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25 August 2018 / 31 Comments

Flanders in Belgium has pleasantly surprised us

Writer: Helena Bergström

Flanders in Belgium has really surprised us positively. The beautiful towns in this region are close together and offer everything from a medieval feel and history to good food, shopping and outdoor activities. We've been so busy with all the things we want to do here that we've had a hard time blogging. Here's a quick greeting from Flanders!

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Flanders in Belgium

Flanders in Belgium, or Vlaanderen as the area is called in Dutch, is the region in Belgium where Dutch (Flemish) is spoken. It is home to the three cities we visit during this trip: Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp.

Flandern i Belgien

This area has really pleasantly surprised us! Both Bruges and Ghent are beautiful cities with charming medieval buildings and long winding canals. The three cities are also close together, making it easy to visit all three.

Brygge i Flandern i Belgien

Flanders also feels safe and it has been easy to find places to park the motorhome overnight. We've stayed at both campsites and caravan parks, and even free camped one night. As soon as we can, we'll list all the places we've stayed in Belgium under "Campsites and pitches in Belgium" in the menu.

Får i Flandern i Belgien
When we went hiking, we woke up in the morning to a line of sheep (and a goat!) strolling past our campervan!

Lovely days in Flanders

We have been (and still are!) really busy during these days. Of course you can take it easy when you are in a city, but at the same time there is so much we want to see and do when we are here. We have found lots of fun things to do in Bruges, and we have also had time to enjoy good food and Belgian beer in restaurants in Ghent.

Peter med öl i Flabdern i Belgien

In addition, we have had time for a lot of other things! In fact, we had so much going on that it became really difficult to blog. Among other things, we have been out on a bike ride! But we will add links to the blog posts below. We can highly recommend visiting Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges!

Cykla i Gent, Flandern i Belgien

Antwerp

The Belgian city of Antwerp is the centre of the diamond trade and diamond processing. It is a port and industrial city and also has a reputation as a city of fashion. As a tourist, you can see Ruben's baroque paintings, visit the diamond museum or perhaps try a beer at the De Koninck brewery.

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Antwerpen staty

Ghent

Ghent in Flanders is a charming and relaxed student city with medieval neighbourhoods and a river running through the city. Ghent is not as famous as classic Bruges, but we think it's just as nice in its own way. Here you can take boat trips on the river, cycle from museum to museum or explore the city's restaurants and delicatessens.

Gent

pier

Bruges is a charming little town in Flanders, Belgium. Here you'll find medieval buildings with narrow alleys and cosy canals where you can take nice boat trips. There's also a local brewery, lots of shops selling Belgian chocolate and a number of interesting museums.

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All our top tips for Belgium. Click on the image!

Info and facts about Flanders in Belgium

  • Country: Belgium
  • Name of the region: Flanders in Swedish, Vlaanderen in Dutch and Flandre in French.
  • Population: 6.5 million (2018)
  • Largest city: Antwerp
  • Provinces and provincial capitals: There are a total of five provinces, each with its own provincial capital. Antwerp (Antwerpen), Brabant (Leuven), Limburg (Hasselt), East Flanders (Gent) and West Flanders (Bruges).
  • Language: Dutch (Flemish)
  • Industries: Car industry (Opel/Vauxhall and Volvo)
  • Sports: Cycling

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FREEDOMtravel Avslut
25 August 2018 6:00
Belgium

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Things to do in Ghent – 16 attractions, experiences and best tips

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Restaurants in Ghent - and local specialities in Belgium

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31 Comments

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  1. Imelda says:

    Great you have it! We have been to both Ghent and Bruges, both charming in different ways.

    25 August 2018 - 9:14

    Reply

  2. Ama de casa says:

    Too bad the sheep passed in the morning - if it had been in the evening, you could have counted them to fall asleep 😉.

    Keep up the good work!

    25 August 2018 - 9:15

    Reply

  3. Husisblogg says:

    Sometimes it is almost wrong to keep up with different blogs, you get so many countries and cities you want to travel to. But of course it is nice to get a lot of tips and the owners' "tip book" is constantly replenished, many summers ahead are saved... So, both me and the owners probably continue to keep up with the blog world...? and thank you for all this.
    Have a nice weekend!

    25 August 2018 - 10:15

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Haha, I understand what you mean! It is difficult to keep up with all the nice destinations! But still rather that you have some on the list to choose from when you get the opportunity! 🙂

      25 August 2018 - 13:18

      Reply

  4. Steve says:

    I understand that you are busy because so am I with just reading about everything you see and do.

    25 August 2018 - 10:23

    Reply

  5. Znogge says:

    Belgium should not be underestimated as a travel destination, but I don't think many people stop there. We have been there a few times and visited Ghent and Antwerp, among other places.

    25 August 2018 - 10:49

    Reply

  6. Ditte says:

    Of course, you want to both see and do things when you are in place and also take in what you experience. Maybe you can do more of the latter when you are back home. All three cities are very nice. It's been a long time since I was here so I'm taking it all in now.
    Keep up the good work.

    25 August 2018 - 13:25

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Sure, it can be tricky to take in everything sometimes when there are a lot of experiences. I think a lot sinks in when you go through pictures afterwards. A bit like experiencing everything again! 🙂

      25 August 2018 - 18:16

      Reply

  7. GeddFish says:

    I got busy in the brain office remembering. I was on a trip to Normandy and know that we also visited Waterloo on the way back. But none of your listed cities, not even close.
    However, on my trip to Brussels, we visited Bruges! Wonderful medieval city. Yes, we Swedes probably like the medieval.
    Fun to follow your pictures! /Gerd

    25 August 2018 - 13:35

    Reply

  8. Lena i Wales says:

    Having spent some time in Flanders, I agree that it is special.

    25 August 2018 - 13:59

    Reply

  9. Rolle o Carina says:

    Imagine how many beautiful experiences the caravanning life gives us!

    Take care and enjoy.....

    25 August 2018 - 17:51

    Reply

  10. Daniela / Discovering The Planet says:

    Also fell in love with Flanders. Loved Bruges and Antwerp is really a culturally colourful city. Will definitely go back :).

    25 August 2018 - 19:01

    Reply

  11. Bara brittiskt says:

    For five years in Belgium, we travelled almost exclusively around Flanders at weekends, although Wallonia with the Ardennes is also beautiful and full of equally good food (and the La Chouffe brewery mmm). It's not just the sea but also the dry humour of the Flemish. However, it was precisely the fact that everything is so densely populated that was one of the reasons why we left in the end. Looking for more space as Swedish-Britons.
    Antwerp as the largest and major port city and diamond centre clearly felt more full of tension than the other small ones but we like all three.

    25 August 2018 - 20:27

    Reply

  12. BP says:

    I understand that you barely have time for the blog. You are certainly not idle, either here in Belgium or in the other countries you have visited. You may well take a holiday from the holiday when you come home then;-)
    Also, I really hope you didn't get stuck in the tram tracks with your bike wheels. I did that once...

    25 August 2018 - 21:10

    Reply

    • Comment by post author

      Helena says:

      Yes, haha, it feels a bit like I need a holiday when I get home. But then I start my second job ... 😉 Did you get stuck in the rails ...? How did it go ...? We actually thought about it and were careful just by the rails.

      25 August 2018 - 23:11

      Reply

  13. Hanneles bokparadis says:

    Can't remember if I've been to Belgium....

    26 August 2018 - 7:08

    Reply

  14. Anna | Boihusbil says:

    We will definitely visit Belgium on the way down in a few weeks. But Brussels can be skipped (we have been there and it was a negative purchase) but look forward to experiencing some smaller cities and maybe the ones you recommend, we have no plans 🙂 What we will do, however, is to buy Neuhaus chocolate! It can not be bought in Sweden and is so heavenly good!

    26 August 2018 - 10:23

    Reply

  15. OnTrip.dk says:

    I fully understand. It is a lovely area in Flanders with lots of beautiful medieval towns. Thank you for the reunion ðŸ™'
    /Annette

    26 August 2018 - 17:13

    Reply

  16. Lindha Älenmark says:

    How wonderful you look to have it! You get even more travel cravings now that everyday life starts here at home and you are travelling 🙂.
    Enjoy!

    27 August 2018 - 12:54

    Reply

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