Belgium through my eyes by Sumita Chakraborty, Founder & Editor-in-chief, TheGlitz

There’s a saying that travel opens the mind and fills the heart… and nowhere did I feel this more than on my journey through Belgium. For an Indian traveller like me, Belgium was both familiar and foreign, a place where centuries-old history sits beside modern culture, where art meets everyday life, and where every meal feels like a celebration. My route covered Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels… each city unique, yet stitched together by that quintessential Belgian charm.

Bruges: A Fairytale Beginning

Landing in Bruges felt like stepping into a Sanjay Leela Bhansali set… ornate, cinematic, and utterly magical. Known as the “Venice of the North”, its cobblestoned streets, canals, and medieval houses had me spellbound. The Markt Square, with its striking Belfry tower, is the city’s beating heart, buzzing with horse carriages and the scent of warm waffles. But the Belfry of Bruges was my first stop, and as I huffed and puffed climbing its 366 steps, it reminded me of trudging up fort walls in Rajasthan, tough but worth every breath for the view of the city below.

Food was another highlight. If in India we can’t resist samosas and chaats, in Bruges the equivalent comfort bites were frites with mayo… crispy, golden, addictive. Add to that Belgian waffles (topped with chocolate and strawberries) and the classic Flemish stew, and I realised that Belgians, like us, are emotional about their food. A visit to De Halve Maan Brewery sealed it for me… beer here is as sacred as chai back home. And shopping? Lace boutiques and artisanal chocolatiers like The Chocolate Line felt like a festival market, only fancier.

Bruges: Canals, Chocolates & Kindness

But Bruges also gave me one of my most unforgettable travel stories. It was my first day in this foreign land and like always, I decided to explore solo, leaving my group behind. With the name of my hotel an impossible tongue-twister, all I recalled was that it stood by a canal, which, in Bruges, is like saying “near a tree in a forest.” I wandered for hours… until it finally dawned on to me that I was hopelessly lost. But I never say die, so despite the fact that I was wandering around in circles, I met so many well-meaning strangers who turned into guides.

But the best moment was when an Afghan storekeeper’s eyes lit up when he heard I was from India. With a grin, he exclaimed, “Mithun Chakraborty!” and slipped a chocolate into my palm. But I was still lost! Finally, a Spanish lady pointed me back to “something” that looked like my hotel. And guess what… it really was my hotel! I returned, exhausted but smiling, and promptly slept through the hip, beer-inspired dinner my group attended. Getting lost, as I discovered, was sometimes the most authentic way to find a city’s soul.

Photographs courtesy visitbruges.be

Ghent: A Gothic Dream with a Hip Soul

If Bruges was dreamy, Ghent was fiery… a city that thrummed with energy, art, and youth. The Gravensteen Castle looked straight out of Amar Chitra Katha, while the St. Bavo’s Cathedral held the masterpiece Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, a work of art as revered here as the Ajanta-Ellora paintings are to us. I cruised down the Graslei and Korenlei quays, where guild houses reflect in the Lys River like a Renaissance painting.

And then came the food, Ghent is a haven for vegetarians, with innovative plant-based restaurants. I sampled a steaming bowl of waterzooi, a local creamy stew, paired with a crisp Belgian beer at a riverside pub where laughter spilled into the night air. To my delight, I realized Belgian beers… with their varied notes of citrus, spice, and caramel… pair beautifully with Indian curries and kebabs, making them a surprisingly familiar comfort for someone who grew up savoring spice.

Ghent also has a quirky side. At Dulle Griet pub, you order the “Max” beer in a two-pint glass so enormous, you must leave a shoe as collateral! It reminded me of India’s jugaad-style quirks, funny, practical, and somehow full of heart.

The Ghent Light Plan, illuminating the city at night, was something else entirely. It turned the whole place into a glowing festival—almost like our own Diwali, only with medieval towers in the backdrop.

If Bruges is a medieval fairytale, Ghent is its edgier sibling… gothic spires blending with street art and student energy.

Photographs courtesy visitghent.be

Antwerp: Diamonds, Fashion & Bold Brews

Antwerp was edgy, stylish, and cosmopolitan. Known as the fashion capital of Belgium, it gave me Mumbai-meets-Milan vibes. The ModeMuseum (MoMu) showcased avant-garde fashion, while the Diamond Quarter dazzled with gems that made me think instantly of Bollywood brides and their love for glitter. Antwerp sparkles… literally and figuratively. Known as the world’s diamond capital, the glittering shop windows tempt even the casual browser.

But the city is also a fashion hub, home to avant-garde designers from the famed Antwerp Six. Shopping here felt like stepping into art itself, with boutiques that doubled as galleries. At the Rubenshuis, the former home of painter Peter Paul Rubens, I felt like I had tiptoed into the golden age of Flemish art.

As an art lover, Peter Paul Rubens’ former home felt like visiting Raja Ravi Varma’s studio in Indian terms: history, genius, and grandeur under one roof. The Museum aan de Stroom (MAS), meanwhile, offered sweeping views of the city and its connections to the world.

Food here was a treat. The local stoofvlees met friet (stew with fries) at Elfde Gebod, a quirky pub with hundreds of saint statues, was like eating in a Goan tavern, eccentric, soulful, and full of stories.

The nightlife, too, was infectious, I sipped a bold Trappist beer at Café Kulminator, one of the world’s best beer bars, where shelves groaned with bottles aged like fine wine. The maltiness reminded me of pairing beer with Indian tandoori chicken back home, it’s a combination I’d happily recommend to fellow travellers.

Photographs courtesy visit.antwerpen.be

Brussels: Waffles, Politics & a Global Heart

Brussels, my final stop, had me at hello with the Grand Place… a square so ornate and golden, it is easily one of Europe’s most breathtaking squares. Walking here at night was like being swept into another century. Just steps away, I bit into a fluffy, sugar-dusted Belgian waffle, eaten standing under gilded rooftops, it felt like a ritual of joy.

As Indians, we love food that’s layered with flavour, and Brussels delivered. From moules-frites (mussels with fries) at Chez Léon, to pralines at Pierre Marcolini, to the madness of Delirium Café (where you can try over 2,000 beers), it was indulgence without apology. The Magritte Museum added another layer, its surrealist art felt strangely familiar, like watching Satyajit Ray’s dreamlike scenes from Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.

Of course, no trip is complete without meeting Manneken Pis, the cheeky little statue. As tiny as it is, it reminded me of our roadside shrines, unexpected, full of character, and deeply loved by locals.

Brussels also delighted me with its pub culture… Delirium Café, with over 2,000 beers on its menu, left me overwhelmed and amused. Shopping in the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert was a dream, with chocolate shops and boutiques under an arched glass ceiling that made me feel like I’d stepped back in time.

A Belgian Aftertaste

As an Indian traveller, what stayed with me wasn’t just the food, the beer, or the postcard-perfect views… it was the kindness of strangers, the thrill of discovery, and the comforting familiarity of warmth in a foreign land. Belgium may be small, but its cities are like jewels strung together, each with its own sparkle. And the bonus? Realizing that Belgian beer… whether fruity, malty, or smoky… pairs brilliantly with spicy Indian food. Imagine sipping a Belgian Tripel alongside paneer tikka, or a dark Dubbel with mutton curry… it’s a culinary friendship waiting to be explored.

What struck me most through Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels was how easy it was, as an Indian traveller, to feel at home here. The warmth of people reminded me of our own hospitality; the food, though different, had the same sense of being soul-satisfying; and the blend of history with modern life mirrored India’s own balancing act between tradition and progress.

Belgium may be known for its waffles, beer, and chocolate, but what I took back were moments: laughing with strangers in a pub, watching golden lights on cobbled streets, standing in awe before world-famous art, and sipping beer that tasted like centuries of craft.

For me, Belgium wasn’t just a holiday, it was a sojourn of the senses, a reminder that while we travel to see the world, we also find pieces of ourselves along the way.

I came back with bags full of chocolates, laces, and souvenirs, but more importantly, with stories, like the Afghan shopkeeper and the Spanish lady that I’ll carry forever. It also was a reminder that the best journeys are those where you lose your way, and in the process, find more than you were looking for.