Discover Flanders with your whole family

Provincie West-Vlaanderen

The sea, greenery and historic cities, all within a stone’s throw of each other? The trendiest dining addresses and the most welcoming accommodation? The most fascinating museums and coolest attractions? Surprising bike rides? Welcome to Flanders! Here you can experience and discover so much along with the whole family, very quickly and within a short distance.

4 unique attraction on the Flemish coast

Every three years, our 67-kilometre coastline transforms into a huge open-air museum for the Beaufort Art Triennial. Do you have to be an art connoisseur to enjoy it? Definitely not! The young and the not-so-young will be surprised and enchanted by the new contemporary artworks of Beaufort24. No specific opening hours (it is outdoor art, after all) and free of charge for all visitors! Tip: hop on the Coastal Tram, the longest tramway in the world, which runs back and forth along the entire route.

Westtoer APB

Stop a little longer in Ostend, where modern Flemish Master James Ensor continues to amaze. Young visitors will learn in a playful way all about the eccentric figure behind the carnival masks. Take a look inside the house where he lived and worked and browse through his letters and photos. When visiting the Ensor House, you get the Ensor Walk (walking app) for free as well. With it, you tour James Ensor’s favourite spots in Ostend, and the artist himself is your guide.

Toerisme Oostende vzw - James Ensorhuis - Nick Decombel Fotografie

Located a little further on, between Ostend and Middelkerke, is the Atlantikwall open-air museum on the Raversyde provincial domain. Here you will find bunkers, underground passages and observation posts from the First World War in a unique natural area beside the sea. It’s a perfect mix of history, nature and adventure! Time travel boxes take your family back in time: to the fishermen and shepherds who lived here, the Spaniards who came to visit, knights, kings, soldiers, etc. Still got some energy left? The play tunnels, canal paths and medieval shelters offer solace.

Get to know the Zwin Region between Knokke and Bruges in an original way: go packrafting! A packraft is a light boat that you can easily carry and combine with hiking or cycling trips. Once inflated, you can take it out on the water. Younger than 15? Then share a duo packraft with an adult. Quiet waterways take you past Lost Ports of the Zwin. You might even spot a stork. The region is a popular pit stop for numerous migratory birds. Incidentally, you can collect even more moments of happiness in the Zwin Region. For example, during a dew walk or a dunes walk. Micro-adventures for maxi happiness!

packraften

Bruges, the city with a heart (and art)

One of the oldest preserved hospital buildings in Europe recently reopened its doors. The refurbished Museum Sint-Janshospitaal (Museum St John’s Hospital) pays tribute to art with masterpieces by the Flemish primitive Hans Memling, among others. Can you really talk to the characters in the paintings? Pick up the free children’s audio guide (6 years of age and over) at the box office and find out. The littlest ones (2.5 years of age and over) can get to work like real doctors in the children’s hospital. A lot of dolls are subjected to a comprehensive examination there, including X-rays, every day.

Bruges is a city where so much more is possible. Twelve artists and architects chose their own special place for the 2024 Bruges Triennial (open until 1 September): a secret garden, an abandoned square or a forgotten patch of greenery. Here they draw you into their imagination and make you think about what could be possible: because they are ‘Spaces of Possibility’. Let your children join in the thinking too, because there is no limit to their imagination! They are challenged to ‘playfully discover art’. What’s that, you say? Yes, with an ‘origami art chatterbox’ that they fold up themselves, they discover the different installations in a playful manner.

Jan Darthet

Reflecting on the past in Flanders Fields

Never again war! This universal message of peace is more relevant today than ever. More than 100 years ago, the Westhoek was the devastating battleground of the First World War. It’s good to take a moment to reflect on that. Listen with your children or grandchildren to the bugles of the Last Post in Ypres and unravel the secrets of the craters and bunkers in the landscape. The many visitor centres in Flanders Fields invite you to commemorate the history of the Great War together.

A day as a knight or princess

What would it be like to spend the night in a castle? Or in a tent perched in a tree, offering magnificent views of the castle domain? Castles, their fairytale settings and the stories (or myths) of their former noble inhabitants capture the imagination. And in Flanders, dreams can sometimes become a reality! Because here you can visit a great many castle domains within a short distance from each other. You can easily reach them from our Flemish art cities and, what’s more, they are often located along attractive walking and cycling routes.

On the way to the Flemish coast, close to Bruges you will see the stately Loppem Castle. Located in the middle of a romantic English garden with ancient trees, ponds and... a maze! You can get hopelessly (but delightfully) lost in it.

Henk Rogiers

On a city trip with your family in Ghent? Then a visit to the imposing Castle of the Counts really shouldn’t be missed. From this medieval castle you have a commanding view of the city. And comedian Wouter Deprez’s quirky and witty audio tour about the origins of the castle is great fun for all ages! A visit to the Castle of the Counts is free of charge up to the age of 12.

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MEDIALIFE.BE

Just outside Brussels and in the middle of the natural beauty of the Pajottenland stands Gaasbeek Castle. Here, young visitors are introduced to Mouse Arnoldus. Together with him, you will discover the coolest places and secret doors in the castle. Arnoldus is the guardian of the castle and he harbours big dreams. Help him make them happen! If you are under 18, admission to the castle is free of charge. Be sure to follow the Hands-on trail through the castle and after that you can have fun running around in the park!

Visit the Red Star Line Museum on Het Eilandje in Antwerp

Between 1873 and 1935, two million people made the sea crossing from Antwerp to North America. They went in search of a better life, and they did so on the steamships of the Red Star Line. Now, the Red Star Line Museum on Het Eilandje in Antwerp, where the shipping company was located, tells their stories of dreams, hopes and the search for happiness. Children aged three to six discover the story of the Red Star Line through the story of Gup the gull who moves to another country. From six years of age, travel with Bessie to America and discover the museum through a museum game.

Mechelen, surprising for all ages

Mechelen, a surprising Flemish art city between Brussels and Antwerp, guarantees an unforgettable visit: it is brimming with heritage and countless assets for all those who are young (at heart). Mechelen Kinderstad (City for Children) has a great deal in store for the whole family.

Activities in Brussels and the green outskirts

The Grote Markt with its iconic town hall, the Stock Exchange building, the Palace of Justice and Koekelberg Basilica. That must be the metropolis of Brussels. Have you already seen Manneken Pis? And did you know you can spot cartoon characters all over this city? Follow Brussels PARCOURS Street Art and spot a total of more than 150 murals by Belgian and international artists in the streets of Brussels. But there is also a lot to do underground... Via the Belvue Museum, you walk into the underground passages of a hidden medieval gem: the Coudenberg Palace. The site consists of the cellars of the former buildings that formed the palace of Brussels. From 2 July to 31 August, little Emperor Charles will take children on a treasure hunt so that he can crack the code of his treasure chest together with them.

Also in the green outskirts around Brussels, we welcome you and your family and friends. At the Royal Museum for Central Africa or simply AfricaMuseum in Tervuren, children can have fun in experimentation rooms. Children and young people up to 18 years of age get free admission and all info is available in child-size portions. Tip: After your visit, take a walking or cycling tour in the green park surroundings or in the forests of the nearby Sonian Forest, which is part of the National Park Forests of Brabant.

At Meise Botanic Garden, you can spend a whole day out with the family and King Amaryllo will tell the youngest visitors all about the plant kingdom. Have fun on the ‘Amaze-Your-Feet trail or in the play forest and take the raft across the castle pond to the island garden. And with any luck, the titan arum, the largest flower in the world, will be in bloom during your visit to the Plant Palace.

Experience micro-adventures in Hoge Kempen National Park

In the Hoge Kempen National Park in the Belgian province of Limburg, you breathe freely in the midst of 12,000 hectares of protected nature. The park is easily accessible through several entrance gates. Small adventures await here to take you on a journey through your senses. Join a ranger on safari through rugged nature. Maybe you will spot a smooth snake, Norwegian fjord horses or one of the many rare animal species that live there. Or you can go stargazing at the Cosmodrome Kattevennen, the gateway to the Planetarium and the Observatory. After the show, an astro-ranger will tell you more about the evening’s starry sky. At Thor Park, follow the stone men to the top of the terril, which is a stone mountain formed by underground mining. Via the Heritage App, you will get to know Steentje, a fictional Stone Man who captivates youngsters with tips and facts about heritage and nature along the way. Discover the most beautiful micro-adventures in Hoge Kempen National Park.

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Andreas Gijbels

Family trip to Flanders? Here are a few tips ...

Flanders, that is 67 kilometres of picturesque sandy beaches that you can visit with the Coast Tram, the longest tram line in the world. Flanders also offers 15,000 kilometres of cycling pleasure along the cycling node routes. And in most cities, the places of interest are within walking distance of each other. Oh yes, and the fries are ours (‘French fries’, are actually ‘Belgian fries’). The weather here can just be a bit changeable, which is why Flanders offers you a mix of indoor and outdoor activities.

Brochure family-friendly Flanders and Brussels

With its versatility, Flanders is the ideal destination for a holiday with the whole family. Below you will find a selection of the activities to make your trip to Flanders an unforgettable family break.