Visiting Mechelen in 24 hours: our must-sees and things 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 by the different paths of the Botanical Garden of Mechelen and stroll between the lawns, the various water features and the herb garden. On the edge of a pond, we will make the wonderful encounter of little ducklings, just hatched, splashing 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 was renovated 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.

Malines is a city overflowing with activities and places to see. In our 24 hours there, we didn't have time to see everything the city offers. We recommend going for a whole weekend to fully enjoy Malines. Here's a list of activities and places we want to do during a future visit to Malines:

📍 Climb to the top of Saint-Rombaut Tower to admire the 360° panoramic view of the city and surrounding areas. Unfortunately closed during our visit to Malines, be sure to check the opening hours so you don't miss this essential Malines activity. 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 water by taking the suspension walkway along the Dyle river.

📍 Discover the charming alleyways of the Small and Big Béguinages of Malines, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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

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

Located between Brussels and Antwerp, Malines is easily accessible by bike. This is the option we chose to discover the city during our itinerant trip through Flanders. A more environmentally friendly (and slightly more athletic) way to travel near home.

From Brussels, you'll need to cycle less than thirty kilometers to reach Malines.

From Leuven, we tested a great 45-kilometer bike ride along waterways and the canal connecting the two cities. This route is offered by Martin's Hotel, which has an establishment in each of the cities.

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

An alternative for those without a car or who 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 likely seen that we fell in love with Malines and hope to return to explore the city more. A perfect destination for a city trip with friends or for a romantic weekend.

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