Discover the best way to spend 2 days in Belgium, from the quaint cities of Bruges and Ghent to the bustling streets of Brussels. Learn about the history and culture of Bruges on a guided walking tour, take a boat ride along the River Lys in Ghent and party all night in Brussels.
How to spend 2 days in Belgium: Day 1 – Bruges
The best time of year to visit Bruges
We visited Bruges during its low season in late January, where it was quiet following the business of Christmas. Most restaurants and attractions were open, but it’s worth noting that it was remarkably quieter than other times of the year and some attractions weren’t running, such as the boat trips. Our walking tour guide advised that Bruges is busiest during the Valentines period in February, the summer holidays, and Christmas (thanks to its beautiful Christmas markets.) Personally, we really enjoyed the calmness of the city and lack of crowds!
How to get to Bruges
Take the Eurostar. We took the Eurostar from London to Brussels, which took around 2 hours, followed by a 1-hour train to Bruges (these cost around 7 euros and we bought tickets at the station in Brussels, no need to book in advance). For our dates and times, the Eurostar cost £50 each way and was a very smooth and efficient journey. You don’t have to worry about parking, liquid restrictions or baggage, as you get two suitcases and hand luggage included. It’s also better for the planet 😊.
If you want to fly, check Skyscanner for the cheapest flights to Brussels. When we looked, flights were around £50 to £80 each way, but of course this will vary by month and date. You’ll then need to catch the train to Bruges.
Where to stay in Bruges
We stayed in the D28 Hotel in the centre of the city, which cost us £31 each per night. It was a very clean, quiet and comfortable hotel in a beautiful, central location, so I would highly recommend it.
How to spend a day in Bruges
Join a free guided walking tour
The best way to spend a day in Bruges, like in most European cities, is to join a free guided walking tour. These tours are usually around 1-2 hours and are a fun, relaxed and interesting way to see the highlights of any city. Often, the guide will share their recommendations for the best places to visit, eat, drink and party based on their knowledgeable experience. They’ll also probably tell you the common scams and tourist traps to avoid.
Whilst they are technically free, it is expected that you tip your guide at the end of the tour, based on how much you felt it was worth. We usually tip between 5 to 10 euros per person, depending on the city, duration, and enjoyability of the tour. However, you are free to tip more or less depending on your own budget and experience.
Legends of Bruges walking tour
In Bruges, we took a 2-hour walking tour with Legends and they did not disappoint! We learnt so much about the history, culture and architecture of Bruges and our guide recommended the best places to try local Belgian beer, fries, waffles and chocolate. He also took us to a lovely chocolate shop where we were given free truffles and a (small) 5% discount, but there was no pressure or obligation to buy anything. As you can imagine, the chocolate in Bruges is quite expensive, but if you’re looking to splash out, then it’s definitely worth the indulgence! It was the perfect way to kick-off our 2 days in Belgium.
The quaint architecture of Bruges is beautiful – they have preserved most of their buildings and churches and the result is like stepping into something out of a fairy-tale. There are no traffic lights, neon signs or digital ads in the centre of the city and it is mainly pedestrianised, giving the sense that you have stepped back in time or onto a movie set.
Indulge in Belgian waffles, fries and chocolate
After our walking tour, we took our guide’s recommendations and went for waffles and fries and let me confirm, they are 100% worth the hype. We went to Pinoli Streetfood and had the best waffles and fries I’ve ever tasted. There are so many places to find fries and waffles that you’ll be spoilt for choice! Just remember to check the reviews on Google or TripAdvisor first, and I’d recommend choosing independent local cafes rather than chains.
In the afternoon, we enjoyed strolling around and getting lost in the historic streets and diving in all the different chocolate shops (in the hope we’d find some free tasters. Spoiler: we didn’t.)
Take a boat trip, climb the Belfry of Bruges and marvel at the blood of Christ
There’s also plenty of other activities you can do during your 2 days in Belgium. Boat trips run from early March to late November, so were not running when we visited in January, but are a fun and relaxing way to see the city. Note that some reviews said they are very busy and waiting times can be long, so book in advance if you can and choose off-peak times.
If time and budget allows, you can also climb the Belfry of Bruges, a medieval clock tower in the centre of the city. Tickets costs 15 euros. It’s free to visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood, where you can see the (apparent) blood of Christ. This year, it was closed from 15 – 20 January, so if it’s on your list of things to do, check the opening days before you book your trip.
Drink Belgian beer!
After a quick shower at our hotel, it was time to drink some Belgian beer. What better place to immerse yourself in a foreign culture than a good old-fashioned Irish pub?
We are not beer lovers. In fact, in the UK, we hate the taste of beer. But, as Belgian beer is now a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, we thought we ought to give the local delicacy a try. You can’t spend 2 days in Belgium and not try Belgian beer! We tried cherry, coconut and mango flavoured beer and were pleasantly surprised by the unique but delicious taste. Our favourite Belgian beer was Mongozo’s, a perfect start if, like us, you don’t like the taste of strong beer and prefer a sweeter, fruitier flavour that isn’t too sickly.
We tried a few different local bars before heading back to our hotel. I’d recommend getting the drinks in early as most bars close at 11pm and the city is very quiet at night. It’s not somewhere to go if you want big, late-night partying!
How to spend 2 days in Belgium: Day 2, morning – Ghent
How to get to Ghent
For our second day in Belgium, we took a 30-minute train to the city of Ghent from Bruges, which cost around 7 euros and took about half an hour. You can just buy the ticket in the station, no need to book in advance. You can also get to Ghent from Brussels very easily. It was then a very pleasant 30-minute walk from the station to the centre of the city, but you can also take a tram. The waffles in the station were surprisingly delicious, and actually had better reviews than a lot of the waffle places in the touristy centre, so I’d recommend getting one for the walk!
How to spend a day in Ghent
The centre has a stunning cathedral and beautiful river, with cosy restaurants dotted along the riverbank. You can easily spend a whole afternoon strolling around the shops and cafés, lazing on the riverbank and watching the world go by. We sat and ate delicious fries from Frituur Bij Filip on the river, basking in the rare January sun and enjoying the stunning architecture, before catching the train to Brussels at around 2pm. If you have more time, you can also take a boat trip along the river or enjoy another guided tour with Legends.
How to spend 3 days in Belgium: Day 2, afternoon – Brussels
Where to stay in Brussels
For your final stop in the 2 days in Belgium itinerary, head to the capital city, Brussels. After lunch, we took the 30 minute train from Ghent to Brussels (again, no need to book in advance) and checked into PentaHotel just outside the centre of the city, which cost us £37.50 each for the night.
You can find hostels on HostelWorld from £20 a night for a shared dorm or £65 a night for a private room. This is a great budget option if you are a solo traveller wanting to meet others, or if you’re a group of friends looking for a fun weekend break. Just be sure to check whether it’s a party or quiet hostel and choose accordingly!
Things to see in Brussels: Royal Palace, Garden of the Kunstberg and Grand Place
After dropping off our bags, we walked to the Royal Palace of Brussels, the impressive Belgium equivalent of Buckingham Palace.
We then continued to the Garden of the Kunstberg (careful not to mis-pronounce that one). Despite it being January, there was a fantastic atmosphere as people gathered on the steps to watch a man perform with his guitar. There was a great vibe and it certainly didn’t feel like a dark, cold January evening! I’d recommend coming here for a drink or just to watch the sunset.
Next stop was the highlight of Brussels, the Grand-Place de Bruxelles. I’d definitely recommend coming here at night when it is beautifully lit; there is a great hubbub of people, restaurants and bars and the architecture is spectacular. If you’d like to eat here, check out this guide to the best restaurants in Grand Place, Brussels but bear in mind it’s going to be more expensive than if you go somewhere a little outside the centre.
Our final stop was the iconic Manneken Pis, a statue of a little boy urinating into the fountain. The statue dates back to 1388 and has become a symbol of Brussels. He is often dressed in different clothes and there are many interesting folklore stories about its history. The streets here are lined with crowded tourist shops and the attraction itself is far from spectacular (as shown by Freddie’s unimpressed reaction!) but it’s an iconic statue with a rich history worth visiting while you’re there.
Eating in Brussels
For dinner, we had Kho Soi (Thai coconut soup with Massaman curry base and Bami noodles) and teriyaki udon noodles at The Noodle Bar Brussels, an affordable Thai-fusion restaurant near the Grand Place de Bruxelles. It was genuinely some of the best Thai food we’ve ever tried, so if you’re in the mood for Thai-fusion food, I’d highly recommend this place.
You’ll be spoilt for choice for restaurants in Brussels, so make sure to check the reviews and check, where possible, whether booking is recommended.
Nightlife in Brussels
After dinner, we headed to the famous Delerium Café for more Belgian beer tasting. Delerium holds the Guinness World Record for the number of beers available, with over 2000 world beers on the menu. With over 8 different bars, each with its own unique menu, it’s an ideal place to taste unique beers from around the world; I’d highly recommend stopping by! With such a wide menu, the prices vary, but our banana flavoured Mongozo beer cost 6.5 euros. The place has a great vibe and was the perfect way to round off our trip in Belgium.
We had an early train the next morning, however if you’re a party lover, Brussels has an impressive nightlife scene, with many bars and clubs open until late. I’d definetly come back to Brussels just to experience the nightlife more!
Overall, spending 2 days in Belgium is a great choice for a fun, affordable, European trip packed full of delicious food, interesting history and rich culture. There’s a great balance between quiet, relaxing cities like Bruges, to the buzzing nightlife scene of Brussels.
Useful websites
Skyscanner – find the cheapest flights
Get Your Guide – for tours, experiences and excursions
Hostel World – for booking hostels (shared and private dorms)
TripAdvisor – literally everything.