Quick Getaways: Belgium: A Sweet Getaway
£1,235pp
Itinerary
Short but incredibly sweet, this 3-day mini-cruise shows off tiny Belgium’s oversized charms from medieval streets and romantic canals to world-class museums and mouthwatering chocolates. Board your ship in London right next to HMS Belfast (Tower Bridge), one of the most exclusive cruise ports in the world just across the Thames from the Tower of London. We’ll cross the English Channel to Ostend, the sea port for Bruges, one of Europe’s most charming medieval towns and once the most important trading post of Germany’s powerful Hanseatic League. Every corner you turn you find a new postcard image: centuries-old gabled buildings, romantic canals crossed by graceful stone bridges, historic windmills with wings still spinning. The whole center of the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and our late evening departure gives you time to explore. Next, we’ll make our way up the River Scheldt to Antwerp, a small-ship exclusive port where we’ll dock within walking distance of the main squares and shopping. Antwerp is the unofficial capital of Dutch-speaking Flanders. This city has its own share of historic guildhalls and churches, but it’s also replete with modern architecture, museums filled with Flemish masters, and small, cozy beer cafes and chocolateries. Plenty to fill every hour until we head back across the Channel to London.
Day to Day Itinerary
| Date | Country | Port | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | England | London Tower Bridge | |
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London, one of the world's top destinations, is a city begging to be explored. Steeped in history, the well-known sites of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Trafalgar Square beckon, or get a modern perspective from the top of the London Eye. This cosmopolitan city offers all the world cuisines you're used to, but there are still places to find traditional British fare like bangers and mash or shepherds' pie. |
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| Day 2 | Belgium | Antwerp | |
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Diamonds, beer, waffles, chocolate. What's not to like? Thanks to its success at monopolizing world trade in the 16th century the city boasts beautiful architecture, from ornately designed churches and cathedrals to the stylish guild houses fronting the market square. It's easy to see why the city attracted artists like Rubens, Van Dyck and Jordaens. The old medieval fortress by the river, Het Steen, opened as the new cruise terminal in 2021. The train station is also worth a look with its mix of styles, from an Art Nouveau façade to Roman columns to a contemporary steel-and-glass dome. |
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| Day 3 | Belgium | Brugge (Bruges) | |
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This popular beach resort draws thousands of Belgians and British daytrippers for its sun, sailing, surfing, and casino. As a busy ferry port for more than 150 years, Oostende also provides quick access to Bruges and Ghent, two of Belgium's most attractive destinations. |
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| Day 4 | England | London Tower Bridge | |
|
London, one of the world's top destinations, is a city begging to be explored. Steeped in history, the well-known sites of Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, and Trafalgar Square beckon, or get a modern perspective from the top of the London Eye. This cosmopolitan city offers all the world cuisines you're used to, but there are still places to find traditional British fare like bangers and mash or shepherds' pie. |
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