For the last year or so, I kept postponing visiting Mechelen so I decided to fix that last month. Not that I ever had a proper reason but you know how it goes. Something always gets in the way and becomes the priority. But in July, I randomly thought of Mechelen and impulsively decided to visit it for a day. By train, it takes me a bit over two hours to arrive there. So I worried that I might not be able to fit all of my plans in such a short amount of time. As it turns out, Mechelen is a small city that you can totally explore on foot. In fact, I found myself crossing everything off my list only four hours after my arrival!
The architecture caught my eye years ago so that interested me the most. Being a Flemish city, you could compare Mechelen to Ghent, Leuven, and Bruges with their adorable houses. But while all of them are comparable, they are all still so unique and different from one another. My first stop in Mechelen was Haverwerf, a group of 16th and 17th-century houses where oats and grain used to be unloaded and traded. The trademarks of Flemish architecture are immediately visible, from the shapes to the decorative elements. In short, this type of architecture is one of my favorite things about Belgium! It must be so visually pleasing to look at this every day.
I’m not going to lie, I was most looking forward to the two beguinagesA beguinage, from the French term béguinage, is an architectural complex that was created to house beguines: lay religious women who lived in community without taking vows or retiring from the world.. Photos never do them justice because they require you to explore every little corner and they always turn out bigger than expected. I headed to the larger one first, the Groot Begijnhof, and instantly loved it. There were so many hidden courtyards and stunning doors wreathed with plants and flowers.
The supposedly smaller beguinage, the Klein Begijnhof, didn’t seem that small after all. I spent so much time discovering all the hidden alleys of both beguinages and I still feel like I missed out on some! The atmosphere in these places is always peaceful. So much so that it feels like you stepped into a new city! It was a warm and sunny day and after all that exploring, I needed a break. So I chose to go to Foom for some refreshments and much-needed shade.
I was also looking forward to seeing the main square with all its gingerbread houses. And I wasn’t disappointed, especially because all of it seemed to be a pedestrian zone. Aside from bicycles, but you can’t not have that in Flanders! The facades along the IJzerenleen street were particularly enchanting. You can see them or yourself below the photos of the Grote Markt. One more unique after the other, I would have a hard time choosing my favorite!
All in all, I spent four hours wandering through Mechelen and couldn’t believe I managed to see everything. The only thing I missed out on was the Ursuline Winter Garden but that was due to opening hours. Well, if nothing else, it’s a great reason to return to Mechelen sometime in the future!
