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Antwerp & Ghent Day Trip from Brussels with Atomium Stop

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/23

Duration10h

GroupUp to 45

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two Medieval Cities in One Day: Antwerp's Markets and Ghent's River Palaces

You get picked up in Brussels, stop for photos at the Atomium, then spend the morning on a guided walk through Antwerp's markets, cathedrals and river squares. After free time for lunch, you drive to Ghent for an afternoon guided tour of its medieval center, riverbanks and guild houses, with another break to explore on your own before returning to Brussels in the evening. Round-trip transport and a bilingual guide handle all the logistics.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Stop at Atomium for photos
Arrive at Antwerp city bus station
Walk river sidewalk to city center
Stop for bathroom and meeting point
Visit Steen Castle and learn history
Discuss old commerce and city layout
Explore Antwerp Grand Market Square
Visit Saint Carlous Borromeus church
Walk to cathedral, learn politics
Tour Cathedral of Our Lady
See old cathedral cemetery and photos
Walk Meir Avenue and see giant hand
Enjoy free time in Antwerp
Arrive in Ghent and walk to center
Start guided tour at Ghent Town Hall
Learn about Belfry and Cloth Hall
Visit St. Bavo's Cathedral inside and out
Hear about concerts in St. Nicholas’ Church
See Masons guild house facade
Explore Korenmarkt and post office history
Take photos on bridge, learn tower story
Walk along Graslei and Korenlei riverbank
Visit Great Butchers’ Hall
Stop at market stall to learn about cuberdon
End tour at Sint-Veerleplein Square
Enjoy free time in Ghent

The Experience

What makes Antwerp and Ghent worth leaving Brussels for in a single day? The answer sits in the details your guide will point out—the shape of the rooflines (a story about water and survival), the sculpture of a giant hand on Meir Avenue (why it matters to Belgium), the painting that was stolen so many times it became famous. You start with a photo stop at the Atomium on the way out, then the bus drops you at Antwerp's river edge, where the skyline and water frame everything that comes next. A local guide walks you through Steen Castle, the Antwerp Grand Market Square with its guild houses, the Cathedral of Our Lady (which holds Rubens paintings), and about 1.5 hours of free time to eat or wander on your own.

Then you drive to Ghent, one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. The second guided walk starts at the Town Hall and moves through the Belfry (with its dragon story), St. Bavo's Cathedral where the Van Eyck brothers' "The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb"—the most stolen painting in history—still hangs, and the riverbanks of the Lys where the guild houses and old market buildings line up like a postcard. Your guide stops at a traditional market stall to explain Ghent's famous candy, the cuberdon, and tells you which souvenir shops are worth your time. Another 1.5 hours free, then the bus takes you back to Brussels.

The day trip from Brussels includes round-trip transfers with air conditioning, a professional guide who speaks both English and Spanish, and all the context you'd miss walking alone—why Belgian churches host concerts, how commerce shaped the cities, what the buildings were before they became what they are now. You don't arrange transport or timing; the guide handles the logistics and the stories. Meals aren't included, but your guide will recommend places to eat during your free time.

What’s included

Round-trip transfers with air conditioning from Brussels.
photo stop at the Atomium on the way to Antwerp.
guided walking tour of Antwerp including Steen Castle, Antwerp Grand Market Square, and the Cathedral of Our Lady.
guided walking tour of Ghent including the Town Hall, Belfry, St. Bavo's Cathedral, and the Lys riverbanks.
about 1.5 hours of free time in Antwerp and 1.5 hours in Ghent.
professional bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
city tips and restaurant recommendations.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Buendía

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see two of Belgium's best medieval cities without arranging your own transport or timing—the guide handles the logistics and the stories, leaving you free to explore on your own during the breaks.