Day Trip to Mechelen & Leuven: Two Cities, One Great Experience

We will meet at Brussels Central Station, where we will take a train to Mechelen - the journey takes only 25 minutes! Once there, we will take a walking tour through the historic center of Mechelen. We will start our walk in the heart of the city: the Grote Markt. In this beautiful square is the monumental Town Hall of Mechelen, on whose facade we will see the sculpture of the most powerful man in Spain (and all of Europe) in the first half of the 16th century. Do you know who it is? We are referring to the great Charles of Habsburg, I of Spain and V of Germany, who was born in Ghent in February 1500.

The City Hall of Mechelen is one of the most prominent buildings in the city and an excellent example of Gothic and Renaissance civil architecture in Belgium.

From the Grote Markt we can also see the gigantic bell tower (98 meters high) of the cathedral of St. Rudolph. As we will see, the tower is unfinished - do you know why? We will find out!

We will continue our tour of Mechelen along with other emblematic buildings of the city such as the Palace of Margaret of Austria: one of the most cultured women of her time and favorite aunt of Charles V.

During the tour, we will also learn about the history of the legendary Van Busleyden Palace and the Dyle, the Mechelen Canal. Very close to these places we will also see the exteriors of the Het Anker brewery: the city's beer brand.

Kazerne Dossin is a historic site with a dark past, located in the city of Mechelen, Belgium. Originally built in the 18th century as a military barracks, its history is deeply intertwined with the events of World War II and the Holocaust.

Before leaving Mechelen, we will leave you 45 minutes for lunch on your own. After refueling in Mechelen, we will take a train to Leuven.

Saint Peter's Church is one of the main places of worship in Leuven, a historic city located in the Flanders region of Belgium.

The City Hall of Leuven is a magnificent example of Brabantine Gothic architecture.

It is known as "the longest bar square in the world" due to the large number of bars and cafés lining its sides. This lively atmosphere makes it a popular meeting spot for both locals and visitors.

On our tour of this picturesque Belgian city in Flanders, we will stroll through its beautiful historic center to admire its most majestic buildings, including the famous University of Leuven (one of the oldest in Europe).

The Groot Begijnhof was founded in the 13th century as a religious community of women known as Beguines.

It is famous for hosting social and cultural events, including student parties, concerts, comedy shows, and other activities related to university life.