Two day trips from Brussels
Updated June 2, 2026 by Pierre
Brussels may be a railway hub, but some of the country's most beautiful gems are found precisely where the tracks don't really go. Far from the main lines Bruges-Ghent-Antwerp, perfectly linked, part of Wallonia remains capricious to reach without a steering wheel. Here are two ideas for a day trip, magnificent but clearly easier to experience by car than by public transport.
Durbuy, the smallest city in the world
Nicknamed the smallest city in the world, Durbuy is a picture-perfect postcard: cobbled streets, stone houses, a hilltop castle, and the Ourthe River meandering below. People come here to stroll, climb to the Belvedere viewpoint, visit the Topiary Park, and float down the river. kayak In the summer, or simply to sit down at one of its excellent restaurants. It's the perfect day out that completely changes the urban atmosphere.
The problem is the journey. By public transport, you have to take several trains with connections, via Brussels-Luxembourg and then the line to Barvaux, for a journey time of about 3 hours and 30 minutes. And once in Barvaux, you still have to get to Durbuy. By car, on the other hand, it takes barely 1 hour and 25 minutes for a distance of about 95 kilometers. In other words, the train eats up half your day before you've even set foot in the streets.
The Eau d'Heure Lakes, the great blue Walloon
A complete change of scenery awaits at the Eau d'Heure Lakes, the largest lake complex in Belgium, straddling the Hainaut and Namur regions. There's enough here to fill an entire day: walks around the lakes, sailing and paddleboarding, treetop adventure courses, a beach in the summer, and the famous observation tower at the Plate Taille dam, offering breathtaking views. A true breath of fresh air, just an hour from the capital.
Here again, access is the key issue. The nearest train station, Walcourt, is about fifteen kilometers from the Lakes, and the website itself recommends a car as the most comfortable way to get there. Once you get off the train, you're still far from the destination, without convenient transport to cover the last few kilometers. By car, the journey from Brussels takes around 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 17 minutes for approximately 88 kilometers. The freedom to park directly on-site makes all the difference in fully enjoying the area.
The right thing to do before leaving
For these kinds of destinations, where connections eat up time and you rarely reach your final destination, a car transforms the experience. You leave when you want, stop for a coffee along the way, and make an impromptu detour to a village or viewpoint you've spotted on the map. It's precisely in these situations that it becomes relevant to rent a car in Brussels for the day, rather than dealing with unpredictable schedules and long journeys.
Here are a few simple tips for making these getaways a success: leave early to avoid traffic jams on the ring road, pack a picnic if you're heading to the Lakes, and keep an eye on the weather forecast, as both destinations are best enjoyed in good weather. A full day, without the stress of connecting flights, and the feeling of having truly escaped the city for a little while.
Barely a foot in the Belgian capital, Pierre launched “InsideBrussels.be” more than 10 years ago, the idea is simple: “What to do? Where to go to eat or have a drink? “. Entrepreneur at heart, this is not his first project! Far from there. EatLocal.io; KingCard.be, Bricabrac.be … Like wine, with time the project improves!
Pierre does not hesitate to share his favorites and his best addresses of Brussels restaurants that he could recommend to you with his eyes closed.
