Belgium is one of the easiest countries in Europe for travelling alone.
It is compact, trains are frequent and reliable, and most cities are small enough to explore on foot. You can cover a lot of ground in just a week. Add world‑class art, Gothic architecture, waffles and beer, and you have a trip that works well whether you are a first‑time solo traveller or a seasoned pro.
I have been travelling to the Low Countries for years, and it is one of the destinations I return to most. This guide covers everything you know about solo travel in Belgium: the best places to visit, how to get around, what to eat and drink, and a few notes on safety.
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Why Belgium is Perfect for Solo Travel
Let me count the reasons.
Belgium is small — roughly the size of Wales — which means you can base yourself in one city and day-trip to almost anywhere in the country. The rail network is one of Europe’s best: frequent, fast and inexpensive for point-to-point journeys. English is widely spoken, particularly in Flanders (the Dutch-speaking north), and most cities feel comfortable walking around, even in the evening.
But what draws me back is the sheer density of things to see. Belgium has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in the world. It has Flemish Primitive paintings that will stop you in your tracks, medieval belfries you can climb for views across the flat lowlands, and beer that monasteries have been brewing since the Middle Ages.
Solo travellers also benefit from something less tangible: Belgians are refreshingly unbothered by people eating or drinking alone. Pulling up a stool at a café bar, ordering a Trappist beer and watching the world go past is not merely acceptable here; it verges on a national pastime.
How Long to Spend in Belgium
A week is the sweet spot. You can base yourself in Ghent or Brussels and take day trips, or split your time between the two.
If you prefer to unpack once, Ghent has a relaxed feel and good-value accommodation. Brussels is central and has the widest choice of trains.
For inspiration, take a look at my 1-week Belgium itinerary.
Getting Around Belgium by Train
If one thing makes Belgium exceptional for solo travel, it is the train network. SNCB (the national rail operator, known as NMBS in Dutch) connects almost every town and city worth visiting.
Tickets and fares: Belgium uses a distance-based pricing system. For visitors, tickets are bought point-to-point. There is no advance-booking discount for domestic journeys (unlike the UK), so the price is the same whether you book the day before or at the machine. Trains within Belgium do not require seat reservations.
The SNCB app makes buying and storing tickets straightforward. Download it here before you travel.
Weekend travel: Fares are lower at weekends, making this an excellent time to tick off day trips.
Seniors (65+): Pay a very modest flat-rate fare on standard trains, one of the best deals in European rail.
Key journey times from Brussels:
- Ghent: 35 minutes
- Leuven: 25 minutes
- Bruges: 55 minutes
- Tournai: 60 minutes
- Ostend: 70 minutes
- Namur: 65 minutes
The Best Places to Visit Solo in Belgium
Ghent
Ghent is one of the best bases for a solo trip. The pace is relaxed without being sleepy.
It has everything Bruges has — canals, medieval gabled houses, a magnificent belfry, world-class Flemish art — but doesn’t feel like it’s preserved under glass for tourists. Ghent is a working city, home to one of Europe’s great universities, and the difference shows in every café and bookshop.
Hit the city’s highlights, including Graslei, Korenlei, Gravensteen and St. Bavo’s Cathedral, on my Ghent self-guided walking tour.
My top solo tip: Dive into Belgium’s beer culture and meet other solo travellers on this evening walking tour. I had enormous fun, tasting five types of Belgian beer in three bars.
Bruges
Bruges is popular for good reason.
Its cobbled streets, canals and historic squares are easy to explore on foot. Climb the Belfry, visit the Basilica of the Holy Blood and wander away from the busiest streets for quieter corners. And don’t get me started on Bruges’ chocolate shops.
Bruges works well as a day trip from Ghent or Brussels.
Brussels
Brussels wouldn’t be my favourite city in Belgium, but it has unbeatable transport links and is a cosmopolitan, multilingual place.
The Grand Place is one of the most striking squares in Europe, and the Art Nouveau architecture is a highlight. The museums around Mont des Arts are excellent and, as a solo traveller, you will find plenty of cafés where you can linger without feeling rushed.
Hit the ground running with my 1-day Brussels itinerary.
Leuven
Leuven is 25 minutes from Brussels by train, yet bypassed by most visitors, which is precisely why it belongs on your itinerary.
This is a university city with a youthful feel, with one of the most ornate town halls in Belgium. Check out the superb late-Gothic paintings in St Peter’s Church, explore the narrow lanes of the UNESCO-listed Grand Beguinage (Groot Begijnhof), or take time out in Belgium’s oldest botanical garden.
I have a full guide to Leuven here.
Hasselt
Gin-loving solo travellers should beat a path to Hasselt. It is the jenever (Belgian gin) capital of the country, and home to the National Jenever Museum.
Hasselt is also known for its fashion museum and the Japanse Tuin Hasselt, the largest Japanese garden of its kind in Europe. It is an excellent choice if you want somewhere quieter that still has enough to fill a day, and pairs well with Leuven or Mechelen.
I have a full post on what to see in Hasselt here
Dinant
Dinant is the birthplace of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, and one of the most photographed places in Belgium. The town clings to the banks of the Meuse, squeezed between the river and a near-vertical limestone cliff, with the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame pressed against the cliff face and the Dinant Citadel looming above.
But my vote goes to crossing the river and heading uphill to the Maison Leffe. Housed in a former abbey, this small museum is dedicated to Leffe beer, and your visit ends with a tasting in the garden overlooking the valley.
Dinant is on the regional train line from Namur (you can visit both cities in one day). I have written this guide to spending a day in Dinant.
Namur
Don’t write off Namur as merely a transit stop. As I discovered on a two-night stay, the so-called gateway to the Ardennes has enough to keep you occupied for at least a day.
The Namur Citadel, perched above the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers, is one of Belgium’s most impressive fortifications. For my money, the views from its ramparts over the two rivers and the wooded hills of the Ardennes beyond are among the most satisfying in the country.
The Old Town is filled with vintage shops and small museums, and I loved hunting down Namur’s quirky sculptures. Plan your time there with my guide to what to do in Namur.
Tournai
I was lured to Tournai by its UNESCO-listed Cathedral of Our Lady, one of Belgium’s oldest, but it is more than a one-trick pony.
This is the country’s oldest city, inhabited since Roman times and the first capital of the Frankish Empire. The Belfry of Tournai dates from 1188 and is also UNESCO-listed. Le Pont des Trous — a 13th-century fortified bridge spanning the Scheldt — is one of the city’s most photogenic corners and unsung outside Belgium.
You can easily explore Tournai in a day, and it works well as a stop on a journey between Bruges and the Wallonian cities further south.
Ostend
Ostend is a palate cleanser between Belgium’s medieval cities: a wide sandy beach, exceptional seafood, Belle Époque townhouses, a strong art scene and the Crystal Ship. This permanent city-wide collection of giant murals by international street artists is perfect for anyone with a weakness for urban art.
Ostend is also the starting point for the Kusttram, the tram that runs 68 km along the Belgian coast from De Panne in the west to Knokke in the east. Buy a day pass to hop on and off at will.
I have a dedicated guide to Ostend here.
Other Places Worth Visiting
- Mechelen – between Brussels and Antwerp, and a rewarding half-day stop. The 97-metre Sint-Romboutstoren is another UNESCO belfry. Kazerne Dossin — a Holocaust museum built on the site of a former SS transit camp — is one of the most sobering museums in Belgium.
- Antwerp – Belgium’s second city has a railway station that is one of Europe’s great buildings, a diamond district like nowhere else on earth and a food and drink scene that gives Brussels a run for its money.
What to Eat and Drink
Belgian food may not be fashionable, but it is very good.
Moules-frites is the national dish: mussels cooked in white wine, celery and cream, served in the pot, accompanied by a pile of chips. Best eaten in a brasserie with a paper tablecloth and a cold beer.
The frites are thick-cut chips, double-fried traditionally in beef dripping, served in a paper cone. Try them from a proper frituur (chip shop) and don’t hold back on the mayonnaise.
Belgian waffles come in two varieties. The Brussels waffle is rectangular, lighter and usually eaten warm with toppings. The Liège waffle is denser, sweeter and made with pearl sugar that caramelises on the iron. Eaten warm from a street stall, this is one of the great European fast foods.
Belgian chocolate is exceptional when bought from a real chocolatier like Neuhaus, Leonidas or Pierre Marcolini.
Belgian beer is a subject that fills entire books, and rightly so. Belgium produces over 1,500 beers: complex dark Trappist ales brewed by monks (Chimay, Rochefort, Westvleteren), sharp fruity lambics and gueuzes, golden ales and wheat beers.
Belgium is one of the easiest countries in Europe for eating out alone.
Brasseries — the backbone of Belgian restaurant culture — welcome solo diners without fanfare. A stool at the bar or a single-person table is never awkward. For fast, cheap and excellent food, most cities have at least one frituur, and the prices are extremely reasonable.
Is Belgium Safe for Solo Travellers?
Belgium ranks well on European safety indices and is, in general, a very safe destination for solo travellers of all genders. But there are a few caveats:
Brussels requires more awareness than Bruges or Ghent. The area around Brussels-Midi station and parts of Molenbeek have higher crime rates and are best avoided after dark.
Pickpockets operate in busy tourist areas, particularly around the Grand Place and on the Brussels metro. Use a crossbody bag and stay alert in crowds.
Outside the capital, Belgium is safe. Bruges, Ghent, Leuven, Ostend and the Wallonian cities are all places where you can walk after dark without significant concern. As with any destination, take the usual solo travel safety precautions.
Where to Stay in Belgium for Solo Travellers
Ghent is my personal recommendation as a base for a first trip ( I enjoyed my stay in Snooz Ap Holiday & Business Flats). It is central, well-connected by rail, has a wide range of accommodation from hostels to boutique hotels, and is an excellent city to come home to each evening (I have put together this guide on where to stay in Ghent).
Brussels makes sense if you want to maximise day-tripping across a wide area, or if the EU institutions and major museums are the priority. It has the greatest range of accommodation at all price points. I have stayed in and can recommend Hotel Le Dixseptième.
Bruges is worth one or two nights purely for the atmosphere, but accommodation is expensive relative to comparable Belgian cities.
Practical Tips for Solo Travel in Belgium
Language: Belgium has three official languages: Dutch (Flemish) in the north, French in Wallonia and German in a small eastern strip. Brussels is officially bilingual. English is widely spoken throughout the country.
Currency: Belgium uses the euro.
Getting a SIM card: An EU roaming plan from most UK or European providers covers Belgium. If you’re travelling from outside Europe, buy an eSIM (I use Airlo)
When to visit: May to September brings the best weather for outdoor sightseeing. July and August draw the biggest crowds to Bruges in particular.
April, May and September are sweet spots: good weather, manageable crowds. December is superb if Christmas markets are your motivation; Brussels and Bruges both have excellent ones.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.