Belgium: A country to visit

Belgium, home of the European Capital Brussels

This middle European country is without a doubt famous for its fries, chocolate and beer. The home of the European Capital Brussels. This country has many touristic landmarks and cities to visit. Belgium is divided into 2, a french part and a flemish part. The coast and and all major historical cities are situated in the flemish part of Belgium. The Ardennes and the beautiful nature parts of Belgium are completely situated in french-speaking territory.

The most important Belgian cities are without questioning: Antwerp, Bruges and Brussels. Of course Belgium offers a lot more than just these few cities. A litlle bit less known amongst tourists but certainly worth the trip are Knokke and Ostend (during summer time), Ghent, a bustling city in the middle of Flanders, Bastogne and Dinant in the Ardennen and if you are a fan of bicycles ride, a trip to the province of Limburg can be most promising.

Bruges: World’s History

Who hasn’t heard talking about this marvellous city at 20km from the sea. Bruges has a name which is not easily forgotten, certainly not for someone who has visited this city and took a stroll through its small and curling alleys. This city is all about the world’s history. The entire inner city was declared Word Heritage by the Unesco. Many old facades are still in the original state as on the picture on the right.

During the middle ages Bruges gave birth to many modern economics. For instance: modern banking and modern trade. Historic facts most people don’t know. The canals through Bruges were once the lifeblood of the beating heart of the world’s leading economic tradepower. Bruges is a city which you should visit at least once. The romancic atmosphere and charm found in this European city will easily enchant you.

Of course in such a city it is difficult to know what to visit first so i have pointed out a few important places:

• The basilic of the holy blood: They have a relic containing Christ’s Blood. It is on display every day and absolute worth visiting. The basilic itself is a very old roman church unique in Flanders
• The famous belfry which you should be climbed all the way to the top. At clear weather the towers of Ghent maybe even Antwerp and a major part of the coast can be seen from up there
• A little well known are the diamond museum, the chocolate museum and the lamp musuem (Lumina Domestica). But they are certainly worth a visit
• The kathedral of our Lady with the famous work of Michelangelo (Madonna with child) and the graves of Maria of Burgundy and her husband

Bruges has a rich amount of hotels and restaurants to offer. The overwhelming choice makes it rather difficult to choose your hotel in Bruges aswell as on your place for dinner.

Hotels in Bruges

Hotels in Bruges come in all sizes and shapes. There are quite some luxurious expensive hotels but the largest part of hotels in bruges are made out by smaller charming familyhotels. Honestly i believe that those are the hotels in Bruges were you should spend the night as they will most certainly add to the experience of medieval Bruges.

Luxurious hotels in Bruges

The Pand hotel in Bruges is a very luxurious charmant and cosy hotel but of course has a priceticket to it. If money is not the issue than The Pand hotel in Bruges is an absolute preferred choice. The Pand Hotel is situated just of the most beautiful canal in Bruges right in the middle of the city’s centre. A romantic stay in absolute luxury is guarateed in the Pand Hotel.

Hotel de Tuilerieën in Bruges is close to the Pand Hotel and offers the same amount of luxury but is a different style. It is one of Bruges’ most reknown hotels so expect to be charmed upon arrival. Hotel de Tuilerieën is located along the canal “De Dijver” close to the magnificent kathedral of our lady. In short, hotel de Tuilerieën in Bruges: Charming 4 star hotel in Bruges.

Hotel Die Swaene in Bruges is also situated in the surroundings of the hotels above. Hotel Die Swaene is also beautiful pearl in the inner centre of Bruges, it can be considerd as one of the most charming hotels in Belgium. After a busy day in Bruges Hotel die Swaene offers you a swim in their indoor swimming pool. They have suites at water level which are unique in Bruges.

Small romantic hotels in Bruges

The charming Hotel Maraboe in Bruges is situated on the edge of the city centre. The Maraboe hotel Bruges has everything a big hotel tends to offer but on top of that you will find a housely atmosphere, a feeling that large hotels cannot come up with. The Maraboe familyhotel in Bruges is uniquely located a short stroll from the picturesque canals, the lovely ” ’t Zand ” and the new concert building of Bruges.

Hotel Walwyck in Bruges is a fairly new hotel and just newly renovated, offers a very good price/quality and is located calmly in the heart of Bruges Hotel Walwyck is most definitely worth a visit and guarantees a pleasant stay in Bruges.

The elegant Hotel De Castillion in Bruges is located at the very heart of the historic city of Bruges. You will fancy yourself in an 18th century mansion during your stay in this hotel. Bruges is a city to explore and the hotel De Castillion has the perfect location to do so. It is found in the shadows of the Sint-Salvators church. Also this hotel offers quite some specials and arrangements as the have an excellent restaurant in house.

The elegant and luxury 4-star Hotel Oud Huis de Peellaert in Bruges has also a remarkable location right in the historical centre of Bruges at no more than 200 metres away from the Market Square of Bruges. A charming hotel in Bruges with an exceptionnel friendly and helpfull staff. Hotel Oud Huis de Peellaert is a hotel which to my opinion is close to the 3 luxurious hotels in Bruges mentioned above.

Antwerp: Diamondcentre

Antwerp is a major harbourcity in the northern part of Belgium. It has the biggest harbour of Belgium and is an important distribution center of goods through entire Europe. Antwerp is better known as the world’s leading diamondcentre. All trades of diamond go through Antwerp. Antwerp grew to its full potential during the 16th century during the decline of Bruges due to the closing of the waterway to the sea the ‘Zwin’. At the end of the 15th century bit by bit all important trading houses were replaced from Bruges to Antwerp and Antwerp became the leading power of the entire international economy for a short time. During the years 1500-1550 Antwerp became the 2nd largest European city norht of the Alpes. At the end of the 16th century Amsterdam came up as new world center and lost most of its power to the golden age of the Dutch Republic. The famous Grand Place and city hall still remind of the times were Antwerp was the centre of the world. This city is absolutely worth a visit as it has a rich history and today still plays a leading rol in diamond trading and as a harbour.

Restaurants in Bruges

Restaurants in Bruges are even more numerous than the hotels in this city. Choose your restaurant during the day, while you are walking through the streets keep an eye open for a nice and good restaurant where you would like to spend your evening. There is one restaurant on the other hand which you will probably never pass but has an excellent kitchen and charming atmosphere. Restaurant Aneth is a restaurant with only 7 tables so an early reservation is probably the best.

From Bruges to where … ?

From your hotel in Bruges it is easy to visit some other regions of Belgium worth visiting during your stay in this country. You could visit the coastal region closeby. No more than twenty kilometers away you will find Knokke-Heist, a city to be seen, this coastal city is one of the most expensive places of Belgium, sort of the St.-Tropez of the low countries. Also just a thirty minutes trainride away is the harbourtown of Ostend, well known amongst UK travellers. A day in Ostend at the sea can be a welcome intermezzo from visits in Bruges. It might be an idea to choose Bruges as a base to visit Brussels. Brussels is a definit must see when you are in Belgium but although many times stated otherwise, Bruges has far more to offer than Brussels if you are looking for historic visits and want to have a romantic vacation.

Hotels in Antwerp

There are 2 major parts in Antwerp where the hotels of Antwerp are located. You’ll find many hotels in Antwerp close to the central Station and the diamond quarter, and another part of the hotels in Antwerp is situated in the historical city centre. Antwerp has different types of hotels. There are a few charming family owned and operated hotels but most hotels are really specialized in bed and breakfast and no more. There is one hotel in Antwerp that is part of worldwide chain: the Hilton Hotel Antwerp.

Charming small hotels in Antwerp

The 4-star hotel Firean hotel in Antwerp is a family operated hotel. The Firean hotel has a well established international reputation of being one of the most charming hotels in Antwerp. This Art deco building was built in 1929 and converted into a boutique hotel in Antwerpen by the family Iserbyt in 1986. This family takes exceptional pride to offer outstanding service and quality. All the rooms and suites of the hotel Firean have been individulally designed and almost all the original features remain. A perfect 4-star hotel.

A peaceful, convivial, comfortable and friendly welcome in Antwerp, this is how the guests describe their home from home in Antwerp in Hotel Industrie. Enjoy your visit in Antwerp in an oasis of tranquillity and hospitality. Just as soon as you cross the threshold of this carefully restored, stately mansion, you become conscious of the calm surroundings. The pastel decoration, soft music, and personalized attention, all provide you with a warm welcome. The Hotel Industrie offers you a stay in Anvers full of peacefulness and comfort.

Hotels close to the central station and diamondquarter

The Tourist Hotel in Antwerp is a friendly budget hotel in the heart of Antwerp. When you book a room at the Tourist Hotel, you may expect a simple but very comfortable room, provided with all modern appliances such as full comfort bathroom, TV and minibar. The cosy restaurant, Curnonsky, serves gastronomic and modern menus. You are always welcome to visit the lively hotel bar for a chat, a drink and a snack. The Tourist Hotel is situated in the middle of the Diamond district.

The Antwerp Diamond hotel is situated in the residential neighborhood behind the diamond quarter and the large city park. Although the Antwerp Diamond hotel still has a very central location, the vicinity is very peaceful. It takes a 10 minutes walk to reach the Central Station and the Meir (shopping street) and a 20 minutes walk to get into the old city.

The Hyllit Hotel Antwerp is a luxurious modern hotel, situated on the most prestigious shopping avenue “De Keyserlei”. The Hyllit Hotel is in the financial heart of Antwerp, near the diamond district. The Central Station, the zoological garden as well as renowned museums are within a radius of 500 metres. All the rooms of the Hyllit hotel are equipped with Wireless Internet Access (WiFi).

Hotels in the city centre

The Hotel Scheldezicht in Antwerp is a special place for special guests. The ones who prefer budget prices and comfortable hotelrooms, right in the liveliest part of the old city center of Antwerp, are the most regular guests in Hotel Scheldezicht Antwerpen. The hotel Scheldezicht is situated in the active area nearby the town-hall and the Cathedral of Antwerp.

If you would like trying the delights of Antwerp, then the Postiljon hotel Antwerp is the place to stay. You ‘ll find this pittoreque familyhotel Postiljon literally next to the cathedral. The unique location of Hotel Postiljon is ideal for exploring the heart of the old city centre with a minimum of effort. Shops, musuem, theatres and a wide choice of restaurants and pubs are within walkingdistance. Tariffs are also very reasonable even in this excellent location.

From Antwerp to … ?

Brussels

Brussels is about a 40 min in train from Antwerp. It is certainly worth to visit Brussels while you are in Antwerp. There are numerous hotels in Brussels so it would be easy to stay a night in the European Capital but unfortunately prices tend to be a lot higher in Brussels compared to Antwerp. So a hotel in Brussels might turn out to be quite expensive. Places to visit in Brussels are of course the main market square and if possible the royal palace. If you do tend to stay in a hotel in Brussels the hotel Husa President Park might be quite a good idea or the Sheraton Brussels hotel close to the North railway station.

Ghent

Ghent is about 30 minutes away from Antwerp. Ghent is the capital of the Provice Oost-Vlaanderen, it has just like antwerp a rich history and was founded during the middle ages. The historic inner city is worth a visit during your stay in Belgium. A stay in Ghent would be a nice idea if your planning on moving along to Burges the day afterwards. The hotels in Gent are almost all situated in the city centre. A few nice hotels in Gent are Hotel de Flandre, Ghent River Hotel, Hotel Gravensteen Gent close to the Castle Gravensteen or maybe the hotel Cour Saint Georges due to its central location in Ghent.

Leuven

Leuven is the capital of Vlaams-Brabant and the university city of Belgium. It has about 30.000 students and was founded during the middle ages. It takes a prominent places in the European universities. The gothic Town hall is reckonned to be one of the finest of Belgium. A visit to the university if possible so it would be a nice citytrip. Staying in a hotel in Leuven can be a bit problematic as this city only has a few hotels Leuven. If you do plan to stay in Leuven look for one of these hotels in Leuven: Theater hotel, De Klimop, Hotel Industrie, Hotel Binnenhof.

To visit in Antwerp

The Antwerp Zoo

The Zoo in Antwerp was build in 1843 and has more than 6000 animals and about 769 species. The Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the world and is highly recommended because of research done in the Antwerp Zoo. The Zoo is all year open for visit

Cathedral of Our Lady

This cathedral was build during the high times of Antwerp’s evolution. Building started during the 14th century and was completely finished in the year 1518. Inside the cathedral you can find different works of Rubens, one of the most prominent flemish primitives. If you are in Antwerp this is an absolute must-see during your stay in Antwerp.

The Central Trainstation

The entire Central Station is a monument on itself it has been completely restaurated during the last few years and is probably one of the finest trainstations in the world (The antwerpen zoo is right next to it so it is easy to visit both the same day) The railway station was designed by Mr. Delacenserie and is completed in the year 1905. It has a huge glass dome of about 60m and two enormous neo-baroque facades. Much of the interior is created out of Marble.

Royal museum of fine arts

As Antwerp has been a home to different flemish primitives and many important figures in the world of science. ( Rubens, Plantijn, Moretus, Mercator). Antwerp has a fine collection of Art to offer. In this museum you can find different works from Rubens, Titian and Van Dyck.