Hands-On Chocolate Workshop, Brussels
A hands-on Belgian chocolate workshop at Choco-Story Brussels, where you make your own pralines and take them home.
$80 per person
Culture & Food · Belgium by train
Belgium by Train: 7 Days
Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges by train: the Ghent Altarpiece and a Bruges canal boat, from three central 4-star hotels, with a chocolate workshop and a brewery tour as optional add-ons.
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Starts and ends at Brussels Airport (BRU)
- No car needed
- Train tickets booked
Attractions
What you will see as you travel the route, day by day, and how to make the most of each stop.
9sights on the route
4cities by train
1Bruges canal boat
3central 4-star hotels
Brussels→Antwerp→Ghent→Bruges→Brussels Airport
1Day 1
Welcome to Brussels
The Grand-Place after dark
Grand-Place
On your ownWhy it is worth itBrussels’ central square, ringed by ornate guildhalls and the Town Hall, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Insider tipSee it lit up tonight, then again in daylight on tomorrow’s walking tour.
2Day 2
Brussels and the Grand-Place
Brussels walking tour
Why it is worth itA small-group walk through the Grand-Place, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and Manneken Pis.
Insider tipManneken Pis is much smaller than most people expect; look for his costume, which changes often.
Optional add-on
Hands-On Chocolate Workshop, Brussels
A hands-on Belgian chocolate workshop at Choco-Story Brussels, where you make your own pralines and take them home.
$80 per person
Optional. Not included in the trip price.
3Day 3
Antwerp day trip
Cathedral of Our Lady
Why it is worth itAntwerp’s Gothic cathedral, home to Rubens masterpieces including The Elevation of the Cross and The Descent from the Cross.
Insider tipLook up as you arrive at Antwerpen-Centraal; the station itself is one of the grandest in Europe.
MAS rooftop
Why it is worth itA museum by the old docks with a rooftop view over the city, the river and the port.
Insider tipTake the escalators up slowly; each floor has big windows over the city.
4Day 4
On to Ghent
Ghent Altarpiece
Why it is worth itThe Van Eyck brothers’ Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, finished in 1432, in St. Bavo’s Cathedral.
Insider tipGive yourself time with it; the panels reward a slow look.
Gravensteen
Why it is worth itA medieval castle in the middle of Ghent, built by the Counts of Flanders.
Insider tipClimb to the rooftop for a view over the old town.
Graslei and Korenlei by boat
Why it is worth itA boat along Ghent’s medieval quays, lined with old guild houses.
Insider tipThe quays look their best in late-afternoon light.
5Day 5
Bruges
Bruges canal boat
Why it is worth itA boat through the canals of the Bruges old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Insider tipThe boats are open, so bring a layer.
Belfry of Bruges
Why it is worth itThe medieval bell tower over the Markt, with 366 steps to the top and a view over the rooftops.
Insider tipThe staircase is narrow, so leave big bags at the hotel.
6Day 6
Bruges at your pace
Optional add-on
De Halve Maan Brewery Tour
A guided tour of De Halve Maan, the family brewery in the old town of Bruges, with a beer at the end.
$30 per person
Optional. Not included in the trip price.
The order of stops can shift with the weather, and access to some sites can change with the season or local conditions. See Day by day for the full plan.
Why this trip
Six nights in three central 4-star hotels: Brussels, Ghent and Bruges, all linked by short, frequent trains. You walk the Grand-Place, see Rubens in Antwerp and the Ghent Altarpiece, and finish with a canal boat in Bruges. If you like, add a hands-on chocolate workshop and a brewery tour (both optional add-ons). Every train ticket is booked, and every ride is mapped in your plan.
- Brussels and the Grand-PlaceA small-group walk of the Grand-Place and the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (booked), with a hands-on chocolate workshop as an optional add-on.
- GhentThe Ghent Altarpiece, Gravensteen castle and a boat on the old harbor (all booked).
- BrugesA canal boat and the Belfry climb (both booked), with a De Halve Maan brewery tour as an optional add-on.
Trip at a glance
- Length
- 7 days / 6 nights
- Starts / ends
- Brussels Airport (BRU), round trip
- Getting around
- Trains, with every ticket booked. No car needed
- Pace
- Moderate: 3 hotels and short train rides of 25 to 50 minutes
- Best time to go
- March to mid December. Spring and summer for long days; late November to mid December for the Christmas markets
- Great for
- Couples, friends and solo travelers
- Accommodations
- Comfort Plus (central 4-star hotels)
- Flights
- Not included. You book; timing tips in your pre-trip guide
Day by day
Day 1 and day 7 are travel days. Every train ride is mapped in your plan, and the order of the days in between can shift with the weather.
Day 1Welcome to Brussels
Private car from Brussels Airport to your hotel (booked). An easy first evening: the Grand-Place lit up after dark, and dinner nearby.
Stay: Hotel Le Dixseptième, near the Grand-Place (night 1 of 6).
Stay: Hotel Le Dixseptième, near the Grand-Place (night 1 of 6).
Day 2Brussels and the Grand-Place
A small-group walking tour of the Grand-Place, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and Manneken Pis (booked). Add a hands-on Belgian chocolate workshop where you make your own pralines if you like (optional add-on).
Stay: Hotel Le Dixseptième, near the Grand-Place (night 2 of 6).
Stay: Hotel Le Dixseptième, near the Grand-Place (night 2 of 6).
Day 3Antwerp day trip
Train from Brussels-Central to Antwerpen-Centraal, about 40 to 50 minutes, several trains an hour (tickets booked). Rubens masterpieces in the Cathedral of Our Lady and the city view from the MAS rooftop (tickets booked), then the train back to Brussels.
Stay: Hotel Le Dixseptième, near the Grand-Place (night 3 of 6).
Stay: Hotel Le Dixseptième, near the Grand-Place (night 3 of 6).
Day 4On to Ghent
Train from Brussels to Gent-Sint-Pieters, about 30 to 35 minutes, several trains an hour (ticket booked), then a short tram ride to the center. The Ghent Altarpiece in St. Bavo’s Cathedral, Gravensteen castle and a boat on the Graslei and Korenlei (all booked).
Stay: Ghent River Hotel, in the historic center (night 4 of 6).
Stay: Ghent River Hotel, in the historic center (night 4 of 6).
Day 5Bruges
Train from Ghent to Bruges, about 25 minutes, several trains an hour (ticket booked). A canal boat through the old town and the climb up the Belfry for the view (both booked).
Stay: Hotel Navarra, in the Bruges old town (night 5 of 6).
Stay: Hotel Navarra, in the Bruges old town (night 5 of 6).
Day 6Bruges at your pace
Walk or bike the canal path to the village of Damme, or browse the lace and chocolate shops. You can add a guided tour of De Halve Maan, the family brewery in the old town, with a tasting (optional add-on).
Stay: Hotel Navarra, in the Bruges old town (night 6 of 6).
Stay: Hotel Navarra, in the Bruges old town (night 6 of 6).
Day 7Home
Direct train from Bruges to Brussels Airport, about 1 hour 30 minutes (ticket booked), timed to your flight.
What’s included
Included
- 6 nights in 3 central 4-star hotels (Brussels, Ghent and Bruges), with taxes
- Every train ticket in Belgium, from your Antwerp day trip to the airport train home
- Private car from Brussels Airport to your Brussels hotel
- Brussels small-group walking tour
- Antwerp: Cathedral of Our Lady and MAS rooftop tickets
- Ghent: Ghent Altarpiece, Gravensteen castle and a boat tour
- Bruges: canal boat and Belfry climb
- A day-by-day plan with every train mapped, and one point of contact from booking to landing
Not included
- Flights
- Meals and drinks
- Local trams and taxis
- Tips
- Optional day trips (Leuven, Dinant on the Meuse, Ypres and Flanders Fields)
- Travel insurance
- Personal spending
Optional add-ons: Hands-On Chocolate Workshop, Brussels ($80 per person), De Halve Maan Brewery Tour ($30 per person). Add them in the booking box or in Attractions.
Getting around: No car needed. Belgium is small and its trains are fast and frequent. Every train ticket is booked for you, and your day-by-day plan maps each ride: the station, about how long it takes and how often trains run. Belgian train tickets are good on any train on that route on the day you travel, so you are never tied to one departure time.
Compare this trip with another
Pick a trip to see it side by side with this one.
Included or in the itinerary Not part of that trip
| Trip | This tripBelgium by Train: 7 DaysFrom $2,8497 days / 6 nightsBook this trip | Compared tripBrussels to Munich by Rail: 12 DaysFrom $7,25912 days / 11 nightsView this trip |
|---|---|---|
| The basics | ||
| Length | 7 days / 6 nights | 12 days / 11 nights |
| Price per person (2 sharing a room) | $2,849Own room: $2,999 | $7,259Own room: $7,619 |
| Hotels | 6 nights in 3 central 4-star hotels | 11 nights in 7 central 4-star hotels |
| Pace | 3 hotels, short train rides of 25 to 50 minutes | A new stop every 1 or 2 nights, 6 train days |
| Getting around | Train tickets booked for every ride; no rail pass needed | A 1st class Interrail pass for each traveler, 7 travel days |
| Starts / ends | Brussels Airport (BRU), round trip | Brussels (BRU) to Munich (MUC), one way |
| Best time to go | March to mid December | April to mid October |
| Great for | Travelers with about a week | Travelers who want to see a lot of Europe |
| What’s the same | ||
| Trains, with every ride mapped day by day | Included | Included |
| Brussels and the Grand-Place | Included | Included |
| Hotels and experiences booked for you | Included | Included |
| Pre-trip guide: travel insurance, packing, money and train tips | Included | Included |
| One point of contact, from booking to landing | Included | Included |
| Cancel 90+ days out for 100% trip credit. | Included | Included |
| What’s different | ||
| Bruges: a canal boat and the Belfry | Included | Not part of this trip |
| Antwerp day trip | Included | Not part of this trip |
| Ghent: the Ghent Altarpiece and Gravensteen castle | Included | Not part of this trip |
| Bruges: a canal boat day trip | Not part of this trip | Included |
| A 1st class Interrail pass, 7 travel days | Not part of this trip | Included |
| Amsterdam: canal cruise, Rijksmuseum and Anne Frank House | Not part of this trip | Included |
| A Rhine cruise past the Lorelei and Heidelberg Castle | Not part of this trip | Included |
| Lake Constance and a day in Liechtenstein | Not part of this trip | Included |
| Innsbruck and the Arlberg line | Not part of this trip | Included |
| Munich and a Neuschwanstein day tour | Not part of this trip | Included |
| Not included on either trip: Flights, meals and drinks, local trams and taxis, tips, travel insurance and personal spending. | ||
| Book this trip | View this trip | |
Questions
What if I need to cancel?
Plans change. If you need to cancel, you'll receive trip credit toward another itsTripEasy trip: within 24 hours of payment, 100% trip credit, so you can swap to a different destination; 90 or more days before your trip start date, 100% trip credit; less than 90 days before, no trip credit, unless you added Flexible Cancellation: with it, you get 100% trip credit if you cancel at least 10 days before your trip start date, for a trip you take within 12 months. Other trip credits never expire. To cancel or change your dates, use the cancellation request form. For a date change, choose the reason "I'd like to change my dates".
How many people can share a room?
Rooms on this trip hold 1 or 2 people. The booking box offers own room or 2 sharing. A group of 3 is booked into 1 shared room and 1 own room; a group of 4 into 2 shared rooms, all on one booking. For a larger group, use Plan My Trip.
Do I need a rail pass for this trip?
Good news: you don't. Belgian train tickets are already flexible. Each one is good on any train on that route on the day you travel, with no seat reservations, so you can leave when you like. Belgium's own multi-ride passes ended in October 2025, and the tickets for this route cost less than a rail pass, so each ride is booked for you. Want more of Europe by train? See the Brussels to Munich rail trip, which includes an Interrail pass.
Do I need a car?
No. Every ride on this trip is a short train trip, your tickets are booked, and the hotels are a short walk or tram ride from the stations.
Are flights included?
Flights are up to you, and your pre-trip guide includes timing tips so your arrival and departure fit the plan.
Can the trip be customized?
Yes, right in the booking box: add up to 3 extra nights at the start or end of your trip and choose how many travelers share each room.
Optional add-ons
Make your trip a little more special. Add one here or in the booking box. Tours are priced per person; private guides, transfers and tastings for two are one price per booking. Each add-on goes into your cart as its own item.
De Halve Maan Brewery Tour
A guided tour of De Halve Maan, the family brewery in the old town of Bruges, with a beer at the end.
$30 per person
Good to know
- Weather and nature. Weather, rail and natural conditions are outside anyone’s control and can change quickly. They may change the plan, delay or cancel trains, or delay, shorten or cancel tours and activities, and the order of days may shift.
- Your choices. You are responsible for your own decisions, safety and choices while traveling, including which activities you take part in, and following local guidance, posted warnings and your guides’ instructions.
- Photos. Photos on this page are for inspiration. They may not show the exact location, hotel, season or conditions of your trip.
- Not included. Flights aren’t included; you book those yourself.
You may also like
Brussels to Munich by Rail: 12 DaysBrussels to Munich: 5 countries · 12 days / 11 nightsFrom $7,259 per person
Lisbon & Sintra: 5 DaysLisbon, Portugal · 5 days / 4 nightsFrom $2,179 per person
Switzerland: Montreux, Glacier 3000 & Interlaken: 7 DaysMontreux & Interlaken · 7 days / 6 nightsFrom $4,779 per person
Norway Fjords Escape: 7 DaysNorway Fjords, Norway · 7 days / 6 nightsFrom $5,609 per person