Explore Brussels - a city of fine food, café culture, Art Nouveau architecture and beautiful urban spaces. Take a private Brussels tour with a friendly local guide and discover this beguiling city with a local who is proud to call it home.

Begin your day exploring Brussels' magnificent Grand Square, a beautiful collection of baroque guildhalls, museums and sidewalk cafes at the heart of the city. Your guide can take you shopping in the trendy Dansaert area where you will find the latest up-and-coming Belgian designers showcasing their collections. In the afternoon, enjoy a beer tasting at a traditional beer parlour - or indulge in a sampling of gourmet chocolates from one of Brussels renowned chocolatiers.

Your local guide is an expert on the city's splendid culinary and cultural offerings and is eager to share them with you.

Whatever your travel interests, your guide can accommodate them on a unique Brussels tour that showcases the very best this fascinating city has to offer.

Brussels

Leuven, a small city in surface but great in it's history.

One of the eye-catchers is this precious gothic townhall from the 15th century, the grand beguinage, not to mention all the old buildings from the university founded in 1425.

The treasury of the St. Peterschurch contains 2 original paintings, The Last Supper from the Flemish Primitive painter Dirk Bouts.

Being a martyr city in the first world-war, a lot of traces from this period can be found, as well as from the helpful support of the USA.

What about the beer-capital, where the biggest brewery in the world once started as a local brewery in 1366.

History, architecture, students, beer and atmosphere: discover it all within walking distance!

Because it's real old!

Discover medieval Leuven - Private Tour

Battle fo the Bulge Bastogne privat Tour.

This Battle of the Bulge tour gives you a general overview on the Battle for Bastogne. The German Lines of Attack and the American Lines of Defense. Guide PETER shows you the actual battlefields , foxholes , bullet holes which still remain today. We visit the sites of the 101st Airborne Division and follow Patton's trail into the city hereby using lots of original photo's and personal accounts that were given to me by the veterans themselves. We visit the woods where Easy Company of the 506 PIR was dug in , talk about Team Cherry , Team Desobry and Team O'Hara, and others … This tour highlights the men who fought for our freedom. Those brave men who paid the highest price for freedom … We will walk in their footsteps!

Guide Peter @ Bastogne & the story : "The Angels of Bastogne"...

Guide Peter @ Bastogne : Meeting with the grandson of Gen. George Patton.

Guide Peter @ Bastogne guiding in Jack's Wood/fox holes of the 506th Parachute-Infantery-Airborne (PIR).

Guide Peter @ "La Gleize" where the Germans were stopped... final chapter of the Battle of the Bulge. (photo: Kingstiger Tank)

Guide Peter & US Veteran Vincent "Vince" Speranza... Speranza's first engagement was during the Siege of Bastogne where he operated a machine gun from a foxhole in a forward position outside of the town. During the siege, he visited a wounded comrade at the field hospital set up in a local church, where his friend asked for a drink. Searching through the ruins of the town, he found a working beer tap and filled his helmet for lack of any other container.

Guide Peter @ "Jack's Wood" : In the wood behind this monument, on 18 December 1944 "E" Company of the 506th P.I.R. 101st Airborne division U.S. army dug their foxholes in the Bois Jacques Woods as part of the defence perimeter of Bastogne City that was soon to be surrounded by several enemy divisions. The circumstances were dreadful with constant mortar, rocket and artillery fire, snow fall, temperatures below -28 Celsius at night with little food and ammunition.....

Guide Peter @ Bastogne Barracks : The Sd. Kfz. 9 (also known as "Famo") was a German half-track that saw widespread use in World War II, and the heaviest half-track vehicle of any type built in quantity in Nazi Germany during the war years.

Guide Peter @ Bastogne : The 101st Airborne Museum Le Mess in Bastogne is located in the former officers mess building of the Belgium Army. A big collection of original items of the Bulge with authentic reconstructions and very realistic mannequins makes this museum worthwhile to visit. Different scenes bring you back to life during wartime in settings during winter.

Guide Peter @ Bastogne, explaining "The Siege of Bastogne"... the US 28th Infantry division delayed the German advance towards Bastogne allowing American units, including the 101st Airborne Division, to reach Bastogne before the German forces surrounded the town and isolated it on 20 December.....

Following the steps of E-Companie/506 PIR-101th Airborne Division "Band of Brothers".

Brussels: from Burgundians to the capital of Europe

Brussels is the biggest Belgian city, capital of the country as well as the uncrowned "capital" of the EC and NATO seat. At the same time, it is one of the oldest European cities with its unique history and immense collection of architectural, historical, and cultural treasures.
We will get a feeling of the city, moving from the stately upper town to its lively lower part, from a Brussels waffles stall to the birthplace of Belgian praliné, from a city hall with the city protector - St. Michael on the tower to the most important young man - Manneken Pis.

The capital of Belgium!

Highlights of Ghent - Private Walking Tour

Once the second largest medieval city in Northern Europe, today Ghent is a buzzing and vibrant little town full of old medieval architecture and some great stories. Ghent has more than 400 protected monuments and 50 churches, as well as beautiful parks, medieval ruins, Art Nouveau buildings and so much more.

My city truly has a lot to offer.

On this two hour tour, I will show you the highlights of Ghent. We'll walk by the most important monuments in the historical center and I'll share the backstory of how Ghent became such a rich, prosperous and powerful city during the Middle Ages.

I will also tell you about the modern day life in Ghent and why I think Ghent is such an amazing place to live.

Also if you're interested, I could also show you some of my favourite places in Ghent to try Belgian beers, local specialties or chocolates that you may not otherwise find by yourselves.

Ready to discover the hidden gem of Belgium with a born and raised Ghentian?

Let's go!

The Castle of the Counts of Flanders, as seen from the canal.

The Great Butcher's Hall, river Lys, and the Ghent Beerhouse in the distance.

River Lys (Leie), flowing through the city of Ghent

See the best sights & monuments on foot in just two hours!

  Sun, Oct 13: Today your private guide picks you up at your hotel at 9am. You'll tour with them today: Head to Gyeongbokgung Palace. Explore the palace grounds and catch the changing of the guard ceremony. Visit the National Folk Museum of Korea within the palace grounds. Stroll through Bukchon Hanok Village, where you can see traditional Korean houses. End the evening with dinner in Insadong, where you can try traditional Korean cuisine and enjoy the artistic atmosphere. Mon, Oct 14: Today your private guide picks you up at your hotel at 9am. You'll tour with them today: Morning: Visit Changdeokgung Palace and its Secret Garden. This palace is known for its beautiful gardens and traditional architecture. 

Seoul Explore

5Days Seoul Tour

While we walk through the historic centre of Antwerp I'll show you where the painter lived and a few of the churches where works by Rubens are still on display, such as the Cathedral and the Jesuits' church.

The tour even includes a guided tour of the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, which houses a number of paintings by the master.

On our way there'll be plenty of time to tell about the history of town, customs of people living in Antwerp and anything else you might want to hear. A few of the local specialties such as candies, chocolate, beverages, . . . are served during the walk.

dayticket for public transport per person.

Walk half a day in the footsteps of the grandmaster of baroque

Meet Rubens on a private tour

Brussels Exciting History: half day walk or electric bike

We'll travel through ten turbulent centuries in 4 hours! Along the former docks it's very easy to relive the port history; the medieval gabled brick houses are now seafood taverns and beer pubs. Here we'll even see the only part of the river Zenne that was not covered in century XIX.
The splendid Gothic cathedral of Saint Michael was (and is) also an important place for royalty, like Charles V, Napoléon and the Belgian monarchs. The Coudenberg hill hosts the Royal Palace, its park and the archaeological site of the now disappeared 12th century palace.
At the Grand- and the Petit Sablon you'll enjoy the cosy luxury of the 5 past centuries.
The 15th century Grand-Place with its gold plated houses shows the wealth of the Brussels bourgeoisie. It was here that the allies of William of Orange were beheaded by the Spanish (1568).
Kings Leopold I &amp; II embellished the city with beautiful Belle Epoque buildings and statues, soon followed by the rich 19th century merchants and peers with their Art Nouveau houses.

Explore 10 centuries worth of architecture, art and events.

Brussels Exciting History: 1/2 day walk

An itinerary will be proposed so we can visit approximately 20 out of the 70 comic strip walls of Belgian/ Brussels or international artists in the city of Brussels.

We will discuss why some of their work in the public sphere are hailed as art pieces while some are contested. The tour will include major sites in the Brussels historic center, but also in lesser known areas you can only access with a local. The comic strip walls refer also to the places where roamed and worked Brussels artists like Tintin's Hergé.

The tour lasts around 2 hours and can be adjusted on request. Let's meet at a venue of your convenience. Good starts and or endings are the Brussels Central Station or the Grote Markt / Grand'Place.

Entrance for a tour in the Belgium Comic Strip Museum, 6 (children) to 13 (adults) euros. 

Visiting the comic strip museum is a nice adding to the tour

A few interesting sites can be visited while on this tour

Alternatively to the Central Station, a departure / end of the tour can be at the Grote Markt / Grand'Place

Brussels breathes comics (and food places)

Comic strips are everywhere in Brussels. From the Smurfs to Hergé, sometimes it is contested heritage.

The Comic Strip Walls Walking Tour

This Walking tour through Brussels is a tour that takes you throughout the history of the Capital of Europe. Brussels is a cosmopolitan city, with a mix of classic architecture and modern Art Nouveau and Art Deco. During the tour, you will be able to see all the old town impressive history and architecture: gothic, renaissance and baroque style, as well as the impressive art nouveau buildings in the ancient hub of the city.

The tour will include a chocolate tasting we will stop at 2 of the Best chocolatiers in Brussels.

During the tour we will also stop at the Manken Pis Museum so you can also enjoy the nice suits our little boy has.

Three Hours walking tour with a personal local guide to discover the capital of Europe.

Brussels Walking Tour

The Stolen Panel of the Ghent Altarpiece: lecture by your own art historian and no. 1 Dutch tourguide, INDOOR Live virtual tour

My name is Walda, I'm an art historian and private tourguide with more than 25 years of experience. I'm Toursbylocals no. 1 tourguide in the Netherlands with more than 350 five star reviews. I'm a private guide in many cities and museums in Europe and I teach art history in adult education since 1995.

In this tour I'm offering you a one hour live power point presentation from my home about the Stolen Panel of the Ghent Altarpiece. This robbery happened in 1934 from the St. Bavo Cathedral in the heart of Ghent city center in Belgium. It's one of the most important unsolved art thefts in the world. Many amateur detectives tried to find the panel, without any luck.

Here's an example of one of my online lectures; this one was about a very traditional feast in the Netherlands: Celebration on Dec 5 of Saint Nicholas (prefather of Santaclaus).

An online lecture with power point presentation from the safety of your own home!

My name is Walda, I'm an art historian since 1996 and Toursbylocals no. 1 tourguide in the Netherlands.

I'm a private guide in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Most of the time you can find me in museums, for example the Rijksmuseum to tell my guests everthing about Rembrandt and the masterpieces in the Gallery of Honour.

This is often combined with a city walk (Amsterdam Museum Square with Rijksmuseum in the background).

I can tell you all about any art historian subject of your interest.

In this lecture with power point presentation I'll tell you everything about the Stolen Panel of the Ghent Altarpiece.

Or maybe you are more interested in Vermeer and the Girl with the pearl earring! Watch this video: youtube.com/watch?v=NctWzydRFgk

When you book a (real!) tour to Ghent with me in 2021 or 2022 I will give you a full refund for the lecture.

The Ghent Altarpiece was painted by the famous Jan and Hubert Van Eyck in 1432.

In the Ghent City Museum SMAK lots of theories are presented.

Was the stolen panel hidden in this well in Ghent?

1 hr INDOOR Live Virtual Tour conducted by art historian from home in the Netherlands using live video-conferencing software

Brussels was built on seven hills which offer spectacular views. Do you want to see the city from the Mountain of the Gallow or the Mountain of Art? I will take you there on our walking tour.

Brussels is an astounding cultural and architectural heritage: do you want to see gems of gothic architecture of art nouveaux? Follow me on the tour and discover hidden masterpieces.

Do you know the difference between a Liège waffle and a Brussels waffle? Between a Trappist beer of a Brussels beer of spontaneous fermentation? Between a Neuhaus and a Marcolini praline? Come with me and lets taste them together.

Don Quichote and Sancho Panza at Spanish Square

Old England, icon of Art Nouveau architecture

Godfrey of Bouillon statue on Royal Square

Sablon district with gothic Our Lady of Sablon church

at Manneken Pis, the oldest and most important citizen of Brussels

Brussels highlights in one morning or afternoon

Private walking tour in Brussels

We will drive to Antwerp with a scenic route and go to the city. Let me show you the local life here. The cosmopolitan, yet unspoiled vibe of the city is enormous. The inhabitants of this refreshing habitat are known for their artistic easy going and epicurean lifestyle. They love culture, good food and luscious drinks. Taste a Belgian tap beer on a Sunny terrace whilst your eyes consume the magnificent surrounding architecture of the 16th and 17th century. Famous are the Belgian wafles topped with whipped cream, the Flemish fries and ofcourse the wide variaty of Belgian beers. We stroll along the pedestian shopping avenue Meir via the Groenplaats square and the Cathedral of our lady (fee). Then we proceed to the diamond district. Discover these girls best friends in the little shops or surprise someone dear with a piece of sparkling elegancy. We walk along the Rubens house (fee) and last but not least we marvel the wonders of the main square with it magnificant guild houses and colorfull Townhall. 


The TRUE diamant of the lowlands! Breath this vibrant city

'Shiny Antwerp' tour. Full day from Zeeland / surrounding Antwerp to the Capitol of Diamonds and Belgium

Bruges and Gent: 2 amazing cities in a day

Bruges and Ghent are probably the most beautiful medieval cities of Belgium. They are really close, so it's easy to visit both in one day.
I will show you all the highlights of both cities.
You are going to feel their fascinating history in the medieval constructions we are going to visit.
You will certainly enjoy my explanations. I'm official guide (training 4 years), but most of all I love to entertain people with funny anecdotes, sense of humor and tasting experiences
Yes. . . You will taste the famous Belgian chocolate and (optional) Belgian bier and the only truly Belgian fries.
And there would be also time for a boat trip in Gent or Bruges (optional).

Imposing medieval buildings, beautiful streets and chocolate tasting Full Day Tour

Discovering Antwerp Medieval Centre on Foot

Ready for medieval Antwerp? A fascinating tour to start at "Brabo" (representing "cruel" foundation of the city in Roman Times).

We head to a remaining hexagonal "Pagadder" tower build by the Spanish (16th cent). used to watch for incoming ships, meaning "payday" was there (Spanish pay= pagar). Next stop is the "butchers" guild house, build 1501, now a highly interactive musical instrument museum. The rich butchers of Antwerp needed a impressive space to sell their meat. The animals were butchered nearby at "Veemarkt" (cattle market).
The museum now houses the world-famous Ruckers clavecins, build by Ruckers family (16th) in Antwerp. We go back to the Cathedral and surrounding alleys. The museum Plantyn Moretus, the only on Unesco world heritage list, is not to be missed, showing the workshops and residence in its original (16th). friday market in front is a lively square, with a weekly auction market. We end in Hoogstr for a drink/falafel (jewish eatery) or popular café with a real 1937 DECAP organ

printing presses at the museum plantin moretus. Live demo's

one of the 16th century libraries at the Plantin Moretus museum

Vlaeykensgang near cathedral the ideal place to listen to the cathedral towerbell playing

regular "live" concerts on the Ruckers clavecins

one of the thousands of prints in the Plantin Moretus Museum. Spanish Gallions

Plantin Moretus medieval printing factory was specialized in scientific books here: depicted exotic insects and fruits

The time of big discoveries: Plantin Moretus produced several world atlasses, nautical charts for navigational purposes

The medieval centre of Antwerp as drawn on the wall in the Museum

The world famous botanic book by Dodoens was printed at Plantin Moretus. here: the Valeriana plant

The iconic Antwerp cathedral by night. a walking zone with restaurants and pubs make it a lively zone at night

the entrance of the Plantin Moretus printing museum

the squaire in front of the cathedral..always buzzing

the cathedral: a gothic style with a tower of +114meter height. It took more than 100 years to build it...

St Pauls church: these woorden cabinets are used for telling your sins to the priest

St Paul's church: view on the Rubens painting. to the left: reserved seats for the monks

St Pauls 's church some other reserved seats carved in woord (17th century)

a painting of St Paul 's interior (17th century) Gothic Style

St Paul' s : in the 18th century the Church decided to recreate the last calvery of Jesus Christ so that people did not have to go to Jerusalem on pilgrimmage.

The 13 stages of Jesus Christ's calvery are being depicted with statues (apostels, saints,..) It is a beautiful area in the middle of the medieval heart of Antwerp

Carolus Borromeus Church at Conscience Square: A beautiful example of Barock style (inside famous paintings by Rubens)

History of printing at Unesco World Heritage Site, the Remnants of Spanish Invasion and Inquisition

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and Europe: surrealism in art, architecture and culture. A metropole with many faces.
Its original name 'Bruocsella' means settlement in the swamp. Worldwide known as the centre of the European Union, Brussels has a great diversity of races and languages. Already since the 11th century 'La Grand Place' was the centre of the town with a well-preserved architecture as from the 16th century when Brussels became 'The Capital of the United Low Countries'. Not to forget the unique 'art deco & art nouveau' architecture that originated here.
Today Brussels is a melting pot of many cultures in the heart of Europe with a large variety of nationalities in a unique eclectic decor. Come and see & taste the true Belgian diversity!

Discover a city of great diversity

Heart of Brussels Walking Tour

I asked Google what to eat in Antwerp on your behalf and I received the answer. Some of this answers will be put in perspective and give you my personal view on why you should choose the right place and give you the history background. Other answers will be ignored because they are not from Antwerp but from Belgium.

Why should we follow the tourist list when we still have different hidden food and treats?
This tour is specially demanding for a tour guide. Some products will be purchased together and you will know the stores and the local products, some will force me to order the previous days, so when you arrive, i. e. , on Sunday, you can still taste the products from the butcher already closed.

You will taste 8 to 10 different street food bites.

Bruxelles tours

Explore with 125 tours and 25 guides.

Elsy V.

$ 174 (USD)

Peter V.

$ 1,597 (USD)

Irina V.

$ 301 (USD)

Arn H.

$ 272 (USD)

Young Y.

$ 2,505 (USD)

Ludo J.

$ 491 (USD)

Erik H.

$ 278 (USD)

Raf D.

$ 501 (USD)

Andrea R.

$ 307 (USD)

Walda B.

$ 154 (USD)

Roger B.

$ 324 (USD)

Pieter v.

$ 749 (USD)

Albert C.

$ 579 (USD)

Livinus P.

$ 313 (USD)

Dirk-Diego

$ 324 (USD)

Jorge A.

$ 440 (USD)

Meet your local guides in Bruxelles

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