Medieval towns
A few cities succeeded wonderfully in preserving their medieval center.
Immerse yourself in the miraculous stories of the guides, shop in the narrow streets, visit museums that depict the life of those days.
Medieval towns
Places of interest
Bruges
Retaining the mysteries of the Middle Ages and unashamedly exuberant, Bruges has been an international metropolis for centuries.
This lovely city of canals earned the title ‘Venice of the North’ and has been recognized as Unesco World Heritage City.
Ghent
During the Middle Ages, it was one of the richest and most powerful cities in Europe.
A walk through town on a summer's evening, when most of the important buildings are illuminated, is an unforgettable experience.
Antwerp
The Town Square dates back to the 16th Century and is a beautiful example of architecture from this period. The square is surrounded by narrow cobblestone streets.
Ypres
During the Middle Ages Ypres was one of the main Flemish cloth centres next to Bruges and Ghent. The Cloth Hall in Ypres was one of the largest commercial buildings of the Middle Ages, when it served as the main market and warehouse for the Flemish city's prosperous cloth industry.
Liège
Liege is the third largest city in Belgium.
The wealth of churches and other medieval buildings, the top class museums and art galleries are enough to rival Europe’s top cities.
Museums
Bruges - Basilica of the Holy Blood
The basilica is stunning in its simplicity, its masterly decorations and historic value.
It consists of two chapels of which the Gothic upper level is alive with color and detail
Bruges - Old St. John Site
This is the spot where one of the earliest infirmaries in medieval Europe once stood.
Bruges - Groeningemuseum
Displaying a giant collection of Flemish primitives by world famous painters like Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, this museum is Flanders’ pride.
Bruges - Gruuthuusemuseum
The city palace of the lords of Gruuthuse is now an absolute highlight after a thorough restoration. The gables look magnificent. Renovated halls, a new museum concept, and special collection items are just waiting to be rediscovered.
Ghent - Gravensteen
Built between 1180 and 1200, is one of the strongest moated fortresses in Western Europe.
Today, it remains a unique example of the European medieval art of fortification, right in the heart of the city.
Canal boat tour
One of the best ways to see Bruges is from the water.
As it is the Venice of the North, it would be almost impossible to visit Bruges without floating around the expansive network of canals.
Old Market
The Old Market in Ghent started as a fish market and became a vegetable market through the centuries.
On the west side of the market area is the long Groot Vleeshuis, a medieval covered meat market.
Time to relax.
In the North, The Zwin plain is a fascinating nature reserve with an exceptional world of plants and animals.
To the South, the beach ridge, walking dunes and parabolic dunes.
In the middle, a 65 kilometre long stretch of sandy coastline with 15 resorts, ao. Ostend and Knokke.
This is where to enjoy the most beautiful beaches with clear seawater and culinary highlights from the sea like mussels and lobster.
The 1953 flood disaster led to constructing the Delta Works to protect the hinterland of Zeeland from the water.
Be amazed by the highlights of the lesser-known cities.
Only a few countries can show off names like Rubens, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Van Eyck, Bosch, Bruegel or Magritte.
To know the complete art pallet: add the baroque churches, the Grand Places of unprecedented beauty and harmony, the modern architecture in the dynamic cities.