Mechelen Historic Walking Tour with Local Guide

Mechelen's very own Champs-Élysées: a broad shopping street with imposing façades and one of Flanders' oldest town halls. The street's name refers to the iron railings once placed alongside a medieval brook where fishing boats moored.

Three iconic 16th–17th century houses along the Dyle river: Het Paradijske, De Duiveltjes and Sint-Jozef. Each façade tells its own story — from the Garden of Eden to devils used as columns. A true highlight of Mechelen's skyline.

A revived city stream: the Melaan was filled in 1913 but reopened in 2007. Stroll along the water on wide stone benches lined with trees — a tranquil oasis in the heart of the city.

A stunning Gothic cathedral with a 97-metre tower. Climb 538 steps for a panoramic view over Mechelen — and discover the world-famous carillons that have made this city a global centre of bell-ringing tradition.

The vibrant heart of the city, surrounded by colourful guild houses and a historic town hall. Discover how Mechelen once served as the capital of the Burgundian Netherlands under regent Margaret of Austria.

A stunning Renaissance palace where humanists like Erasmus and Thomas More once gathered. Today the museum houses masterpieces of the Northern Renaissance and tells the story of Mechelen's golden Burgundian age.

Built from 1507, this was the residence of Margaret of Austria, regent of the Habsburg Netherlands — and one of the first Renaissance buildings in the Low Countries. She raised her nephew Charles, the future Holy Roman Emperor, within these walls. Today the palace serves as the city's courthouse, but its beautiful Renaissance façade and charming courtyard garden are open to visitors.

Mechelen's cultural hub, surrounded by the Cultural Centre, the Academy of Fine Arts and the Conservatory. In summer, open-air theatre, music and carillon concerts from the nearby St. Rumbold's Tower bring this square to life.