The 8 Best Dark Side Tours in Belgium

1.Evening Tour: The Dark Side of Bruges

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 956 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $3Our pick

Walk Bruges after dark with a local guide such as Martin, Louis, or Patrick, hearing tales of trade, superstition, tragedy, and ghostly folklore. The 90-minute route leaves the Markt for quieter canals, Adornes Domain, windmills, and a final beer offer at the Bauhaus bar.

“I went to make some new friends and have a pint with folks. But the tour guide, Hein, was very off putting. He tried to convince someone from France, who is bi-lingual, the she wanted to take the French speaking tour. He told us that this was a "little known facts" tour, rather than a spooky tour. The history he gave had no context, and was pretty basic. The spaces we were taken too were nice. But it was dark and ran over, and then we were brought up by the windmill, which include steps and no handrail. There was one person who couldn't make the walk up, and everyone…”

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2.Evening Tour of the Dark Side of Gent

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 646 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $3

Follow an English-speaking guide through Ghent at night, from St Michael’s Bridge to Patershol. Expect medieval trade, torture, religious conflict, Charles V, local legends, and lesser-seen streets. Guides such as Kenny, Isabel, Ben, and Julian bring the darker tales to life with humor.

“Kenny, our tour guide, was very entertaining and enthusiastic during our tour. He took us off the beaten path to see parts of Gent you would not find on your own. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the city.”

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3.Evening Tour: The Dark Side of Brussels

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 435 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Walk through Brussels with an English-speaking guide such as Rahim, Sebastian, Ann Marie, or David, hearing stories of punishment, murder, politics, and strange local events. The route takes about two hours from Grand Place to Kapellekerk, with hills and plenty of walking.

“This tour was not what I expected. The guide was very nice and very knowledgeable about Brussels and there were a couple of interesting stops but I think it is maybe just named incorrectly. A good way to see a bit of the city. More lesser known facts than dark side.”

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4.Evening Walking Tour: The Dark Side of Antwerp

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 193 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.)

Walk from Grote Markt to the MAS with guides such as Luc, Beren, and Tom, hearing legends, prison tales, diamond-trade history, and Red Light District stories. The 90-minute English tour ends with harbor views from the MAS rooftop, except on Mondays.

“Our guide's (Luc D) energy is contagious! A great evening walk pack with history, quiz, and laughter!”

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5.Private Tour: The Dark Side of Antwerp

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 84 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $105

Walk from Grote Markt to the MAS with a private English-speaking guide such as Luc, Tom, Marleen, or Anna. Hear the darker side of Antwerp’s diamond trade, visit former prison Het Steen, pass the Red Light District if you wish, and finish with port views from the MAS rooftop.

“Marleen was personable, funny and knowledgeable. She did not just relate information, she told great stories.”

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6.Private Tour: The Dark Side of Gent

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · 1 hour 45 minutes (approx.) · from $105

Walk Ghent after dark with an English-speaking private guide such as Kenny, Debra, or Sébastien. Over 1 hour 45 minutes, hear grim legends and political tales while seeing the city’s towers, medieval harbor, castle, old defenses, and Patershol.

“Great tour. Learned a lot about Gent. Debra, our guide, has an amazing amount of knowledge and enthusiasm about the city. Highly recommend.”

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7.Private Tour: The Dark Side of Bruges

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $105

Walk through Bruges with only your own party and a local guide such as Martin, Louis, Jonathan, or Hein. Expect medieval stories, ghost tales, canals, Jan van Eyckplein, Adornes Domain, city mills, and a finish at the Bauhaus bar.

“Our tour guide was phenomenal! If you have the opportunity we highly recommend a private tour. It was amazing having all of our questions answered and we loved the stories Jonathan shared. He absolutely brought the city to life for us.”

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8.1.5-Hour Dark Side of Bruges Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 55 reviews

Walk Bruges with a private guide in English, French, Spanish, Dutch, or German. Hear dark legends and local history at Markt, Jan Van Eyck Square, Sint-Anna, Jerusalem Church, and St. John’s Mill, then finish with a Belgian beer at Bauhaus Bar.

“It was fantastic. The guide was very knowledgeable and generous of his time.”

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