Easily accessible and central to many European countries, Belgium is a perfect stop for a solo traveller. For one, you can reach Brussels by the train from London, Amsterdam, Paris and more within just a few hours. That kind of proximity makes it a really convenient and safe option for solo travellers who are out there on your own. I’ve been to Belgium twice as a solo traveller, both for somewhat short stays as connectors in between other travels. Even so, with the proximity of the cities and sights, you can do a lot in that short time.

So let’s start planning your Belgium trip.

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If you’ve only got a few days in Belgium, what are your options?

The central train that comes from many other European cities brings you into Brussels. That makes it a fantastic jumping off point to begin with. In my past, I travelled directly to Brussels by train from Paris (only a few hours) and as part of a bigger tour (Globus’ Holland, Luxembourg, and Belgium). Both times, I was able to head out and explore solo with no issues.

Want a Michelin food experience during your Brussels stay? Try Da Mimmo, an Italian eatery with one Michelin star. The food here is absolutely fantastic and it’s located right beside a metro stop, making it easily accessible from the downtown core and safe as a solo traveller.

Overall, there are plenty of food options when you’re in Brussels. I strongly recommend doing a little research, especially before you head into the more popular areas. This is where you can spend a lot of money for sub-par food. If you’re eager to try frites or waffles, make sure you’re not paying an exorbitant amount just to have something from a freezer that’s been mildly rewarmed.

If you’re headed out of town from Brussels, there’s a convenient way to get to the airport from Grand Place. It’s a fantastic way to get there without spending a ton of money on a taxi or a ride share.

Before you do, stop and explore Grand Place first. While it’s a highly tourist-packed experience, that doesn’t mean you should skip it — especially to get acclimated with the centre of town. Nearby, you can also visit the famous Mannekin Pis statue, which is a cute novelty, but shouldn’t take you more than a few minutes.

If you want to venture out and see more, you should also make a quick pit-stop at the Atomium either for pictures or to explore the museum.

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From Brussels, you can start venturing further. Belgium isn’t too big of a country, so the journeys are fairly quick. From Brussels, you can find plenty of day-trip options that often combine together some of the visits. On the way to Bruges, for example, they often pair Ghent for a quick stop to explore the city.

Let’s talk Bruges, as it’s become one of the most popular destinations in Belgium to visit.

Bruges

There are several great little hotels to stay in. I’ve taken a day trip in with a bus and also stayed overnight. For the overnight, I stayed at the NH Brugge, which was not renovated at the time, but had amazing character given that it used to be a 17th century monastery that has retained some of those touches. It really depends how much you want to do. Personally, I would lean to staying the night because it opens you up to exploring the canals in the quiet of the night, plus eating at some fantastic restaurants.

First, though, there’s a lot to explore during the day.

For me, there are two activities that I’d recommend anyone start with, when visiting Bruges. The first is climbing the Bruges Clock Tower. It brings you right into the centre, plus the view from the top is absolutely incredible. It’s a little bit of effort, but worth the view.

When you’re done climbing high, it’s time to get low into the canals. The canals in Bruges aren’t as expansive as the ones in Venice. However, they’re still charming and a great way to see the city quickly. Plus, it’s a view you don’t get walking on the sidewalks. (LINK)

After you check off these two items on your list, there’s a lot more to explore. You can see one of Michelangelo’s pieta carvings in the Church of Our Lady. Even better, it’s only a few minutes from the clock tower. The church itself has plenty to see and is absolutely worth a stop. It’s even better if you happen to be there when the organ player is around!

Then, it’s time to indulge your sweet tooth. Belgian chocolates are famous for a reason, and for good reason. These truffle-style chocolates are absolutely delicious, but while the chain shops will give you good chocolate, it’s even better when they’re small-batch made. Of course, you can also do what I did and shop as many of the shops as you can. If you missed out and are flying out of Belgium, you can also make one last stop at the airport.

Ready for a memorable meal that you won’t forget? That’s when one of Bruges’ Michelin restaurants comes into the mix. Dine at Memoire for incredible food and a lovely atmosphere that puts you right by the canals at night so you can experience Bruges when the sun goes down — and most of the tourists have gone back to their main destinations.

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Antwerp

If you’ve fully explored Bruges, what’s another great city to spend the day in? Antwerp is an hour drive away from Brussels, which means that you can still operate out of Brussels as your central location and quickly get up to Antwerp. While the name might evoke images of diamonds, the city has much more than that. It’s packed with fun shops, great restaurants, and historical stops.

One of those more unique stops is at the Plantin-Moretus museum. This is where you can see the world’s oldest printing press alongside a slew of other printing related pieces of history. In addition, the museum itself is full of Rembrandts and historical decorating, not to mention absolutely beautiful gardens.

After you’re done, shop around and enjoy the great atmosphere. If you want a quick, affordable, and delicious lunch, there’s a great seafood option right in the middle of Antwerp that also offers great Belgian beer. That’s at Fish a’Gogo, which will fill your fried fish and frites needs. If you want a great sweet treat after, don’t venture far. You’ll find Philip’s Biscuits, which has ice cream, waffles, and other handmade treats. They’ve got a shop for all their goods and a window around the back for their ice cream!

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Other Belgium Stops

Maybe you want to venture beyond the cities and go somewhere a little more unique. In Europe, you can basically throw a rock and hit a site of historic significance, so let’s focus on some of the more notable/recognizable stops in Belgium that you could visit. These are all military history adjacent, with the first being Napoleonic. Waterloo is located in Belgium and worth a visit, with the Waterloo Museum offering a dynamic and interesting way of explaining the battle. Plus, there’s a great hike to a man-made hill that shows the area and a panorama of the Waterloo battle itself. If you have a half-day, this is a great way to do it.

The other military history places that are notable are the Bastogne War Museum in Bastogne, which is both accessible by Brussels, but also a good day trip from Luxembourg. This museum has unique displays, shows, and experiences. Nearby, you can hike the trails down to the actual battleground of the Battle of the Bulge, and pay your respects.

Speaking of paying respects, the last off-the-beaten track location I’ll recommend is Ypres. Not only can you visit a museum digging into WWII, but you can stay to watch the Ypres Last Post, which takes place every day. While in Ypres, there’s also a great view of the city by climbing to the top of the tower in the centre of town. Maybe if you’re lucky, there’s also an event happening in the main square — when I visited, there was a blacksmith competition. That was an amazingly unique experience to watch.

There are so many other places to visit in Belgium, but these three were some of the highlights for me — especially as someone fascinated by history.

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Whether you’re aiming to take a canal cruise in Bruges, eating frites in Brussels, or venturing into the countryside, Belgium is a fantastic stop on a European jaunt and easy to access via multiple train lines. There’s waffles and beer galore, but even finer dining to sate all appetites. Add this to your solo ventures and you won’t be disappointed with what you find!

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