12 weekend ideas around Brussels

Did you plan to stay in Belgium? Discover 12 weekend ideas around Brussels!

Are you going to discover Belgium and in particular Brussels? Or do you already reside in the Belgian capital and want to explore other places in the dish country? Its advantage is the short distance between its main tourist sites. Thus, it is easy to escape the time of a weekend to discover cities and countryside and their wonders.

In this article we give you weekend ideas around Brussels, for couples, family or friends getaways. From Ardennes to the coast to Bruges, Antwerp or Liège, follow the guide!

1. Means

For a weekend idea around Brussels off the beaten paths, join the beautiful city of Melines. If it does not necessarily appear on the classic circuits of a stay in Belgium, this town is only 22 minutes by train from Brussels. There are no less than 350 listed sites and monuments, including the crushing of UNESCO World Heritage.

For an unusual night, book a room in the room Martin’s Patershof , a hotel in an old church! Walk through the alleys to the Grand Place and climb to the top of the tower of the Saint-Rombaut Cathedral for a magnificent view of the city. In clear time, it is even possible to see the Atomium de Bruxelles and the Cathedral of Antwerp.

2. Antwerp

Antwerp is the second most populous city in Belgium and is full of ideas for a weekend around Brussels. This city is of particular economic importance, as it houses the second port of Europe. She is also known for her diamond trade. It contains many buildings with bold architecture, such as its station, which is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

The City Hall and Notre-Dame Cathedral are the two emblems of the city and the must-sees of a stay in Antwerp. To bring a little culture to your stay, visit the museums of the city. Filed in Unesco World Heritage, the Plantin-Moretus Museum presents maps, old press and a copy of the Gutenberg Bible.

Antwerp is an extended city but its historic centre is quite limited, which gives the opportunity to a pleasant bike ride. If you have the chance to take a long weekend, get to Antwerp on Friday and watch the auction at the Vrijdagmarkt . Unhappy show guaranteed!

3. Bruges

Just an hour from the capital, Bruges is a must for a weekend around Brussels. The romantic atmosphere of the “ Venice "of the North", as some surname for the omnipresence of its canals, is particularly suitable for a romantic getaway.

The activities do not miss, starting with a handful stroll on the waterfront, before stopping to taste a waffle or a good Belgian beer... With moderation of course! The tourist office offers a leaflet that indicates the film’s location “ Good kisses from Bruges "an original way to discover the city.

At sunset, take off the 366 steps of the belfry to enjoy a panoramic view at 83 meters high. You will then enjoy a good dinner on the Markt, the central square of Bruges, just below.

The next day, go to the museums of fries and chocolate, before embarking for a cruise on the canals. Don’t miss the beautiful basilica of Saint-Sang and the church of Notre-Dame. This one houses a sculpture by Michelangelo, a Virgin to the Child dating from 1504.

4. Liège

Liège is another good idea for a getaway for a weekend around Brussels. You will learn why it is called "Cité Ardente" during a guided walking or cycling tour. Its city centre has many churches and monuments, such as the Grand Curtius, which houses over 5,000 m2 of exhibitions.

The area around the street Hors-Château has narrow alleys where you can explore beautiful facades and charming little courtyards. Start the assault on the 375 steps of the stairs the mountain of Bueren to enjoy the best views of the city.

The Citadelle coasts form a set of nearly 90 hectares of green space, for a good breath of pure air close to the city centre.

5. The Belgian coast

If Belgium is not necessarily known for its beaches, know that the Belgian coast is a good idea to occupy a weekend around Brussels. Pack your suitcases to Ostend , a pleasant city that you will discover following two courses dedicated to street art and contemporary art.

Other attractions of the city include the Mercator , Musée d’art contemporain Mu.ZEE and seaside promenade .

Then go back to the road Zwin Nature Reserve , where you can rent a bike and go for a ride. You will cross the meadows, protected habitat for thousands of birds such as storks or wood grooves.

seaside resort of Coxi will be your next step. This is the last place in the world where we can observe shrimp fishermen on horseback, an amazing tradition that remains thanks to a dozen enthusiasts. With cabins, the beach will delight photography lovers at sunset.

To finish the weekend in beauty, direction Le Coq , a small town or you can admire large villas of Belle Époque style.

6. Weekend adventure to the Water of Heure lakes

For a weekend around well filled Brussels, take the direction of the lakes of the Eau d’Heure, the largest in Belgium. Start with a guided tour of the dam, with a walk on the skywalk a glass floor 100 meters high.

Continue with an exploration of underground galleries, which content you with the history of the dam with a 20 m2 model. You can then browse the 70 kilometers of banks of this perfectly preserved natural site.

The quality infrastructure allows many activities such as fishing, accrobranches, swimming in the lake or water park with giant jacuzzi and slide, and even a water-skiing route. For the children, the amphibian moves on the road and sailing on the lake, looking for a mysterious treasure.

Beginner or confirmed divers also appreciate the site, and it is possible to observe a helicopter or an engulfed bus! In short, you will not have enough two days to take advantage of all the activities offered at the Lakes of the Heure Water.

7. Dinant

For a weekend idea around Brussels that puts your eyes full, choose the beautiful city of Dinant, in Wallonia. As soon as you arrive in the city, from the train station or by car, you will be dazzled by the spectacular landscape of the Notre-Dame College from Dinant, stuck between the Meuse and a cliff of 100 meters high.

You will climb the 450 steps that lead you to the citadel dominant the city, or borrow the cable car. This construction dates back to 1051 and offers a magnificent view of the valley. During your visit, you will pass through several exhibition rooms retracing Dinant’s past.

If you have any time left, go to The Wonderful a cave discovered in 1904, 400 m2 of which are open to the public. The galleries allow to observe stalagmites, stalactites and other limestone formations.

The next day you pass the door the house of Adolphe Sax , the inventor of the saxophone. This museum-converted building tells the story of this man from Dinant, who makes the pride of all the inhabitants.

Another possible activity in Dinant is Notre-Dame de Leffe Abbey and his museum, tribute to the eponymous beer. For sportsmen, canyoning outings, mountain biking and climbing are organized in the region, in natural sites of all beauty like the rocks of Freyr.

8. A getaway to the Unsco sites of the Hainaut region

Frontalière with the France , the Hainaut is a region of south-west Belgium that gathers several sites classified at Unesco. These original places are a good weekend idea around Brussels and will easily fill two days of visits.

You will start with the Canal du Centre historique, considered one of the most beautiful works of Belgian civil engineering. Designed to connect the north and south of the country and facilitate the transport of goods, this impressive waterway has several boat lifts. They are destined to defeat the denial of the country, which is apparently not so flat that we say!

So you will board for a pleasant cruise on a boat trip which borrows several lifts and locks and offers you a unique experience. Look at the watersheds and lift your boat as by magic. You will visit the engine room of the elevator number 3 to discover all the secrets of this unusual installation. Don’t miss Ronquières’s inclined plan, the longest in the world, and Stépy-Thieu’s funicular elevator.

You will then change the mood to join them former mining sites who made the province's wealth in the 19th century. You will pass through Le Grand Hornu, now the Centre for Innovation and Design. Finally, you will follow Bois-du-Luc, Blegny-Mine and the Bois du Cazier to immerse yourself in Belgian industrial history.

The next day, go to Binche , location of the largest carnival in Belgium , recognized at UNESCO’s Intangible Heritage. The ideal is to go there for Mardi-Gras, like 500,000 other festivalgoers. Outside this period, you can visit the International Museum of Carnival and Mask, which houses a section dedicated to the Carnival of Binche.

9. A weekend on the theme of beer

If Belgian gastronomy is globally known for its fries, carbonnade or waterzoei, it would be a shame not to enjoy a weekend around Brussels to discover the famous Trappist beers.

The hiking trail of the Trappist Abbeys in Wallonia stretches for 290 kilometres. You can connect the towns of Orval, Chimay and Rochefort by car during a nice 2-day road trip.

You will visit the abbeys of Orval, Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy and Scourmont to learn all the secrets of beer manufacturing. The monks are always in charge of production. You can also combine beer and cheese tasting, the other speciality of the region.

10. Coo Waterfall Sports Weekend

Coo Adventures offers sportsmen and enthusiasts a "Survival weekend". The various activities combined form a good weekend idea around Brussels for a stay with friends or a bachelor/young girl's life funeral.

On the first day, after an essential breakfast, you will start with a rope course, then follow the afternoon with a 2-hour kayak descent. In the evening, you will sleep in bivouac under the tent after a barbecue and an evening around the fire.

The next day, place at the mountain bike for a 2h30 race, which will lead you to a paint-ball field. After a battle in good standing and some good laughter crises, it will be time to return to Brussels to taste a well-deserved rest.

11. A trip to Amsterdam

For a weekend around Brussels, why not change countries altogether? The capital of the Netherlands is only 2 hours’ drive away, the opportunity to check a destination more on your bucket-list ! Amsterdam is often described as one of the most pleasant cities where to stay in Europe.

You can discover it by bike or by cruise on the canals, two good ways to capture the atmosphere that reigns there. Thus, you will have a choice among many activities, between museums, parks and different districts. Jordaan is the one that concentrates the majority of channels, while De Pijp represents the local life with many popular restaurants and shops.

In the evening, don’t miss going for a sulphur trick Red quarter , one of the symbols of the city.

12. Other weekend ideas around Brussels

To finish our selection of weekends around Brussels, here are some other ideas of escapades:

• The Adventure Valley in Durbuy: hook, via ferrata, kayak descents, electric mountain bikes, laser game, escape room, tourist train... ;
• Go away trekking in the forest of Saint-Hubert, the valley of the Ourth, the forest of Anlier, the valley of the Semois...
• ♪ cities of Tournai, Ghent, Louvain are ideal destinations to discover the time of a weekend around Brussels;
• The domain of Han Caves, vast underground network in the Ardennes that we discover on a small train or on a special expedition for the most sporting. An animal park of 250 hectares will make the happiness of the little ones as the greatest.