Backpacking through Belgium is a fantastic idea—compact, easy to navigate, and packed with medieval towns, great beer, and world-class food. It’s perfect for a short 4–7 day trip or as part of a bigger Europe backpacking route.
Here’s how to do it right 👇
🇧🇪 Why Backpack Belgium?
- 🚆 Super easy transport (everything ~1–2 hours apart)
- 🍺 Legendary beer culture
- 🍟 Waffles, fries, chocolate 🍫
- 🏰 Fairytale cities (Bruges, Ghent)
- 🌍 Multilingual (Dutch, French, English widely spoken)
🗺️ Perfect Backpacking Route (5–7 days)
1. Brussels (1–2 days)
📍 Brussels
- Walk Grand Place
- See Manneken Pis
- Try waffles + chocolate 🍫
👉 Good base, but don’t stay too long
2. Bruges (2 days)
📍 Bruges
- Canals + cobblestone streets 🏰
- Climb the Belfry of Bruges
- One of Europe’s most photogenic cities
3. Ghent (1–2 days)
📍 Ghent
- Less touristy than Bruges
- Visit Gravensteen
- Great nightlife + student vibe
👉 Many travelers actually prefer Ghent over Bruges
4. Antwerp (1–2 days)
📍 Antwerp
- Fashion + art scene 👗
- Visit Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerp
- One of Europe’s most beautiful train stations
5. Optional: Leuven (day trip)
📍 Leuven
- Lively student town 🎉
- Known for beer culture 🍺
💰 Budget Guide
Belgium is not super cheap, but manageable:
- 🛏️ Hostel: €20–40
- 🍟 Street food: €5–10
- 🍺 Beer: €3–6
- 🚆 Train tickets: €10–20
👉 Budget: €50–90/day
💡 Tip: Get a rail pass if doing multiple cities
🚆 Getting Around
- Trains = best option (fast + frequent)
- No need for a car
- Cities are very walkable
🍺 Food You MUST Try
- Belgian fries (yes, better than French 😄)
- Waffles (Brussels vs Liège style)
- Chocolate 🍫
- Beer (Trappist, lambic, etc.)
📅 Best Time to Visit
- 🌸 April–June → best balance
- ☀️ Summer → lively but crowded
- 🍂 September → underrated sweet spot
- ❄️ December → Christmas markets 🎄
🎒 Backpacking Tips
- Stay in Ghent to save money vs Bruges
- Book hostels early in summer
- Carry coins for public toilets 🚻
- Tap water is safe
🔥 Sample 5-Day Plan
- Day 1: Brussels
- Day 2–3: Bruges
- Day 4: Ghent
- Day 5: Antwerp
💡 Overall Vibe
Belgium is:
- ✅ Easy + beginner-friendly
- ✅ Culture + food focused
- ❌ Not super cheap
- ❌ Not “wild adventure”
👉 Think: relaxed, scenic, food-heavy backpacking