Weekend train tickets, and the three cities an hour apart

Belgian railways sell discounted weekend return tickets, and under-26s get a cheap Go Pass; standard fares are moderate and there's no need to book ahead. Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, and Bruges are all within about an hour of each other, so one base covers the country. Ghent has Bruges' canals with a working city around them and far fewer day-trippers; go to Bruges early or stay the night, when the buses leave.