Belgium was the second leg of our trip after spending our initial 4 days in the Netherlands. Most of our time was spent in Ghent and Bruges, with the only time being spent in Brussels for traveling to other destinations.
https://www.1898thepost.com
In Ghent, we stayed at a really awesome hotel, 1898 The Post. I’ve attached a link to their website above. It’s the old post office that’s located next to the Saint Michael’s Bridge and Church. Make sure to grab a cocktail at the Cobbler, the bar located inside of the hotel. Ghent is a well preserved city with many cool things to see, including going to the top of the Belfry Tower of Ghent, touring the 10th century Gravensteen Castle. We also spent some time viewing Saint Bravo’s Cathedral.
https://hoteldukespalace.com
We then hoped on a short train ride to Bruges. We stayed at the Hotel Duke’s Palace, the former residence of the Burgundian aristocracy. Another great hotel located near tons of shopping and restaurants. I’ve attached the link to their website above. This was the part of the trip for my wife’s birthday, so our itinerary was a bit more relaxed. Lots of shopping and general sightseeing around the really cool town. One thing I highly recommend, especially those that enjoy sweets, is the Old Chocolate House. They have an old tea room where they serve multiple variations of hot chocolate and waffles. Dinner was at Le Mystique, a multi coursed French meal located inside of the Hotel Heritage. I really enjoyed the slow pace of Bruges. We spent a lot of time drinking beers in the city’s various cafes and bars.