Best Travel Guide Mechelen | ArrivalGuides.com

MechelenGuide was updated: 2025-06-24

‘Mechelaars’ talk about their city with great pride and warmth. Visitors are struck by the genial atmosphere as they stroll past monuments redolent with age and pause in courtyards and historic churches. The locals are proud of Gouden Carolus — the award-winning beer brewed here for centuries. They are proud of Margaretha van Mechelen, who put 16th-century Mechelen on the world map. And they have a soft spot for craftsmanship and authentic local products. Come to Mechelen and experience its charms for yourself!

Do & See

Mechelen has something for everyone and everything is within easy reach of everything else. In the historic centre you’ll find fascinating museums, scores of historic buildings and delightful squares. Below is a list of Mechelen’s top sights. Don’t miss a single one!

St Rumbold’s Tower

After 538 steps, you’ll be on the Sky Walk which affords a panoramic view of the Grote Markt and indeed the whole city. On your way to the top, stop and catch your breath in six rooms, each of which serves a different purpose. Take the opportunity to admire from close to the working tower clock and two carillons. There’s nothing like them in Europe!

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Museum Hof van Busleyden

Welcome to the Museum Hof van Busleyden! Step into this majestic and magnificent Renaissance palace in Mechelen, the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands. Find out more about the surprising Burgundian history as you venture deeper into the Hof van Busleyden, discovering its treasures and stories. Learn more about the Burgundians’ ideas, about the city, about power and about mastership and craftsmanship. Move from lively and bustling rooms to more private and quieter places. In this museum we look back at the city’s glorious history and look ahead to the future, together with you. Travel back and forth, between the past and present. Experiment and engage in a dialogue with the museum and its ever-changing collection. The story is far from finished.

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Palace of Margaret of Austria

History and architecture enthusiasts will feel at home in Mechelen straightaway, particularly when it comes to viewing the palaces of Margaret of York and Margaret of Austria! The residence of the regent Margaret of Austria, the Court of Savoy, was the first renaissance building in the Low Countries. The picturesque garden is a wonderfully peaceful place. On the other side of the street is what remains of the Palace of Margaret of York.

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Dyle path

The people of Mechelen like to enjoy their city and why not! A walk alongside the water in the heart of the city is a unique and relaxing experience, particularly if you walk over the floating part of the Dyle Path! The path leads past (and over) the Dyle, between Haverwerf and the Botanical Garden. See a different side of Mechelen — the backs of the old houses! The many water birds make it atmospheric and fun for children too.

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Large and Small Beguinages

Beguines are women who lived together and together sustained themselves. The charming, narrow streets of the beguinages are an oasis of peace and a wonderful place for a quiet stroll. Its typical Flemish character and unusual architecture ensured the Large Beguinage of a place on UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites.

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In the footsteps of Margareta

Travel five hundred years back in time to the days when Mechelen was the capital of the Netherlands. As the city was also the seat of Margareta of Austria’s court, scores of Burgundian noblemen settled here too. This prosperous period left its mark on the city and traces of it have survived to this day, including Burgundian palaces, historic churches, wooden façades and sumptuously decorated guildhalls. This handy brochure brochure takes you back to that rich Burgundian era.

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Belgium

Mechelen

Do & See

St Rumbold’s Tower

Museum Hof van Busleyden

Palace of Margaret of Austria

Dyle path

Large and Small Beguinages

In the footsteps of Margareta