Belgium

Our Lovely Trip to Belgium for Passover

We just came back from a lovely Passover holiday in Antwerp, Belgium. It was so nice to be together with our family. Family gatherings always make me happy! Now we’re back to our routine, with new and exciting projects coming up – I’ll be happy to share more soon.

In the meantime, I’d love to share some photos and stories from our trip. I always enjoy exploring new places!

All the photos were taken with my phone, not my professional camera—just little moments I wanted to capture along the way.

Cogels-Osylei Street – A Walk Through History

While walking around Antwerp, I discovered a beautiful street called Cogels-Osylei in the Berchem area. It's often described as an open-air museum of architecture – and I could see why!

Each house on this street has its own unique style. Even though they look old, they were mostly built between 1894 and 1906. The architecture includes a mix of styles like Art Nouveau, Neo-Gothic, and Neo-Renaissance.

This area was originally developed in the late 1800s for Antwerp’s wealthy residents. After WWII, many homes fell into disrepair, but by the 1980s, people began restoring them. Today, the street is protected as a heritage site. It’s currently undergoing some tram construction, which will hopefully make it even easier to visit in the future.

Ghent

On our way to visit my sister-in-law at her hotel in Koksijde (Villa Altol), we stopped in Ghent for a visit. I’d only been once before and didn’t really get to experience the city.

Ghent is one of Belgium’s oldest cities, full of beautiful canals and medieval buildings. We saw the Gravensteen, a stone castle from 1180, once home to the Counts of Flanders.

We also came across the Dreidel Monument, a memorial for Jewish residents of Ghent who were deported during World War II. It was a moving moment during our walk.

Nature Walks – Parks and Green Spaces

We enjoyed a peaceful walk through Park Sorghvliedt and Fort 8. Fort 8 used to be part of Antwerp’s military defense system in the 1800s, but now it's a calm green space full of trees and nature. It was the perfect spot for some quiet time outdoors.

A Rainy Surprise and a Happy Ending

One day I wanted to explore the other side of the Schelde River. There’s a pedestrian tunnel called St. Anna’s Tunnel that takes you underneath the river – very cool! But when we got to the other side, it started raining and I wasn’t really waterproof. 😅

We decided to take the tram to Wijnegem Shopping Center to stay dry. When we got there, the rain stopped! 😂 Looking at the map, I noticed that Park Rivierenhof was nearby, so we went there instead. It turned out to be such a lovely surprise – so much greenery and space to explore. I’m so glad we managed to spend time in nature after all.

Do you enjoy traveling and exploring new places too? I’d love to hear about your adventures!