City or town
Things to see in Mechelen (Belgium): 76 places and when to go
Mechelen is a town in Belgium, and this site lists 76 places in and around it, mainly History (31), Wildlife (31), Nature (29). The best known are St. Rumbold's Cathedral, Fort Breendonk and Mechelen transit camp. The best time to come is April to October and December; also possible: January to March and November. In June there are 16 h 17 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 42. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.
In a nutshell
- Where
- Belgium · 51.0242, 4.4786
- Places
- 76 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- What people come for
- History (31) · Wildlife (31) · Nature (29) · Temples (14) · Museums and art (8) · Food and drink (8)
- Best time
- April to October and December.
- Also possible
- January to March and November.
- Nearest airport
- BRU Zaventem, 14 km as the crow flies
What to see in Mechelen
The places in and around Mechelen, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.
- St. Rumbold's CathedralCathedral in Mechelen, Belgium521 m
- Fort BreendonkMilitary fort which served as a Nazi prison camp in Willebroek, Belgium10 km
- Mechelen transit campFormer Nazi transit camp and a current museum in Belgium1.1 km
- Béguinage of MechelenBéguinage in Mechelen, Belgium933 m
- Liers BegijnhofBéguinage in Lier, Belgium13 km
- BrusselpoortCity gate in Mechelen, Belgium423 m
- Basilica of Our Lady of HanswijkChurch building in Mechelen, Belgium520 m
- Het Anker BreweryBrewery in Mechelen, Belgium919 m
- Kazerne Dossin Memorial, Museum and Documentation CentreMuseum in Mechelen, Belgium1.1 km
- Onze-Lieve-Vrouw ten TroostChurch in Vilvoorde, Belgium11 km
- Bosteels BreweryBrewing structure located in Belgium20 km
- Hof van SavoyeHistoric building in Mechelen, Belgium724 m
- Mechelen City HallHistoric building complex in Mechelen, Belgium467 m
- PlanckendaelWith kids · Wildlife3.8 km
- Saint Gummarus ChurchChurch in Lier, Belgium14 km
- BegijnhofkerkChurch in Mechelen, Belgium900 m
- Mechelen Toy MuseumMuseum in Mechelen, Belgium944 m
- Church of Our Lady across the river DijleChurch in Mechelen, Belgium121 m
- Church of Our Lady of Leliendaal, MechelenChurch in Mechelen, Belgium232 m
- Saint John's ChurchChurch in Mechelen, Belgium716 m
- Sint-Pieters-en-PauluskerkChurch in Mechelen, Belgium742 m
- Lier town hallTown hall13 km
- Stedelijk Museum Wuyts-Van Campen en Baron CarolyMuseum in Lier, Belgium13 km
- JezuïetenkerkChurch building in Lier, Belgium14 km
And the other 52, by what you come to do:
- History: Fort van Walem, Harmonium Art museuM, Museum Hof van Busleyden, Our Lady of Good Hope Church, Schepenhuis, Mechelen, Sint-Margaritakerk, Domein Hofstade, Willebroek railway station, Tank memorial, Brouwerij De Ster
- Museums and art: Technopolis
- Nature: Bomputten, Bos van Aa, Kollinten, Lintbos, 's Gravenbos, Steentjesbos, Dalemansbos, Abroekbos, Anderstad, Biezenweiden reservaat, Blaasveldbroek, Broek De Naeyer, Cassenbroek, De Warande, Domein Neteland, Gasthuisbossen (Waverwoud), Hellebos, Hondsbossen (Waverwoud), Houtembos, Mechels Broek, Natuurdomein Bleukensweide, Rotbos, Velaertbos, Vossenbergbos (Waverwoud), Vriezenbroek, Walenhoek, Zuurbossen (Waverwoud)
- Temples: Sint-Jozefkerk
- Food and drink: Brouwerij Cloet, Brouwerij Sweynbeer, Microbrouwerij Den Triest, Stokerij De Molenberg
- Hiking: GR 12, GR 12 Vlaanderen, Bergen op Zoom - Bruxelles, Martinusroute, Rubens wandelpad, Via Brabantica, Antwerpen - Mechelen, Via Brabantica, Antwerpen - Mechelen (variant), Via Brabantica, Mechelen - Brussels
- With kids: 't Struisvogelnest
- Hot springs: Thermae Boetfort
When to go to Mechelen
The best time to visit Mechelen is April to October and December; also possible: January to March and November. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.
- JanPossible8:10
- FebPossible9:44
- MarPossible11:32
- AprBest time13:35
- MayBest time15:19
- JunBest time16:17
- JulBest time15:53
- AugBest time14:21
- SepBest time12:22
- OctBest time10:24
- NovPossible8:37
- DecBest time7:42
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In June there are 16 h 17 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 42. In April, 76 of the 76 places are at their best.
When to go to Belgium in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.
Getting to Mechelen
The nearest main airport is Brussels Airport (BRU, Zaventem), 14 km as the crow flies. How to get around Belgium (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
Other towns nearby
- Mandekensstraat51 places22 km
- Leuven80 places23 km
- Antwerp119 places23 km
- City of Brussels278 places23 km
- Westerlo40 places31 km
- Malle26 places33 km
And all of Belgium, in its country guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Mechelen?
The best known: St. Rumbold's Cathedral, Fort Breendonk, Mechelen transit camp, Béguinage of Mechelen, Liers Begijnhof. In all, 76 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.
When is the best time to visit Mechelen?
April to October and December; also possible: January to March and November. In June there are 16 h 17 of daylight, and in December, 7 h 42.
How do you get to Mechelen?
The nearest main airport is Brussels Airport (BRU), 14 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.
How do I add it to my trip?
Create a trip with Mechelen as the destination and these 76 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.
Keep reading
- BelgiumBefore travelling to Belgium: 5 things worth sorting out, each with its deadline. For Spanish citizens, a Spanish ID card (DNI) is all it takes to get in.
- History1012 places for history in Belgium, from Manneken Pis to spots hardly anyone knows. Best time: April to October and December. Each with its own season by altitude and d
- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.