Have you ever been to some of the First World War trenches? Or do you have an idea what the ‘trench art’ is? Although I’m not a huge First World War enthusiast, spending a weekend in Ypres definitely sparked an interest to learn more about that dark period of the world’s history. And we decided to explore it more by visiting Hooge Crater Museum, one of the most interesting First World War museums in Flanders.
After living in the Netherlands during the last six years, my favourite weekend trips from the Netherlands are still to Flanders. That charming region of Belgium has it all: cute historic towns, wonderful artists, a fantastic chocolate production, delicious food and some great beers. Being so close to the Netherlands, it could be a great and safe location to travel from the Netherlands in the post-Covid 19 time. After exploring it extensively during the last few years, here are my recommendations for some perfect weekend trips to Flanders.
Ghent is a beautiful Belgian town with an amazing old medieval architecture that looks like it hasn’t changed for centuries. However, it’s not a city-museum, but a very lively town, filled with many small cafes, restaurants and some great shops. Because of that fantastic mix, Ghent is definitely one of my favourite Belgian towns. I visited it a few times already and thought it’s finally time to create this weekend guide to Ghent with some fun things to do during your 48 hours in Ghent.
Belgium is definitely one of my favourite countries in the world. You can open up a map of it, pick up any town, and there is a big chance it’s going to be gorgeous, have some fascinating history and, of course, it’s own beer production. That’s why weekend trips to Belgium became a regular thing for my family and me. A few days ago, we’ve spent a weekend in Ypres and were absolutely amazed by its charm, beautiful architecture, and intriguing past.
Angels becoming demons, fish with a belly full of smaller fish, spiders playing the instruments and all the different kind of monsters painted in a most creative way… All of them could be found on Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s paintings and drawings. 2019 marks 450 years since the artist’s death and many museums and cultural institutions are marking the year of Bruegel in Belgium by organising some interesting exhibitions and event.
During my recent search for places related to life and work of Vincent van Gogh in Belgium, I ended up in one of the most unique Belgian towns I’ve ever visited – in Mons. Located in the French-speaking region of Wallonia, it’s a charming little town perfect for a lovely weekend in Belgium. I have spent two days there and here are some of the ideas for things to do and places to visit during a weekend in Mons. Visiting Mons One thing I really like about travelling in Europe is that every single small town has such a rich…
A charming Belgian town of Bruges is one of the rare European cities that looks like it hasn’t changed at all throughout history. It experienced its Golden Age during the 15th century when it was a significant financial, art and cultural centre. Many buildings from that time could be still seen in the city. So, when I was there last week, I focused on exploring the Bruges Golden Age. Visiting Bruges I have been in Bruges many times before. But, I would always visit it on a day trip from Amsterdam and would spend only a few hours in the…
Belgium is famous for its picturesque towns, Medieval painters, delicious chocolate and great beers. But, also for its Christmas markets. Bruges, Ghent or Brussels are well known as a lovely Christmas destinations. However, I’ve recently found another Flemish gem! A beautiful town of Mechelen. I’ve spent the last weekend there and have really enjoyed winter and Christmas activities there. So, if you’re looking for a great Christmas market in Belgium, visit Mechelen! Christmas in Mechelen Mechelen is a lovely town located right between Antwerp and Brussels and easily reachable from both of these cities. Located only two and a half…
The Netherlands is a small country which makes it easy to go on a day trip to Germany or Belgium while there. One of my favourite destinations for a short trip from Amsterdam is definitely a cute picturesque town of Bruges. After going to this trip a few times already, here is a guide on how to organise a day trip from Amsterdam to Bruges. Day trip from Amsterdam to Bruges This post contains affiliate links. How to get there *Train – A train connection between the Netherlands and Belgium is quite good. However, to get to Bruges, you’ll need…