What is the best day trip from Brussels?

Bruges is the most popular day trip, famed for its canals and medieval centre, and it pairs beautifully with Ghent in a single day. Antwerp, Luxembourg and Dinant are excellent alternatives if you want to venture further from the capital.

Can you visit Bruges and Ghent in one day from Brussels?

Yes — both cities are under an hour from Brussels, and combined guided tours are designed to cover the highlights of each in a single full day, with transport and a walking tour included so you make the most of the time.

How far is Bruges from Brussels?

Bruges is about an hour from Brussels by train or coach, and Ghent is roughly 30 to 40 minutes. That proximity makes Brussels an ideal base for exploring the historic cities of Flanders on easy day trips.

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Day trips · Brussels itinerary

Bruges & Ghent Day Trips from Brussels

Some of Belgium's most beautiful cities sit less than an hour from Brussels, making the capital the perfect base for day trips. This guide covers the best excursions to Bruges, Ghent and beyond — with the top-rated tours that handle the transport and guiding, so you can spend the day exploring rather than reading timetables.

At a glance

1Bruges: canals & medieval belfry
2Ghent: old town & Gravensteen castle
3Antwerp: cathedral & old city
4Back in Brussels by evening

Bruges: Belgium's fairytale city

Bruges is the classic day trip from Brussels — a perfectly preserved medieval town of cobbled lanes, romantic canals and stepped-gable houses. Climb the 13th-century belfry for rooftop views, drift along the water on a canal cruise and browse the Markt square. Guided day tours from Brussels include round-trip coach or train transport and a walking tour, and many pair Bruges with Ghent in a single full day.

Ghent: a medieval heart with a young pulse

Often visited alongside Bruges, Ghent is grander and livelier, with a student energy behind its medieval facade. See the moated Gravensteen castle, the soaring St Bavo's Cathedral that houses the Ghent Altarpiece, and the guild houses lining the Graslei waterfront. Combined Bruges-and-Ghent tours from Brussels give you a taste of both in one trip, while dedicated tours leave more time to wander Ghent's canals.

Beyond Bruges: Antwerp, Luxembourg and Dinant

If you have already seen the headline cities, Brussels opens onto more. Antwerp pairs a soaring Gothic cathedral with world-class fashion, diamonds and a grand railway station. Further afield, full-day trips reach the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the cliffside town of Dinant on the Meuse. Each runs as a guided excursion from Brussels with comfortable transport, so a second day trip is easy to add.

Planning your day trips from Brussels

Bruges and Ghent are both under an hour from Brussels by train, so independent visits are possible — but a guided tour removes the logistics and adds context and often a canal cruise. Combined tours are the most efficient way to see two cities in a day, while single-city tours suit a slower pace. Book ahead in summer, when the most popular departures fill quickly.