Day 1 – To Bruges: Travel by train from London
St Pancras International to Brussels Midi /
Zuid by Eurostar. Arrive and transfer by coach
to Bruges for 4 nights at the Grand Hotel
Casselbergh. Evening welcome dinner. (D)
Day 2 – Bruges: Begin today’s walking tour
with a visit to the Groeninge Museum, which
contains some of the finest examples of Flemish
and Belgian art. Continue to the Arents House
Museum, an 18th-century mansion containing
a lace museum and more than 400 works by
celebrated Anglo-Welsh artist Frank Brangwyn.
After lunch, visit the Church of Our Lady with
its 15th-century 122-metre brick steeple. Inside
are the tombs of Charles the Bold and Mary
of Burgundy together with many of their art
treasures, including the stunning Madonna and
Child marble sculpture by Michelangelo. The
final visit of the day is to the Memling Museum, located inside the medieval complex of St John’s
Hospital where the The Ursula Shrine and The
Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine are among
the many important 15th-century works of the
Flemish Master, Hans Memling. (B)
Day 3 – Bruges: This morning, visit the gothic
St Salvator’s Cathedral, which contains some
exquisite Brussels tapestries. Continue to
the Gruuthuse Museum, previously home to
one of the richest families in the city, the van
Brugghe-van der Aas. Inside is their private
collection of sculptural art, antique furniture,
silverware, metalworks, ceramics and textiles
– an insight into aristocratic life between the
15th and 19th centuries. Proceed to the former
royal courts at the Palace of the Liberty of
Bruges to admire the monumental chimney
piece before lunch. This afternoon, see the
Jerusalem Church, which was built in the 15th
century according to the plans of the Holy
Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Also see the adjacent
Lace Centre housed in restored almshouses.
Visit Hof de Bladelin, former home of Pieter
Bladelin, treasurer of the Order of the Golden
Fleece in the 15th century. (B)
Day 4 – Ghent: Today will be spent in the
medieval canal-city of Ghent. See Jan &
Hubert van Eyck’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb in the St Bavo’s Cathedral before
walking to the Museum of Decorative Arts
and Design, a hidden gem that houses wellpreserved
17th- and 18th-century furnishings
as well as art nouveau and contemporary
exhibits. After lunch, walk through the scenic
Citadel Park for an afternoon at the Museum
of Fine Arts, which houses a varied selection of
Flemish art, in particular several masterpieces
by Hieronymus Bosch. The last visit of the
day is to Kasteel van Laarne, an 11th-century
moated castle and museum on the outskirts of
Ghent where you will enjoy a farewell dinner
in the castle wings. (B, D)
Day 5 – To London: Drive to Brussels to
explore the historic Market Square, a Unesco
world heritage site, noting the wonderful
medieval guild houses and 19th-century gothic
revival facades and local artisan shops. After
lunch, visit the Royal Museums of Fine Arts
Belgium to see further important examples of
Flemish painting, including excellent pieces
by Brueghel and Rubens. Early evening
transfer to Brussels Midi / Zuid station for a
return Eurostar train to London St Pancras
International. (B)
Meal Basis: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals
