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 centre of Mechelen. A friendly place where families and friends meet on this sunny Easter Sunday. We let ourselves be carried by the various 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 make the beautiful encounter with little ducklings, just born, splashing and exploring the surroundings.

While strolling through the historic center of Mechelen, one cannot 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-Rombout 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 is the first built with stone in Flanders.

Want to spend a unique night in the heart of Mechelen? We have the perfect address for you: the Martin's Patershof. This 4-star hotel was 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 room, a journey through time under the magnificent vaults and the colorful light play of the preserved stained-glass windows. In addition to sleeping like babies in 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 where you can find a dozen different stalls offering foods from all over the world (Italian, Mexican, Asian, Belgian, etc.), a bar, and a coworking space for the more studious among us.

We enjoyed this beautiful sunny afternoon in the outdoor patio of the Foodmarket to have pre-dinner drinks (Team Mojito) with a bowl of Nachos from Alma Libre. We continued by sharing a pizza from Margherita for dinner.

Turning down a side street, we discover the three charming, colourful houses of the Haverwerf by 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 moored for the night, patiently awaiting tomorrow to take tourists on a voyage across the Dyle through Mechelen. A moment suspended beneath the warm glow of the sunset.

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

📍 Climb to the top of the Saint-Rombaut Tower to admire the 360° panorama of the city and its surroundings. Unfortunately closed during our visit to Malines, remember to check the opening hours to not miss this must-see activity in Malines. 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 walking along the suspended path along the Dyle.

📍 Discover the charming streets of the Small and Large 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 is also the Het Anker Brewery that 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, Malines is easily accessible by bike. This is the option we chose to discover the city during our touring trip in Flanders. A more environmentally friendly (and slightly more athletic) way to travel nearby.

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

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

Malines is easily accessible by train with its station located just a 15-minute walk from the Grand Place. From Brussels, it takes 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 centre of Mechelen (more information on the Visit Mechelen website), so you'll 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 fell in love with Malines and hope to return to explore the city longer. A perfect destination for a city trip with friends or for a romantic weekend.

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