Ever tried 3 cities in 3 days? I spent 3 days in Belgium, sandwiching two days exploring Brussels with a day uncovering the nearby cities of Bruges and Ghent and I loved it!

If there’s one thing you should know about me (if you don’t already), it’s that I love a challenge, be it a career, a boy or a destination itinerary. There are so many different ways to travel, and whilst travelling the world shouldn’t become just a checklist of barely touching down in a city before ticking it off, sometimes dipping your toes into a fast-paced adventure can be exhilarating. This was one of those adventures.

Let’s see a day Bruges & Ghent Belgium roadtrip itinerary

My day in Bruges and Ghent begun with a very early start, 6.15am infact, at which point my eyes were putting up some serious resistance to the daylight that was creeping in through the translucent curtains draping over my window. But with the sudden realisation that a full breakfast spread was waiting for me as part of my stay at The Mercure Hotel I soon found the bounce back in my step…

The combination of fresh air and warm, melted Belgian chocolate waffles gave me a sudden rush of energy as I walked the 3-minute distance that followed to Brussels Midi Station.

With zero confidence that I was purchasing the right ticket, and no one there to reassure me, I headed away from the machines to the assisted ticket counters where they spoke wonderful English and sorted me out.

Top tip: Book your train tickets on thetrainline.com! You can book train tickets all over Europe through the website and app, meaning you don’t get confused like I did at the station! Also, you can save money booking advance tickets.

My day required 3 tickets…

• BRUXXELLES MIDI – BRUGGE (50-60 mins direct) [€16.30]
• BRUGGE – GENT (20-40 mins direct) [€8.70]
• GENT – BRUXXELLES MIDI (30 mins direct) [€11.10]

Note: The trains were much cheaper on my visit in 2016 than they are now! For the day of travel it cost me €18/£14, which was without a student card or railcard (UK saver card), a total bargain when you compare it to the likes of UK transport prices! I’d say now that the prices are still slightly cheaper than the UK.

The trains were clean, spacious, very very frequent on all of the above routes, and punctual. I directed myself solo around Belgium with ease.

One thing I like to do when I’m travelling is navigate around (or at least try to) without the use of my phone. When outside of the UK I don’t like to justify the cost of data roaming and so self navigation is even more appealing. We have become so heavily dependent on technology in an overwhelming percentage of our life, to the point that half the time we totally miss what’s going on around us.

I knew my day was going to be fast paced and I didn’t want to miss a single bit through my phone, so as I walked out of Brugge station, I took a judgement as to which direction I thought the city centre was. I backed it up with a guess at translating the road signs and, to my luck, a 10-minute walk had me in the centre of Bruges.

A sense of both achievement and wonder.

Along the way I rightly translated a few more signs and stopped off at the famous Minnewater Lake (the Lake of Love) which one of you wonderfully recommended to me on Instagram. The lake and it’s surroundings were pretty cloudy and desolate when I arrived, but even so it was a beautiful space for reflection and plenty a friendly runner greeted me as they passed.

As I continued on into the centre from the lake, I passed under castle like arches and over cobbled bridged waterways. The adrenaline of adventure was picking up its pulse through my veins as I was warmly welcomed by Bruges’ beauty.

One of my favourite things about Europe is the diversity of character between the cities in such a small distance.

Bruges was already worlds apart from Brussels and even, to me, had some familiar characteristics from Amsterdam, Holland and Split, Croatia.

Call me a tourist or call me predictable but prior to any trip I like to research (and note) the iconic photos taken in each city along with the ‘must do’s’. Capturing some of those signature experiences/spots as well as a little time to get myself lost, is the perfect combination for me.

I headed first to seek that iconic row of colourful houses that lies in the Main Square. By the time I arrived it was still only 9am and so I had the whole square to myself to take photos and admire the architecture.

Just like in Copenhagen, the colourful houses stole my attention and I instantly begun dreaming about my dream apartment. Big sash windows, raw oak flooring, white walls filled with beautiful quotes, fairy lights adoring the skirting boards, and a mattress with a collection of cosy vintage throws piled on top. One day…

On the opposite side of the square I found the famous Belfort tower which stands at 83 metres tall and hosts 43 melodious bells which rung during my ascent up the 366 steps to the top of the tower. It was a pretty demanding climb but, for those who wished, it allowed for you to stop off along the way and discover the old treasury and the history of this iconic building.

I love ascending towers, mountains or buildings because it provides an element of exercise to my day and you are additionally rewarded with an incredible perspective over a city – win win.

For my first solo adventure, so far, I was doing absolutely fine. When I reached the 360 pano over Bruges from the top of The Belfry I got talking to a man and his wife who then kept me company the whole way down. They were visiting for the day also as part of a European trip from Canada, to celebrate their 30th Wedding anniversary. After listening to his recent adventure on Vancouver Island, Canada, by the time I reached the bottom I had a firmly cemented addition to my bucket list and a grand smile on my face.

A simple bit of human interaction and an absence of technology can bring incredible freedom.

One thing that made these 3 cities in 3 days a lot easier (on my stomach) was the overlapping of the ‘must try’ delicacies.

Belgium as a whole is famous for its waffles, chocolate, beer, frites and mussels, so, as much as I happily would have, I didn’t need to try them ALL in each city, cutting each ‘to do’ list slightly.

One thing I did insist on though was a hot chocolate shop that had cropped up a few times in my online research of Bruges.

Everyone in Bruges seemed to know this place, making my self-navigation a lot easier. After a 5-minute walk through the beautiful lanes of Bruges, I arrived at The Old Chocolate House.