Visit Malines in 24h: our must-sees to see and to do.

The Botanical Garden or Kruidtuin (in the local language) is the largest park in the city center of Mechelen. A friendly place where families and friends meet on this sunny Easter Sunday. We let ourselves be carried away by the different paths of the Botanical Garden of Mechelen and stroll between the lawns, the different water features, and the herb garden. On the edge of a pond, we will have a wonderful encounter with small ducklings, newly born, paddling and exploring the surroundings.

While wandering through the historic center of Mechelen, you can't miss its Grand Place (Grote Markt). Composed of typical small houses with magnificent facades from various eras (Renaissance and Rococo), this pedestrian square is overlooked by the imposing Saint-Rombouts Tower, which can be seen throughout the city with its 97 meters in height. Opposite the tower stands the Town Hall. Gothic in style, it was the first built with Flemish stone.

Want to spend an unusual night in the heart of Mechelen? We have the perfect address for you: the Martin's Patershof. This 4-star hotel has been converted from an old church, bringing a touch of modernity while preserving the architectural heritage of the place.

We stayed in one of their Exceptional Plus rooms, a journey through time under the magnificent vaults and the colourful light plays of the preserved stained-glass windows. In addition to sleeping like babies on soft and comfortable bedding, we relaxed in the hot tub of the room.

The next morning, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast (with cava 🥂) served buffet-style in the former choir of the church where one can still admire the original altar.

De Vleeshalle is the former covered market of Mechelen. Today, renovated, it hosts a Foodmarket with a dozen different stalls offering food from around the world (Italian, Mexican, Asian, Belgian, etc.), a bar, and a coworking space for those of us who like to study.

We enjoyed this beautiful sunny late afternoon in the outdoor patio of the Foodmarket to have an aperitif (Team Mojito) with a bowl of Nachos from Alma Libre. We continued on our way by sharing a pizza from Margherita for dinner.

Around a corner, we discover the three charming colored houses of the Haverwerf on the banks of the Dyle. From right to left, we have “Le Petit Paradis” (Het Paradijkse), “Les Petits Diables” (De Duiveltjes), and the Saint-Joseph house.

On the other side of the bridge, a few small boats parked for the night, patiently awaiting tomorrow to take tourists on a cruise through the waters of the Dyle in Mechelen. A moment suspended under the warm lights of the sunset.

Mechelen is a city full of activities and places to see. In our 24 hours spent there, we didn't have time to see everything the city has to offer. We advise you to go for a whole weekend to fully enjoy Mechelen. Here is the list of activities and places we want to do during a next stay in Mechelen:

📍 Climb to the top of the Saint Rumbold's Tower to admire the 360° panorama of the city and the surrounding area. Unfortunately closed during our visit to Mechelen, remember to check the opening hours so you don't miss this must-do activity in Mechelen. Prices: €8 per adult • €3 from 4 to 26 years old • 20% discount for families (1&2 adults with 1 to 4 children).

📍 Walk on the water by exploring the suspended path along the Dyle.

📍 Discover the charming streets of the small and large Beguinage of Mechelen, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

📍 The Ursuline Winter Garden (Wintertuin), an architectural masterpiece of Art Nouveau located about ten kilometers from the city center. Prices: €12 per adult • Free for children up to 12 years old.

📍 For beer lovers, there is also the Het Anker Brewery which opens its doors to discover the production of the local beer "Gouden Carolus". Prices: €9 per adult (with 2 beers or 1 soft drink included) • €2 per child (up to 12 years old).

Located between Brussels and Antwerp, Mechelen is easily accessible by bike. This is the option we chose to discover the city during our road trip in Flanders. A more ecological (and a little more sporty) way to travel close to home.

From Brussels, you will have to cycle less than thirty kilometers to reach Mechelen.

From Leuven, we tested a nice bike ride of 45 kilometers along waterways and the canal connecting the 2 cities. This latter is offered by Martin's Hotel which has an establishment in each of the cities.

Mechelen is easily accessible by train with its station just a 15-minute walk from the Grand Place. From Brussels, it will take you between 20 and 30 minutes to reach Mechelen with departures approximately every 15 minutes. There are also routes from Leuven (± 30 min), Antwerp (± 20 min), Ottignies (± 1h), Namur (± 1h30) and any other Belgian city.

An alternative for those who do not own a car or want to reduce their ecological footprint. 🌿

Cars are not welcome in the city center of Mechelen (more information on the visitmechelen website), so you will need to park in one of the city's car parks and put on your most comfortable shoes to walk across the cobblestones and admire the more than 360 listed buildings of Mechelen.

If you've made it this far, you've seen that we've fallen under the charm of Mechelen and that we hope to go back to discover the city for longer. A perfect destination for a city-trip with friends or to spend a romantic weekend.

So, convinced to choose Mechelen as your next destination? ⛪️ 🌿