Square with its belfry and the Holy Blood Chapel, also Cycling around makes for an amazing day well spent. Post lunch head to the main square and to the Historium where you will see a 45 mins film about Ann and George set in Brugge. Brewery De Halve Maan - De Halve Maan (1546) is the citys last working brewery. Their house brew is Brugse Zot, a spirited top-fermented beer made from malt, hops and special yeast. This deliciously refreshing beer can be tasted on the premises. In the evening you can catch up on concerts, dances and theatre performances at a 25% discounted price with the City card. Overnight in Brugge.

Day 6

Brugge - Ghent
Post breakfast this morning it is time to check out and head to the train station to Ghent. Thoug historic it is also quite modern. It is more of a University town like Oxford. Come night and the entire city center is lit up and looks gorgeous. Ghent also house the Van Eyck brothers painted unique altarpiece in 1432 called the Mystic lamb which is how the symbol of this city and the most valuable paining in the world. Spend the afternoon walking around the city, visit the St Nicholas church - The tower of this church is one of the marvelous three towers in the heart of Ghent (the others being the Belfort and the tower of St. Bavos Cathedral) it is one of the oldest churches in Ghent, every Friday morning there is a flea market held in the Central Square. Later in the afternoon visit the GRUUT Beer brewery to see how the famous fruit beer is made without using hops. Currently Gruut produces five beers: a white beer, a blonde, an amber beer, a brown beer and a beer called Inferno. Definitely a must try. Recommended to have lunch there too. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure. Ghent recently managed to come culinary into the picture by revealing itself as THE veggie capital of Europe. For the Veg food lovers it must be Komkommertijd - Vegetarian buffet restaurant with cold and warm dishes, all you can eat, for a reasonable price. On sunny days you can sit on the terrace. And don?t forget that Ghent has its official veggie day! Every Thursday schools and public service offices serve vegetarian meals to children and adults of all ages. Overnight in Ghent.

Day 7

Ghent
Wake up to breakfast this morning and head out to the canal front to enjoy a relaxing boatride. It is a different experience to see the city from the water, Post this spend time walking along the main streets and do not forget to buy Mustard. Ghent is famous for its recipe of Mustard and you must visit Tierenteyn - a tasty tradition that packs a punch. The mustard that is sold here is still prepared according to the same old recipe. A recommendation for dinner is the PakHuis restaurant at the historic centre again renownded for its Flemish Cuisine. Post dinner walk around the canal area to the many pubs that dot the area particularly recommended is the Dreupelkot (Groentenmarkt 12, open daily from 4pm till very late). This brilliant watering hole serves only lethal shot glasses of the Belgian speciality genièvre - gin - in more than 200 flavours. Treat yourself to a mojito or caipirinha at the ultra-cool cocktail bar Limonada (Heilige Geeststraat 7), before walking across to the Vlasmarkt, a square lined with bars and clubs. Drinks are cheap and theres no entry charge or aggressive bouncers. Kick off at the latest hotspot, Le Bar des Amis, which looks like a normal bistro at first, but head upstairs and there is a maze of bars with a booming sound system. Overnight in Ghent.

Day 8

Ghent - Antwerp
Off to the Diamond city of Antwerp, today post breakfast. After checking into your city center hotel its time to relax and walk around the city. The cathedral is awe inspiring dating back to the 1352 and took 170 years to build. Continue walking to the seafront to get some panoramic shots. Lunch at the Brasserie Appelmans is highly recommended. Conveniently located next door is the Antwerp Zoo, where lions, zebras and other exotics live in Art Nouveau surroundings designed more than 150 years ago. Antwerp has many excellent churches too, and its most famous are Sint-Jacobskerk, burial place of Rubens; Sint-Pauluskerk, repository of stunning sculptures and paintings by Flemish masters and Rubens own house which you can visit; and the towering Cathedral of Our Lady, the largest church in the Low Countries. Since Antwerps earliest beginnings were as a port city, no visit is complete without a trip to the Maritime Museum. Overnight in Antwerp.

Day 9

Antwerp
Day is free to explore the city on your own and do some great shopping.

Antwerp is a shopping destination for fashion-conscious Belgians. Even residents of Brussels travel here to buy the hippest vintage clothes or newest designer fashions. Naughty 1 and Fish & Chips are popular for retro and club fashions, while Anna Heylen and Ann Demeulemeester specialize in modern elegance. Antwerps other big commodity is diamonds. More than 80% of the worlds uncut stones pass through the city at one time or another. Absent any middleman, Antwerps workshops sell loose stones and handcrafted jewellery at rock-bottom prices. Especially prized is a local innovation the "Antwerp cut"  which is said to give diamonds added sparkle and radiance. Antwerp has a youthful vitality that can be seen in its many lively bars and clubs and visitors can enjoy live music and dancing along with traditional entertainment, opera and theatre. Dining out is also a pleasure with numerous restaurants and stylish cafes serving up local Flemish and international cuisine and desserts containing famous Belgian chocolate. Another must see place is the Plantin Moretus museum which houses the 1st printing press and also charts out the printing history. Overnight in Antwerp.

Day 10

Depart Antwerp
Wake up to breakfast this morning and its time for you to pack your bag and leave for the Train Station to take your train from Antwerp to Brussels airport which is around 1 hour journey with a change of train at Brussels Nord to catch your flight back or onwards to your next destination. Rest assured your suitcase would have become heavier with the wonderful experiences you have had whilst here!

Inquiry