Culinary & Nightlife

Immerse yourself in Belgium's rich chocolate-making traditions with this interactive workshop.  Under the guidance of an expert chocolatier, learn how to make chocolate lollipops and mendiants, a traditional French confection. At the end of the lesson, savor the rewards of your efforts, or feel free to take your chocolates home with you. Finish your workshop with a self-guided visit to the chocolate museum. Inside, admire a wide range of interactive exhibitions which will bring to life the 4000-year-old history of chocolate in words, pictures, and flavors. Admire a private collection of artifacts with over 1000 objects housed in the museum.

Cocoa has been tickling taste buds for centuries, from the spicy drink in the Maya and Aztec civilizations to the popular sweet chocolate milk in Europe. With more than three people out of four loving chocolate, it’s hardly surprising that there is an enormous fascination for this exquisite treat. This tour aims to bring to life the 4,000-year-old history of chocolate in words, pictures, and flavors. The museum submerges you in the exciting world of chocolate, taking you on a journey of the senses through time. Young or old, passionate chocoholic or simply just interested, the Chocolate Museum will stimulate your fascination. The museum is composed of three parts, telling the story of the origin and evolution of chocolate through a unique collection of almost a thousand objects. Besides the history, the museum also reveals how chocolate is made, with special attention for the variety of raw ingredients and the development of the production process. In the demonstration center you will uncover the secret of beautiful silky chocolate, getting the opportunity to taste the chocolate products made in the museum.

Escape Paris for the day and cross the border to the capital of the West Flanders region of Flemish Belgium. The full-day tour, with round-trip transfers from central Paris, will take you to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bruges, sometimes referred to as the “Venice of the North.” Enjoy a guided walk of the historically rich center, admiring the gothic-style City Hall, the ornate Renaissance architecture of the Place du Bourg, and the 12th-century Basilique du Saint-Sang (Basilica of the Holy Blood), among other attractions. Free time will be allocated for lunch at a local restaurant, where you can enjoy Belgian specialties, such as traditional moules frites (mussels and French fries) and an extensive selection of Belgian beers. A visit to the Groeningemuseum, home to Flemish master painters, such as van Eyck and Hieronymous Bosch is a popular way to spend an afternoon in Bruges. Alternatively, shop for handmade lace and Belgian chocolates in the city’s boutique stores. During the summer season, choose the guided option to enjoy a boat cruise along some of the most famous canals of Bruges, built as far back as the 12th century.

Enjoy a trip of historical discovery on this full-day minibus tour that takes you through West Flanders, from Bruges to the Belgian town of Ypres. The city, which was given the nickname Wipers, was rebuilt according to a medieval blueprint after being completely razed to the ground in the early 1900s. It was also here that the Germans invaded Belgium during World War I; a strategic move to attack France from the north. You will see the remaining artifacts and places of the city as you discover restored trenches, stroll among war graves in Passchendale and Polygon Wood, clamber over craters and bunkers on the preserved battlefield. and visit key war memorials. Behold the impressive sight of the imposing Menin Gate Memorial to the missing soldiers, complete with 55,000 names, erected on the spot where the soldiers left the city for the battlefront. As your day continues you will also see the iconic poppy fields of Flanders as you ride through the countryside in an air-conditioned mini coach, perfect for relaxing and taking in the picturesque scenery.

Embark on a day out to Bruges from Amsterdam and discover the World Heritage Site. See the romantic Lake of Love, walk around the Burg Square, and enjoy some free time to taste the Belgium beers. Begins with a departure from the center of Amsterdam for the 260-kilometer drive to Venice in the North. Learn from your guide all about the historic center of Bruges and why it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start your trip with an introduction to the history of Belgium and Bruges by your Spanish-speaking guide. See the Lake of Love and the Begijnhof, founded in 1245. Visit the historic city center, learn more about Belgium’s world-famous beers and see the Church of Our Lady. Admire one of the most charming areas, around the Dyver canal. Continue your walk to Walplein Square, the Stoofstraat, Gruuthuse Palace, Burg Square with its Gothic Town Hall, the Basilica of the Holy Blood, and the Grote Markt with the Belfort. The tour finishes in the Grote Markt, in the heart of Bruges. Your guide will answer all your questions and recommend places for lunch outside the tourist areas. You’ll have 3 hours of free time to eat, explore the city, taste delicious chocolates and visit the famous lace shops. Leave Bruges on a high as you enjoy a day out that you will not forget in a hurry. Sit back and relax as you head back to Amsterdam, where the tour ends.

During this 2.5-hour workshop you’ll learn how to temper chocolate to craft 2 types of Belgian chocolates. The 2 chocolates you will craft throughout this experience will be as follows. Pralines: the most famous Belgian chocolate, consisting of a delicate chocolate shell with a creamy filing. You’ll learn how to make both the shell and the filling from scratch. Mendiants: chocolate discs studded with dried fruits, both crispy and delicious. You’ll make at least 30 chocolates, which you can either eat on the spot or take home to family and friends. With these easy techniques and chocolate theory, you will also be able to make your own chocolates once you return home.

Your tour takes place in a delightful workshop in the Ezelstraat Quarter of Bruges. It will be there that you will discover the art of the Belgian waffle, throughout a 1.5-hour waffle-making workshop. Following a short introduction, you will begin to follow your recipes, splitting into teams. Everything you need to create your waffles is provided, including ingredients, take-home recipes, kitchenware, assistance, and demonstrations. You can prepare the waffle dough, bake it, and then decorate your waffles with whipped cream, chocolate, and seasonal fruits. You don't need any previous cooking experience to attend the workshop, and kids are welcome too. Feel free to make crazy topping combinations; cream, chocolate, honey, fruit, the choice is yours. At the tour's conclusion, you can take photos of your creations, before enjoying them with a complimentary drink.

From Amsterdam you will go to Bruges by bus. During the tour you will have an introduction to the history of Belgium and cities near the route like Utrecht and Breda, both connected with Spanish history. This journey takes approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes.  The city of Bruges was declared a World Heritage City in 2000 and is also known as the Venice of the North. Enjoy a guided tour and visit the most attractive and interesting places of this city. Begin at the Minnewater or Lake of Love. During the tour, see important places of the city such as the Markt Square dominated by the Belfry, the Brug Square and Town Hall, the Church of Our Lady where you can appreciate one of Michelangelo's masterpieces "The Madonna of Bruges," among others. At the end of the guided tour, the guide will indicate a collection point and time to return to the bus, after free time in the city. Have free time to eat, take a walk, or go shopping. Later, you will return to the starting point of this excursion, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam.

Travel to the medieval city of Bruges by train and take a 2.5-hour walking tour with an English-speaking guide on arrival. Marvel at the Minnewater that provides water to the canals and see the historical women-only convent of the Beguinage. Visit the city's only working brewery at De Halve Maan and get the chance to look inside the Hans Memling museum at the 12th-century Hospital of St. John. See one of the tallest brickwork towers in the world at the Church of Our Lady, where Michelangelo’s statue of the Madonna with Child can be found in the transept. Get a feel for everyday life at the historic Vis Markt (Fish Market) and look at the beautiful guildhalls on Tanners’ Square. Visit the Groeningemuseum and find one of Belgium's most famous Gothic buildings on the Markt (Market Square). Get 3 hours of free time to explore on your own. Take an optional canal cruise to appreciate the city from a different perspective before the train journey back to Brussels.

Set off on foot on your beer tasting tour and learn the secrets of the beer-brewing process. Learn how to differentiate between an ale, lager, triple, and a historical medieval beer called Lambic. Discover what kind of beer Belgium is famous for and the best chocolate store in the city. Move on to other lively beer haunts, including some hidden gems loved by and known only to locals. Sample a selection of traditional beers and craftwork brews, a gutsy mix of malty, hoppy, fruity, reddish, and herby beers to sour and triple varieties. Trappist or Lambic beers can be surprising when matched with some chocolate or other local delicacies to enjoy the full Belgian beer-and-food experience. Last but not least, discover the secret varieties of a craft brewer and taste more delicious Belgian beers.