Antwerp to Mechelen and Leuven: Private day trip

Settled since the Gallo-Roman era, Mechelen was given town rights in the 14th century, which started a rivalry with Antwerp that would last for the next 600 years. Over its long history, it was home to the likes of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and Anne Boleyn, and today is the seat of Belgium’s archbishop. The charming marketplatz is surrounded by beautiful baroque buildings and dominated by the UNESCO-listed Gothic cathedral. Visitors can brave the tower’s 500 steps for stupendous views of the city, or just enjoy the church’s exceptional artwork, which includes paintings by van Dyck and Rubens. The nearby town hall has cleverly combined the old council hall, cloth hall, and UNESCO-listed belfry into one building. The third UNESCO site is the charming Groot Begijnhof - a neighborhood built between the 13th and 16th centuries expressly to provide a community for religious women.

It’s said the red and white on Leuven’s coat of arms represents the blood-stained shores of the river Dyle after King Arnulf of Carinthia defeated a Viking army here in 891. Many of the city’s main landmarks were built in the 15th century, such as the amazing Town Hall, which is covered in statues of local historical figures. Across the square, stands the the imposing 15th century St. Peter’s Church, which, thanks to its UNESCO-listed bell-towers, was the tallest building in the world when it was built. Inside, visitors will find exceptional artwork dating back to the 15th century, the highlight of which is Dirk Bouts' famous painting of the last supper. The city’s other UNESCO World Heritage Site is the unusual Groot Begijnhof, a neighborhood built in the 13th century expressly for religious women. Most of the beautiful red-brick buildings in this idyllic quarter were built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Then, of course, there's the Stella Artois brewery - a landmark in its own right for beer lovers, which offers visitors with fascinating two-hour tour. You'll want to increase your stop time to 150 minutes and book tickets in advance at https://www.breweryvisits.com