10 Awesome Day Trips from Brussels (to 5 different countries!)

The first thing you need to know here is that amazing day trips from Brussels are in no short supply. Brussels is a fantastic place to base yourself if you’d like to visit many different areas but don’t want to switch hotels every night. In fact, taking only day trips from here, you can visit five different countries!

Check out this list of incredible day trip destinations that includes some fantastic historical, culinary, and cultural getaways from Belgium’s capital. Enjoy!

How to take these day trips from Brussels

The first thing you need to know about taking day trips from Brussels is that how you plan to travel will determine what destinations you can visit. For example, some destinations are much easier to get to by train than car, and vice versa. I’ll let you know which destinations favor which modes of transportation in each option.

Day trips from Brussels: Map

The map below contains all the day trip destinations mentioned in this post so you can get an idea of what is where. To save this map, click on the star ⭑ next to the map’s title. To use it, open Google Maps on your phone, click “Saved,” then click “Maps.”

The best day trips from Brussels

The first time I visited Belgium, I based myself in Brussels and did nothing but day trips. Brussels sits right in the middle of so many great destinations and there are multiple transportation options for each. Here are some of the best day trips to take:

While in Bruges, take your time just walking the streets and checking out all the beautiful architecture, canals, churches, and more. Climb up to the top of the Belfry for the best views, and be sure to take one of the fun canal boat tours. (They last just about an hour and are super cheap.) Check out the city’s most famous brewery—De Halve Maan—and then sit down at one of the many beer bars along the canals and watch the boats go by.

You can pop into the Church of Our Lady to see the famous Bruges Madonna (a sculpture by Michelangelo), then head over to the Chocolate Museum or one of the city’s amazing chocolate shops. Definitely book one of the informative walking tours here to learn more about this cool city.

How to get to Bruges from Brussels

Bruges is definitely the most popular of all the great day trips from Brussels, so there are tons of ways to get here.

By car: Driving from Brussels to Bruges takes about 1.5 hours and is pretty much a straight shot. See this page for Bruges parking info and rent your car here if you need one.

By train: Taking the train from Brussels to Bruges is going to be the fastest and easiest method. The ride takes about 1 hour and leaves Brussels every 20 minutes or so. Check train schedules and rates here.

By bus: The Flixbus offers rides between Brussels and Bruges several times a day and the ride takes about 1.5 hours. (And costs somewhere around $10.) Check out bus schedules and rates here.

While in Ghent, you should take a canal cruise to see all the highlights of this cool city from the water. You can also check out the Ghent Altarpiece inside St. Bavo’s Cathedral (long believed to be one of the most significant works of art in history). You can also tour the 12th-century Gravensteen Castle, climb the belfry for amazing views, and check out one of the many cozy beer bars like Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant or Trollekelder.

By train: The train from Brussels to Ghent takes just 1 hour and 10 minutes. (Make sure to get on one of the direct trains so you don’t have to make all the extra stops! I learned that the hard way.) See train schedules here.

By bus: Flixbus also offers direct, 1-hour trips between the two cities, multiple times per day.

On a day trip to Amsterdam, you can visit places like the Anne Frank House or even the Keukenhof Flower Gardens. There are also great museums like the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum. And for something a little different, check out the Heineken Experience.

How to get here from Brussels

Amsterdam is about the same distance whether you drive yourself or take public transportation, so it’s all up to you!

By car: Amsterdam is about a 2 hour and 20 minute-drive from Brussels. Check this page for parking info and rent your car here.

By train: The train from Brussels to Amsterdam is just slightly faster than driving, around 2 hours. Check SNCB for current schedules and rates.

By bus: Flixbus offers tons of connections between Brussels and Amsterdam each day.

While in Dinant, you can visit the Collegiate Church of Our lady with the onion dome, explore the historical citadel high above the city, and take a river cruise. You can also take the “Sax and the City” tour which stops at important spots related to Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone and Dinant’s most famous resident. The Leffe brewery also offers a great tour and great views of the city.

How to get here from Brussels

Dinant is a smaller city that’s more of a hidden gem, but it’s still quite easy to get to. (Unfortunately, the Flixbus doesn’t travel to Dinant.)

By car: The drive from Brussels to Dinant will take about an hour and 15 minutes. Once here, the Parking Centre at Rue Grande 107 is going to be your best bet. You can rent a car here.

By train: There are no direct trains to Dinant, but you can still take the train here (with 1 connection) is less than two hours. See SNCB for details.

While in Luxembourg, you’ll be able to walk around the Old Town of Luxembourg City, the country’s capital. (I highly recommend a guided walking tour.) You can also check out several interesting museums, see some incredible views and historical casemates, do some shopping, and eat some delicious food.

How to get here from Brussels

Taking the road from Brussels to Luxembourg is really the only way to go. Technically you can take the train, but the journey is going to be well over 5 hours each way. No thank you.

By car: The drive from Brussels to Luxembourg City takes about 2.5 hours. Parking is easy. Rent a car here if you need one.

Yes, you can visit the famous beaches of Dunkirk as well as the Dynamo Museum, see several monuments and memorials, and even have dinner on a historical ship from WWII that was also used in the 2017 movie Dunkirk! Check out my full list of what to do in Dunkirk here.

How to get here from Brussels

Once again, driving here is going to be the easiest and most efficient method. The train takes nearly five hours, and the bus takes about 3.5 hours each way (not really ideal for a day trip).

By car: Driving from Brussels to Dunkirk will take you around 1 hour 45 minutes. There are several parking garages in the city center as well as street and business parking. Rent your car here.

In Cologne, you can spend your day exploring this old city including the famous Cologne Cathedral (the second tallest church in the world). Other popular sites include the Lindt Chocolate Museum and Museum Ludwig (with one of the largest Picasso collections in Europe). You can also take a guided walking tour of the Old Town.

How to get here from Brussels

Though there aren’t any organized tours you can take, you can still get here on your own via car or train.

By car: The drive from Brussels to Cologne takes about 2.5 hours each way. Once here, there are several parking areas around the city center, and even one underneath the cathedral. (But if you do drive here, please don’t drink beer all day and then try to drive back to Brussels!)

By train: You can take the train from Brussels to Cologne in just under 2 hours (including one change). Trains leave around once per hour. Check out SNCB International here for schedules and rates.

By bus: The Flixbus does offer several trips per day between the two cities, but the trips take around 4 hours each way. This isn’t ideal for a day trip, but isn’t bad if you plan to spend a night in Cologne or are not planning to return to Brussels.

There is so much to do in Paris, but you can definitely see the highlights on a day trip if you plan accordingly. You can visit museums like the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay (my favorite), pop into the freshly reopened Notre Dame Cathedral, have a picnic under the Eiffel Tower and more.

You can take a Seine river cruise, climb up to Sacré Cœur in Montmartre, spend a day at Disneyland Paris, or maybe even visit the Palace of Versailles if that’s been on your bucket list. There really are so many options.

While in Antwerp, you should definitely check out the city’s famous Central Station, often called the most beautiful train station in the world. Otherwise, also stop by the architecturally-stunning Grote Markt and the 13th-century Het Steen castle. There are also several world-class museums, including the Red Star Line Museum dedicated to those who immigrated to the US.

How to get here from Brussels

Because Antwerp is so close to Brussels, you can get here several different ways.

By car: The drive from Brussels to Antwerp takes just 1 hour and 15 minutes. Use this page to find easy parking. Rent a car here.

By train: You can take the train to Antwerp in just 45 minutes. Trains leave multiple times per hour. See SNCB for schedules and rates.

By bus: Likewise, buses from Brussels to Antwerp leave multiple times per hour and cost under $10. See Flixbus for all the schedules.

While here, you can take a walking tour and explore the Old Town, visit the Kunstpalast fine art museum, check out some of the seriously interesting architecture in the MedienHafen, and even see some Roman ruins. And don’t miss a Rhine river sightseeing cruise if you have time.

Düsseldorf is also the birthplace and home of Altbier, so you can also take tours that include brewery visits and tastings.

How to get here from Brussels

Whether you decide to drive or take the train from Brussels to Düsseldorf, the trip is going to take 2.5 hours each way. You can find parking here, and check SNCB International for train schedules.