Belgium has always been on our list ever since we got to Germany, but it’s one of those destinations that would tend to get knocked to the back burner whenever we were planning our next trip. Now after stuffing our faces with all the waffles, chocolate and beer we could get our hands on these past couple of days, I don’t know why we waited so long! Belgium is now a fave and we look forward to going back. Here is how we chose to spend our short three days in this amazing country.
Day 1
We knew Belgium had a lot to offer, so we tried to limit our sightseeing to two cities – Bruges and Brussels. And with Bruges being a farther drive, we decided to stop there first. We had a late start in the morning and therefore hit some Friday traffic. Whomp whomp. Our supposedly 7.5 hour drive turned into 9! It was rough. Lesson learned.
After arriving and checking into the hotel, we found an adorable little restaurant, ONE Restaurant (Minnewater Park) , off the canal that served up some delicious local fare and some tasty vino. Our waitress recommended the meatballs and flemish stew and it did not disappoint.
With some full bellies, we were craving some Belgian beer. Casey found a small cozy bar, ‘t Brugsch Bieratelier, that offered tastings and brewed their own beer. We shared a 12 beer tasting (small beers), but we were a little overeager! These beers are strong and we were definitely feeling it on the way home. Especially after already treating ourselves to some wine with dinner. I recommend sharing this tasting between more than two people.
Day 2
We knew this was going to be our only full day in Bruges, so we woke up early to catch a free walking tour to get to know the city. We spend the next couple of hours walking around to all the major spots. It was the perfect way to get our bearings. Bruges is so charming! I fell in love as soon as we stepped inside the city. The architecture is dreamy and picture-perfect! It was rainy and overcast, but even that didn’t dull it’s beauty.
After we finished our tour, Casey and I were pretty famished so we knew exactly where to head next – the waffle stand, Arlecchino Gelateria! Our lovely tour guide recommended this to us. Dessert before lunch anyone? Yes please! I don’t know if this is because it was my first true Belgian waffle, but these waffles were THE BEST we had all weekend! Definitely try to find this stand if you’re in Bruges.
We then stopped for lunch (and more beer of course!) at Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan. This brewery/restaurant had a great atmosphere and the food was once again delicious. They offer tours as well, but since we were short on time we skipped this.
We spent our evening doing a little shopping, some gin tasting at Brugse Gin Club, and dinner at the most amazing Thai place, Chang Tong Thai. If you want some of the best Thai food you’ve ever tasted, go here! I highly encourage you to make reservations since it’s a hotspot in the city. We got lucky and scored a table outside.
Day 3
I was a little sad to wake up knowing we were leaving this adorable little town. I wanted to see more, so we decided to get a little breakfast before making our way to Brussels. We ate at Carpie Diem where we filled up on some pastries, crepes and tea. It was the perfect way to end our time in Bruges.
*For those wondering (because this confused me too) “Bruges” is the Dutch name and “Brugges” is the French name. Both are correct. It is located in the Flemish region of Belgium.
A short one hour drive and we were in Brussels, the capital of Belgium. This is a major difference from the city of Bruges. Besides the obvious reasons, it had a totally different feel to it. The architecture, the people, the food… everything. It was a nice change of pace.
We spent our afternoon hitting some of the hot spots – the Grand Place, Manneken Pis, Jeanneke Pis, Mont des Arts, Place Royale, Rue Neuve, and of course a chocolatier. Because we were visiting during the highest tourist season, it was getting really crowded in the afternoon! We had our pup, Hudson, with us, so this made it hard to maneuver around the crowds also. My tip – grab a beer at a local shop to sip on while you tour around. This makes the bumping and shoving less stressful, hehe.
Our time in Brussels was short and sweet. We finished it up with a nice dinner and went home to eat our chocolates in the hotel before getting back on the road in the morning.
Overall, we really enjoyed our vacation in Belgium! It lived up to be everything I thought it would be and more. I wish we could have spent more time there and stopped in other smaller towns, but I guess this just means we will have to go back!