This is a longer extension for runners treating the marathon as one stop on a wider European trip rather than a single-city visit, moving south through three Belgian cities in sequence.
Antwerp
Antwerp's central station is itself worth the stop, alongside the diamond district and a food scene that outperforms its reputation. A day here sets a good pace before moving on.
Ghent
Smaller and less crowded than Bruges, Ghent has its own canal-side old town and a livelier, more local feel, making it a comfortable base for two nights in the middle of the trip.
Bruges
The postcard finale: canals, medieval streets, and the kind of density that rewards arriving after Antwerp and Ghent rather than before them, when the comparison still feels fresh rather than repetitive.
Where to Stay and Eat
Each city has a walkable historic centre with hotels close to its main station. Book rooms ahead given October's shorter daylight hours and the compressed sightseeing window that comes with it.
Getting Back
The same rail chain runs in reverse back to Antwerp and on to Amsterdam, or a direct international service can be booked from Brussels if the return trip skips the intermediate stops.