Things to Do Near Antwerp: Day-Trip Picks

September 2, 2026

Things to Do Near Antwerp: Day-Trip Picks

Antwerp’s real advantage as a base is the map around it. Stay near Antwerpen-Centraal and a whole set of Belgian towns opens up on direct trains, none needing a timed ticket booked ahead. This guide is about what to do beyond the city itself, sorted so you can pick by the kind of day you want rather than by distance alone.

For canals and guildhouses: Ghent

Ghent sits 46 minutes to just over an hour away, roughly €9-14 one way, and it delivers a full canal-and-guildhouse day with a fraction of Bruges’ coach crowds. Walk the Graslei and Korenlei waterfronts, climb into Gravensteen castle, and see the Van Eyck brothers’ altarpiece inside St Bavo’s Cathedral. It is a working university city, so it keeps a local pulse behind the postcard.

For medieval drama: Bruges

Bruges runs 1h25-1h35, roughly €14-19 one way, the longest Belgian leg from Antwerp. The Markt, the canal loop, and the 366-step Belfry climb are the payoff, but the town saturates by midday with day groups, so take the first or last train to see it calmer.

For a short, cheap hop: Mechelen

Mechelen is only 17-20 minutes out, €6-9 one way, with trains every 8-15 minutes. St Rumbold’s Cathedral and its carillon anchor a compact old town you can do in a morning, which makes it the easiest add-on to a short Antwerp stay.

For the capital: Brussels

Brussels is 45-48 minutes away, €9-11 one way, on the most frequent service of the set. The Grand-Place is free to stand in; add one paid sight, the Atomium or the Magritte Museum, for a half-day there and back.

For the sea: Ostend and the coast

Ostend takes 1h34-1h45, €18-27 one way, for a North Sea beach-and-promenade day. The Kusttram runs the length of the coast to belle-époque resort towns like De Haan. This one only makes sense in good weather, roughly May through September.

Lille, France (1h30-2h, €20+) is a genuine border crossing, so carry a passport or EU ID card if you chase its old town and Sunday flea market.

For all these ranked by cost, see the Antwerp Belgium base guide ; for the city sights that anchor day one, the things to do in Antwerp guide covers the centre. To plan the sequence, the 5 day Belgium itinerary pairs one trip with each day. Book the Bruges Belfry ahead; it is the only ticket here that sells out.