Belgium Beer, Food, Walking & Cultural Adventure

“It was great. Thought we got way more than our money’s worth with the amount of food & drinks included in the tour. It makes me want to use Taste Vacations for our next trip.” -Belgium Beer Tour Guest

Please Note: We may need to adjust our itinerary to accommodate any changes that may have occurred with local establishments over the pandemic. We will keep you informed of these changes and promise to find equal or better experiences if needed.

Private Tour Bookings

• Private Tours are available to book with your own group on any date you choose, given guide and lodging availability
• Please note –  Our pricing is based on double occupancy lodging. If upon finalizing your private trip, your group has a solo traveler in a room without a roommate, the single supplement becomes mandatory. This amount will differ depending on the itinerary. Please contact our tour operations team for more details.
• Customizations to the above itinerary are possible with additional per person fees

Let's Plan Your Private Tour

Day 1: Brussels

Welcome to Belgium! Home of delicious fries, waffles, and of course, beer!

We meet in the early afternoon in the lobby of our hotel in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the country’s biggest city. We’ll depart for our first walk, a 4 kilometer (2.5 mile) stroll through the streets of the city. We’ll see all the major highlights of the city, such as the UNESCO-listed Grand Palace, the silly but historic Manneken Pis statue, and the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. Enroute, we’ll stop at Maison Dandoy, a famous waffle shop operated by the Dandoy family since 1829 – that is almost 100 years of selling the light, crispy treats for which Belgium is known. This evening, we’ll dine in the city center on traditional Belgium cuisine, which often includes those magical frites (French Fries), which are fried once to cook the inside and then fried a second time to create that crispy outside, in the traditional method that makes them oh so delicious.

Walking Distance: 4 kilometers or 2.5 miles

Day 2

After breakfast at our hotel, we will check out, walk to the train station, and transfer by train to Mechelen. Using the train is how most Europeans typically travel for short and medium distances and we will make use of this convenient mode of transportation, both for convenience and so we can do as the locals do. Arriving in Mechelen, we’ll take the bus two kilometers to our hotel to drop off our luggage and then embark on a 6 kilometer (3.7 mile) walk in this town. Never heard of Mechelen? This is one of the reasons we love visiting. Mechelen is a small city full of charm that is typically Belgium. We can climb the St. Rombouts Cathedral tower; sample local cheeses, coffee, and Belgium cookies along the way; and possibly take time to visit the Hof van Busleyden museum if we are so inclined. Dinner tonight is again at a Belgian restaurant in town.

Walking Distance: 6 kilometers or 3.7 miles

Day 3

Today, after a leisurely breakfast and a morning on your own, we’ll start with a 1-hour boat trip on the Dyle, Mechelen’s lifeblood. The river runs right through the heart of town, and from the water, you can see Mechelen from a fresh perspective.

What’s better than a boat ride? A beer after a boat ride! We’ll head back to our hotel for a private brewery tour at Het Anker, followed by a beer-paired dinner —a unique experience you can really only find in Belgium.

Walking Distance: 2 Kilometers or 1.2 Miles

Day 4

Today is another move day so we’ll check out and use public transport (both bus and train) to reach the city of Dendermonde, about an hour’s journey away. Reaching the city, we’ll take a final bus into town to drop off luggage at our downtown hotel. Then it is off to see the town. We’ll start with a visit of the gothic town hall, the historic cloth hall, and the belfry tower which we can climb for incredible views of the surrounding area. We’ll stroll along the Schelde river, stopping to sample cheese, chocolate, vol-au-vent (a hollow puff pastry case filled with a savory or sweet mixture) and beer along the way. Tonight, you’ll have dinner on your own, and you can dine on hearty Flemish stews or river fish dishes if you wish.

Walking Distance: 4 Kilometers or 2.5 Miles

Day 5

Today we’ll relieve ourselves of our luggage as we have it transferred to our next stop, the city of Gent. As our luggage is transferred, we’ll walk the 1.3 kilometers from our hotel to the train station and take the train 25 minutes to one of Belgium’s finest and most renowned cities. Gent (or Ghent) boasts a medieval skyline of towers and spires reflected in canals. Even the station in Gent (Gent-Sint-Pieters) is worth seeing, but we’ll continue on from there with a walking of about five kilometers, seeing the highlights of the city. This includes Gravensteen Castle and the stunning St. Bavo’s Cathedral with its Van Eyck masterpiece, but just as fun is hanging out in one of the many central squares and watching the Belgian people (and tourists) as they go about their daily business. You’ll have time to explore Gent a bit on your own for lunch or shopping and we’ll also stop to try some of the local delicacies, such as the cuberdon candy.

Tonight, we will dine together at a local brasserie and cheers to another fabulous day in Belgium!

Walking Distance: 6 Kilometers or 3.7 Miles

Day 6

We don’t need to check out, so we’ll enjoy a leisurely breakfast. We’ll gather before lunch and depart for a local hands-on cooking class, where we’ll make classic dishes such as roasted garden vegetables, witloof, stoverij, vol-au-vent, waterzooi, or roast chicken. The rest of the afternoon is yours to enjoy. If you’re up for it and want to walk off lunch, we’ll take bus number 12 to the town of Drongen, only about 20 minutes away, and walk along the Old Lyss river. We’ll continue our walk through the De Assels and Rasdambeekvallei nature preserves and take time to pass by Borluut Castle. Gent is such an amazing city that we’ll be able to feast and celebrate our final night in Belgium by visiting one of the many excellent restaurants for dinner and cheersing to our final meal together!

Walking Distance:  3 / 1.2 Miles or more optional

Day 7: Farewell

It is time to say goodbye, but let’s make it a “sweet” one with a chocolate tasting at Holy Cow chocolates. Owners Luca and Ellen brew some delicious cocoa-based treats and if they are available we can do a tasting tailored for our group. It is then back to the hotel to check out before departing for your onward journey.

Why Choose This Tour

This Belgium walking tour is ideal for travelers who love:

• Food, beer, and chocolate – indulging in world-class flavors.
• Culture and history – exploring cities beyond the usual tourist spots.
• Authentic local life – experiencing Belgium as locals live it.
• Small-group travel – intimate, personalized, and flexible.

NIGHT 1  THE DOMINICAN / BRUSSELS
Located in a centuries old building that was originally the site of a Dominican monastery (hence the name), our hotel is right in the walking center of Brussels. It boasts modern comforts, including a bar for relaxing and a gym for working out.

NIGHTS 2 & 3 HET ANKER / MECHELEN
Het Anker is an unusual hotel in that it is located in an active brewery and distillery – perhaps for a visit to Belgium, so famous for its beer. But regardless of your stance on beer, the hotel has all the comforts you expect and is located a short ten-minute walk to the city center.

NIGHT 4 BOUTIQUE HOTEL MARIE MARIE / DENDERMONDE
A building with loads of history now houses a brand new, family-run hotel. So good (the hotel gets great ratings) they named it twice! Plus, as always, we’ll be situated right in the heart of the small city of Dendermonde.

NIGHTS 5 & 6 HOTEL HARMONY / GHENT
Located on the river, in the oldest district of Ghent, our hotel for the night offers cozy elegance. It is the perfect location to wander the bustling streets of one of our favorite cities. The four-star hotel is located in three historic buildings, gets outstanding traveler reviews, and features excellent modern comforts.

Please note: Hotels are subject to availability.  If listed hotel is not available at time of tour, a hotel that is equal or better to the original will be secured.