The Best Things To Do In Mechelen, Belgium

The under-visited Belgian city of Mechelen is a historic gem with world-class museums, award-winning beer and canal-side charm. Here’s our pick of the best things to do in Mechelen.

Flemish art, cosy brown bars, silky chocolate.

Just a few of the things Belgium has given the world. The unassuming star with them all is Mechelen.

Boasting the world’s favourite dark beer, Belgium’s most important cathedral and state-of-the-art museums, it’s surprising Mechelen has remained somewhat of a secret on the well-worn trails connecting Brussels and the amazing things to do in Antwerp.

And it’s a good thing, too.

While the canal-side streets don’t have the popular gleam of Mechelen’s neighbours, they do have something equally as appealing: quiet authenticity.

These are real streets with real brown bars.

Tiny in scale but punching well above its weight, Mechelen has a confident style that seems to be continually reinventing itself. Old disused buildings have been re-purposed with modern purpose, and friendly people embrace its eventful past.

Here’s what we loved about Mechelen.

HOW TO GET TO MECHELEN

Mechelen is conveniently located just 30 kilometres from Brussels and 27 kilometres from Antwerp.

There are excellent rail connections from both, making Mechelen a great option for a quick getaway. The close proximity makes it a great day trip from Brussels.

BY TRAIN

International high-speed trains connect Brussels to many destinations in France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Check prices and timetables with Thalys. If you’re coming from London, Eurostar will get you to Brussels in 2 hours, where you can easily connect to Mechelen on the same ticket. From Brussels, it’s around 20 minutes by train to Mechelen.

BY AIR

Brussels International Airport is the closest airport to Mechelen and it has daily flights from many European destinations.

A very convenient train service will whisk you from the airport to Mechelen in 11 minutes (€7). Check timetables at Belgian Train.

WHAT TO DO IN MECHELEN, BELGIUM

1. CLIMB ST RUMBOLD’S TOWER

Throughout its history, St Rumbold’s Cathedral has weathered every storm thrown at it.

In the 16th century, religious conflicts saw precious items plundered mercilessly. During the 17th century, Calvinist rule stripped the building of any hints of its Catholic roots.

Later, in the 20th century, the Second World War left deep scars, only to be erased by a massive fire 30 years later.

But today, St Rumbold’s stands tall and proud. Just not as tall as it should have.

The original plans included a dramatic 130-metre tower soaring into the heavens. Sadly, the plans were never completed, so the current 97-metre tower was left with an unusually flat roof.

Foiled plans aside, a climb up the 538 steps is one of the most exhilarating things to do in Mechelen.

On the way up, catch a breath at the Crane Chamber. It houses a massive human-powered wheel used to haul stones and wood up for the tower’s construction.

A little further is the Carillon Chamber. Here, the 49 bells can be heard ringing melodically whenever the carillonneur is at his keyboard.

But the real highlight is the skywalk. The views from the modern glass structure provide the perfect vantage point to take in the scenic old town of this delightful city.

2. WANDER THE HOF VAN BUSLEYDEN MUSEUM

Archduchess Margaret of Austria had a successful royal career.

She was Duchess of Savoy, Princess of Asturia and Regent of the Low Countries. Under her watch, Mechelen became a flourishing Renaissance capital and a hotbed of intellectual progress.

In the early 16th century, influential thinkers flocked to Margaret’s capital, including humanist Hiëronymus van Busleyden, who built himself a palatial Renaissance residence – Hof van Busleyden.

His new palace was the centre of influence in the Low Countries, regularly visited by important minds of his time, including Thomas More and the kid who would later become Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

This new world of Renaissance Europe that Margaret and Hiëronymus helped flourish comes to life in the Hof van Busleyden Museum – an excellent exhibition in a beautiful space.

It’s an interesting contemporary exhibition that explores one of the most enlightened periods in history.

3. BEER TASTING TOUR AT HET ANKER BREWERY

It’s the wee hours of January 27, 1687.

An inn on Grote Markt is buzzing with winter hubbub. The chatter of 17th-century politics fills the congenial space. Belgium beer is flowing freely.

With creamy foam still stuck to his nose, a Mechelenian looks up from his beer and sees the unfinished tower of St Rumbold’s through the mist, enveloped in flames.

With lightning reflexes, the town swings into action. It may not be complete, but they will save their tower.

With co-ordination defying their Monday night drinking session, the town creates a chain of water buckets across the Grote Markt to the cathedral. Their enthusiasm diminishes rapidly when they realise the flames are nothing more than the moon shimmering through the mist.

During a tour of the Het Anker Brewery, you can try a Maneblusser – the beer named in honour of the town’s “Moon Extinguishers.”

Learn about the carefully selected ingredients that go into each bottle of golden perfection. Or sample a Gouden Carolus – voted as the best dark beer in the world – and explore the vintage equipment that makes these bubbly dreams a reality.

4. UNDERSTAND HOLOCAUST IMPACT AT THE KAZERNE DOSSIN MEMORIAL

The Belgian state of law collapsed after the German invasion on 10 May 1940.

The sentiment swiftly moved from defeatism to enthusiasm – proactively identifying Jews for deportation by the Nazis.

Between 1942 and 1944, 25,484 Jews and 352 gypsies were processed at the Dossin Barracks in preparation for deportation to Auschwitz.

These barracks are now a memorial and museum which tells the story surrounding the tragic events of the Holocaust.

In chronological order, the Kazerne Dossin Museum recounts the socio-economic and political factors framing the events around the Second World War.

From the Treaty of Versailles, which undermined the German economy, to long-held anti-Semitic roots in the Catholic tradition, it’s a sombre look at how history has shaped this small city.

As discrimination didn’t end with the war, the museum follows the path of the small proportion of Jews who returned from the concentration camps.

The Belgian government demanded unpaid land tax from those deported between 1942 and 1944, and legal proceedings were often required to reclaim confiscated property.

The Kazerne Dossin Museum looks broadly at what happens when the state begins to discriminate and confronts the holocaust in a brutally honest way.

5. WALK THE DYLE PATH

With so many interesting historical sights and museums in Mechelen, it’s easy to forget one of its main sweeteners: it’s beautiful.

A stroll along the Dyle path is a great way to discover some interesting architecture.

Start at Haverwerf, the historic port, before going to the trio of colourful houses near the bridge.

Reliefs on the corner house depict scenes of “Earthly Paradise.” The middle one carries images of the devil, while the third celebrates the baby Jesus.

Continue along the floating wooden bridge towards the Botanical Gardens.

Admire the interesting mix of new and old houses on the river.

Check out the 13th-century Hoogbrug Bridge. It’s equipped with battlements from its heyday when it served as part of the city’s defence.

Just past Hoogbrug, at Zoutwerf (established when the town acquired the right to stack salt), you’ll find the former guildhall of the fishmongers, In den Grooten Zalm. Its sumptuous Renaissance façade, rich ornamentation and bold design demonstrate the wealth and influence of the fishmongers in the 14th century.

6. DISCOVER THE HIDDEN RUBENS

While many of Mechelen’s sights are centred around the old town, Our Lady across the Dyle is well worth crossing the dyle for.

Built in the 14th and 15th centuries, it’s an imposing blend of Gothic architecture with a modern patch-up.

The church was badly damaged by the German invasion in the First World War and then by Allied bombing in the Second.

Renovations in the 1960s gave the church its current appearance.

Its contemporary stained glass windows, fitted into existing gothic openings, fill the nave with glittering light and a trendy splash of colour.

However, the main reason for visiting Our Lady over the River is to witness the wealth and influence of the fishmongers from the 16th century who used their wealth to commission Peter Paul Rubens to create the Miraculous Draught of Fishes.

7. VISIT THE PREDIKHEREN LIBRARY

Belgium has a reputation for re-purposing old buildings which previous generations had fallen out of love with. The Predikheren Library is one of the finest.

It started life as a Dominican monastery in 1650. However, throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, it was mainly used for military purposes before being abandoned in 1975.

Over the last few years, a new lease of life has been bestowed on this 17th-century building.

Inside, there are cool collaborative spaces with exposed elements from previous incarnations, including a fantastic attic, which makes a great reading nook.

The combination of art, culture and literature means you can work the mind, or hang out and relax.

8. TAKE A MUURT WALKING TOUR

Mechelen Muurt is a project by street artist Gijs Vanhee, who invited 10 international artists to make their mark on the city walls.

They’ve done so with a vibrant splash of colour that brightens up the back streets and creates a fantastic walking tour outside the picturesque centre.

To visit all 10 murals, pick up a map from the Visitor Information Centre or download it from Visit Mechelen.

They are all close together, and it’s a leisurely 1-hour stroll to see them all. Some of our favourites were:

• Floral Skull Ball (number 5) by London-based graphic designer is a bold splash of colour.
• The Freeway (6) by Sam Scarpulla is a monochrome abstract graphic.
• De Pelikaan (2) by classically trained Belgian artist Dzia is an amazingly detailed, huge colourful pelican.

We also loved a new piece that crept in on De Langhestraat between number 8 and number 9.

Set in front of a vegetable patch on the side of an old house, a giant lightbulb with Dali-esque surrealism is contained within.

9. DINE AT THE CONVERTED HANGOUT DE VLEESHALLE

Continuing the theme of repurposing old buildings that have lost their lustre, De Vleeshalle is another freshly cut diamond in Mechelen.

De Vleeshalle was the old meat market since 1881. It spent years as an industrial wasteland and a brief period as the unemployment benefit office.

Today, De Vleeshalle is the coolest place to grab a bite to eat in a warehouse-style food market.

There are 12 permanent stalls plus pop-ups which serve everything from Vietnamese pho to Spanish tapas.

Bar & Brood puts together two of the world’s staples: bread and wine. While Hunter’s Out of Ireland is good for traditional Irish fish and chips.

WHERE TO STAY IN MECHELEN

The historical centre of Mechelen is compact. Most accommodation options skirt close to the road that circles the old town.

There are a couple of standard hotel chains near the river, but you’re probably looking for something with a bit more character. Here are a few we recommend.

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