Brussels
I have to say, my boyfriend and I absolutely did not plan on going to Brussels. We got bored in Paris and decided we wanted to spend an extra day in Belgium instead of wandering around France, so we decided we would add Brussels to the itinerary. I can 100% say that I am SO happy we decided to do that because Brussels was absolutely amazing and nothing what I had anticipated.
When we first got to Brussels, we wanted to hit the road running because we only had a day there. So we signed up for a FREE walking tour and I would ABSOLUTELY recommend doing this. It was a wonderful way to learn about the quirky history of Brussels and see the whole city. It was also a wonderful way to get some recommendations on where to eat and drink!
I would recommend stopping off at Au Bon Vieux Temps for some monk beer – it’s down a small alley so keep an eye out for it! Also, Delirium Cafe has a huge selection of beer if you’re looking to taste as many Belgium beers as possible!
We stayed at the Hilton Grand Palace in Brussels and I would definitely recommend it! It’s centrally located and easy to get to the best parts of town!
Bruges
After spending the day in Brussels, we hopped on the train to head up to Bruges. First, our hotel was absolutely amazing and I would recommend it in a heartbeat! It’s a converted palace, called Hotel Dukes Palace, and it’s as glamorous as it sounds!
When we first got to Bruges, we walked around the town and climbed the Belfort Tower for some amazing Bruges Views. The wait is kind of long (depending on the time of day you go), and the staircase is super narrow – but it’s really cool to see the giant bell in the tower and to see the view!
Once we climbed Belfort, we began walking around the town to find some beers and to explore! We first stopped off at De Halve Mann, a brewery, for a quick beer.
The wonderful thing about Bruges is that it’s a really mellow city. You can easily spend the whole day wandering around, popping into chocolate shops or beer halls, and exploring!
In the evening, we went to ‘t Brugs Beertje (really cool vibe) and ‘t Poatersgat (underground and super cool). Needless to say, we drank a whole lot of Belgium beer and loved every minute of it!
The next morning, we decided to spend a bit more time in Bruges before heading to Ghent. In the morning we wandered around and went to Dumon Chocolate for some yummy hot chocolate and souvenirs for our family and friends.
After loading up on chocolate, we headed to the Beer Hall – one of the biggest attractions in Bruges. When you walk down the hall, you will see all of the beer (with it’s matching glass) that is made in Belgium! We stopped off for a quick drink before heading to the train station!
Ghent
After leaving Bruges, we got into Ghent around 3 p.m. and checked straight into our hotel the Ghent Marriott. This Marriott is amazing – it’s located right in the center of town and it’s beautifully built!
We first headed out and explored the city a little. We went into the Gravensteen castle and wandered around bit.
After hanging in the castle, we explored the winter market and opted to go on the Ferris Wheel (part of the winter market) instead of climb the Ghent Belfort Tower. We decided to do this because the Ferris Wheel was taller so we figured we can get a better view of the city!
We then began exploring bars. Our top bar we went to that night was Waterhuis aan de Bierkant! They had a great selection of beers and it was right on the water!
For our final morning in Ghent, we decided to walk around and enjoy the views before heading off to Amsterdam!
Amsterdam
Our final destination of our European vacation was Amsterdam! Neither of us have been to Amsterdam before so we were excited to go! We decided to purchase a hop on hop off canal bus cruise for the two days we were there to help us get around the city and see everything!
Since we didn’t get to Amsterdam until later in the evening, we decided to spend our first evening walking around the city and checking out the sites. We first wandered around the main square, and down through the red light district. We then ate at a restaurant called Senses, a unique dining experience that incorporates your senses and likes into a customized dinner.
The next morning we got up early to get to the I Am Amsterdam sign without a crowd!
We then headed straight to the Van Gough Museum before getting breakfast! After that, we pretty much just wandered around the city, hoping on and off our canal cruise, and exploring around!
