Traveling Back to Medieval Times in Belgium

Written By Profil Holidays Editors

Written By Profil Holidays Editors

Located between France and Netherlands, the bilingual country of Belgium is a travel destination made for history enthusiast and chocolate addicts! Let me unravel my travel experience within the nation of Belgium.

For starters, I would want to say thank you to Profil Holidays, for providing me with a well-planned trip of Belgium. I was able to visit the historical sites of the city as well as taste the delicious and famous Belgian chocolates that truly hits different!

First Stop: Brussels

Being the capital of Belgium as well as the capital of the European Union, Brussels has a lot to offer to its visitors, making it a vibrant and dynamic city to explore. 

Roam within the vicinity of the city and you will find yourself reminiscing the ancient Gothic and Baroque style as the architecture are preserved within that century style – of course, there are some buildings that are constructed with minimalistic design, but nothing too modern like you would see in New York city.

The Grand Place, Brussel

As I walked within the streets of the old town of Brussels I felt as if I was travelling back during the medieval era because of cobblestone streets, looking in every corner the beautiful architecture was impeccable. The main square which they also called it Grand Place was a exquisite. In this square you will find the City Town Hall, the City Museum and a Beer Museum which are all elegant building.

The Manneken Pis

Walk a little bit more, and you will find yourself in a small alleyway where a lot of people are crowded to see this very cute little boy statue – a unique statue to say the least! 

The little boy was peeing! Although it may be weird at first, there comes a legend to as why he is in that position. Legend says that this boy saved the nation when a terrorist was planning to explode the city but the boy stopped the bombing from going off by peeing on it. 

They call this famous statue The Manneken Pis.

The Atomium

One of the famous must-see when in Belgium is the famous Atomium. Found in the center of Brussels, the Atomium currently a museum wherein upon entering, you will be greeted by various exhibit halls. At the top sphere, you will find a restaurant which offers an exquisite view of the city.

Second Stop: Bruges

I was able to explore the city for about an hour and a half. The first thing that came to mind upon laying my eyes in the city of Bruges was that it was ever so charming! The diversity of the city brought out an ambiance that felt as if I was in Venice, Italy – this was mostly because the city had various canals (which is very well-known for in Venice).

Similar to Brussels, the city of Bruges greeted me with cobblestone streets and medieval atmosphere – most especially upon laying my eyeson the Belfry Tower by the Market Square. Within the vicinity, I was able to witness the famous Basilica of the Holy Blood, which houses the relic of the holy blood.

The best part of the city, in my opinion? How instagrammable it was – every corner of the street was a picture perfect place. The canals, the streets, the buildings, the bridges – everything was made for people to take a beautiful picture.

Third Stop: Ghent

In my opinion, the city of Ghent was very similar to Bruges except with wider canals. Of course, I would already have an idea that the city, just like the rest, offered a medieval aura. This was seen within the famous buildings of St. Bravo’s Cathedral, St. Nicolas Church and the Belfry of Ghent.

Personally, I love the architectural design of the buildings in Ghent. The way it brought out the uniqueness of the city; every second of my stay in Ghent has made me realize that the city truly knows how to bring the medieval ambiance to its locals and visitors.

Fourth Stop: Antwert

This city was definitely different compared to the rest – Antwerp is more civilized than Brudges and Ghent, but I would say that it is because the city is known for the numerous shopping centers spread out within its vicinity.

If you are a shopaholic, this city is for you! 

Shops in Antwerp offers a wide range of diamonds that you can pick out from. Yes, the city is well-known for its diamonds.

Although, it may be modern, the city embraces its past with the Gothic style of the Clock Tower, as well as maintaining the house of the famous painter, Ruben.