Three Days in Belgium: Lace, Art, and the Best Damn Butter You’ve Ever Had
Belgium doesn’t clamor for attention. She doesn’t compete with Paris’s flash or Amsterdam’s swagger. Instead, she leans back—quietly confident in her lace-trimmed, chocolate-dusted glory—and invites the curious to look closer.
For the luxury traveler, Belgium is a treasure trove of architectural splendor, epicurean delight, and surprising sophistication. This three-day journey explores three of her most elegant cities—Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp—through boutique hotels, Michelin-worthy meals, and centuries of understated charm.
Day One: Bruges – Where Fairytales Wear Pearls
10:00 a.m. – Arrival and Check-In at Hotel Van Cleef
In Bruges, time slows. Carriages clatter down cobbled lanes, swans glide beneath ancient stone bridges, and chocolate-scented air fills the medieval city center.
Visitors arriving mid-morning are welcomed at Hotel Van Cleef, a canal-side mansion where velvet furniture, silk drapes, and contemporary art come together in tasteful harmony. Each suite feels personal and private, more like a stylish guest room in a friend's historic home than a hotel.
Alternatives include the antique-filled Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce or the majestic Dukes’ Palace, a converted 15th-century residence complete with frescoed ceilings and manicured gardens.
12:00 p.m. – Lunch at Den Gouden Harynck
Just off a quiet square, Den Gouden Harynck offers refined Flemish cuisine in a converted 17th-century house. Mussels in white wine, North Sea sole with beurre blanc, and warm baguette with local butter set the tone: familiar flavors, elevated.
Wine pairings are thoughtful, and the service is effortless.
2:00 p.m. – Antique Canals and Lace Markets
The heart of Bruges is best discovered on foot. Travelers stroll along Rozenhoedkaai, marveling at gothic towers and pastel façades reflected in the canals. Stops might include a visit to the Kantcentrum (Lace Center) for a demonstration of traditional lace-making or an afternoon browse through boutique chocolate shops.
For a hint of romance, a private boat tour with Champagne provides a front-row seat to the city’s reflective beauty.
4:30 p.m. – Tea or Cocktails at The Pand Hotel
For afternoon refreshment, The Pand Hotel’s bar offers classic cocktails and an elegant tea service in a setting of crystal chandeliers and club chairs. Alternatively, a Belgian beer tasting at ’t Brugs Beertje introduces the country's lesser-known craft varieties in cozy surrounds.
7:30 p.m. – Dinner at Sans Cravate
This Michelin-starred gem redefines fine dining with relaxed elegance. The tasting menu at Sans Cravate plays with textures and technique: duck with salsify purée, scallops with pickled cucumber, and desserts that involve things like carrot sorbet and smoked meringue.
It’s refined, witty, and utterly memorable.
The architecture of Brussles is equally beautiful in the winter as it is in the summer months.
Day Two: Ghent – Old Masters and New Ideas
9:00 a.m. – Transfer to Ghent + Check-In at Pillows Grand Boutique
A 30-minute drive delivers travelers to Ghent, a university city with vibrant energy and centuries of artistic heritage. Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof offers neoclassical charm and modern design. Think parquet floors, velvet armchairs, and a tranquil courtyard for morning coffee or evening aperitifs.
10:30 a.m. – St. Bavo’s Cathedral and the Ghent Altarpiece
Art lovers begin their day with a private tour of St. Bavo’s Cathedral, home to the famed Ghent Altarpiece by the Van Eyck brothers. One of the most influential works of the Northern Renaissance, the polyptych’s luminous panels remain a marvel of color, symbolism, and survival.
Private guides offer historical insights—and stories of theft, forgery, and restoration that rival any heist film.
12:30 p.m. – Lunch at Pakhuis
Set in a converted industrial warehouse, Pakhuis combines brass finishes and exposed beams with brasserie classics. Oysters on the half shell, steak tartare, and rabbit in kriek beer reduction are served alongside an excellent wine list.
The setting is stylish, but the food is soulful.
2:30 p.m. – Contemporary Art and Canal Views
Afternoons in Ghent are for contrasts. After lunch, travelers visit S.M.A.K., the contemporary art museum showcasing provocative installations and boundary-pushing local artists.
From there, a short walk along the Leie River reveals Ghent’s dual personality: gothic towers on one side, street art and bike cafés on the other. For shoppers, the Patershol district offers artisan jewelry, bookshops, and Belgian leather goods in cobblestone alleys.
5:30 p.m. – Aperitifs at The Cobbler
Named after the classic cocktail, The Cobbler at 1898 The Post hotel is dark, moody, and impossibly chic. With leather banquettes and panoramic views of the city’s rooftops, it’s the ideal spot to sip a pre-dinner negroni or something more experimental with sea buckthorn or sage.
8:00 p.m. – Dinner at Vrijmoed
Holding two Michelin stars, Vrijmoed is the pinnacle of Ghent’s gastronomic scene. The tasting menu is bold, cerebral, and wildly inventive. Vegetables take center stage in unexpected ways—beetroot with bergamot, parsnip with miso—and the wine pairing is meticulously crafted.
It’s culinary art. Quiet. Confident. Belgian.
Even if you think you’ve had your fill of European churches and cathedrals, St. Bavo’s Cathedral is a unique site. While there may be a line, don’t miss viewing the Ghent Alterpiece and learning of it’s lore.
Day Three: Antwerp – Where Fashion, Diamonds, and Chocolate Collide
9:00 a.m. – Transfer to Antwerp + Check-In at Hotel Julien
A short private transfer brings travelers to Antwerp, Belgium’s style capital. Hotel Julien is tucked behind an unassuming façade but opens into minimalist interiors, glass walkways, and a subterranean spa that smells faintly of eucalyptus and oak.
Each room is spare yet sensual—stone sinks, crisp linens, and curated modern art on raw plaster walls.
10:30 a.m. – Designer District and Diamond Row
The Nationalestraat is Antwerp’s answer to Paris’s Rue Saint-Honoré. Flagship stores for Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, and Raf Simons showcase Belgian fashion’s distinctive voice: intellectual, deconstructed, and achingly chic.
Nearby, the Diamond District offers behind-the-scenes access to the world’s most tightly guarded trade. Private appointments can be arranged through vetted dealers.
12:30 p.m. – Lunch at Graanmarkt 13
Equal parts restaurant, gallery, and concept store, Graanmarkt 13 is where Antwerp’s creative elite gather. The food is organic, seasonal, and beautiful without being fussy. Highlights include Jerusalem artichoke risotto, venison tartare, and desserts that arrive in hand-thrown ceramic bowls.
Upstairs, the boutique sells everything from hand-loomed throws to minimalist Belgian skincare.
2:00 p.m. – Royal Museum of Fine Arts (KMSKA)
Recently reopened after an extensive renovation, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp houses works by Rubens, Ensor, and Magritte, alongside modern pieces in light-filled galleries. The space itself is stunning—a seamless blend of historic grandeur and cutting-edge design.
Private viewings can be arranged for art aficionados and collectors.
4:00 p.m. – Spa + Final Shopping
Back at Hotel Julien, a deep-tissue massage followed by a Finnish sauna allows time to rest before dinner. For last-minute indulgence, St. Charles Antiques and MoMu (the fashion museum and concept shop) offer unique finds.
7:30 p.m. – Dinner at The Jane
The trip concludes with a feast at The Jane, a two-star Michelin experience housed in a deconsecrated chapel. With stained glass windows, gothic arches, and an open kitchen framed like a theatrical stage, the restaurant blends sacred and sensual.
Chef Nick Bril’s tasting menu includes dishes like langoustine with fermented tomato, pigeon with burnt citrus, and desserts that involve unexpected herbs and textures. Music hums. Wine flows. The experience is divine.
Don’t miss the Peter Paul Rubens collection at KMSKA
Quick List: Sleep, Savor, and Shop
Sleep
Hotel Van Cleef, Bruges
Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel Reylof, Ghent
Hotel Julien, Antwerp
Eat & Drink
Den Gouden Harynck (Bruges)
Sans Cravate (Bruges)
Pakhuis (Ghent)
Vrijmoed (Ghent)
Graanmarkt 13 (Antwerp)
The Jane (Antwerp)
The Cobbler, 1898 The Post (for drinks)
Do
St. Bavo’s Cathedral + Ghent Altarpiece
Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp (KMSKA)
Canal cruises in Bruges
Lace & chocolate shopping
Designer boutiques in Antwerp
Final Word
Belgium doesn’t shout for attention. She whispers in centuries-old cathedrals, winks through bites of sea-salted chocolate, and invites the traveler to look past first impressions.
For those who crave art, cuisine, and culture—all with just the right amount of polish—Belgium is the refined European getaway they didn’t know they needed.
