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    Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg
    Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg
    Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg
    Ebook636 pages4 hours

    Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg

    By Mark Elliott, Mélissa Monaco and Sander Van Den Broecke

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    About this ebook

    Lonely Planet's local travel experts reveal all you need to know to plan the trip of a lifetime to Belgium & Luxembourg.

    Discover popular and off the beaten track experiences from strolling around the Grande Place in Brussels to climbing the belfry in Bruges, and taking a fun-fueled brewery tour at De Koninck in Antwerp.

    Build a trip to remember with Lonely Planet's Belgium & Luxembourg travel guide:

    • Our classic guidebook format provides you with the most comprehensive level of information for planning multi-week trips
    • Updated with an all new structure and design so you can navigate Belgium & Luxembourg and connect experiences together with ease
    • Create your perfect trip with exciting itineraries for extended journeys combined with suggested day trips, walking tours, and activities to match your passions
    • Get fresh takes on must-visit sights including the EU Quarter, and Atomium and the Heysel
    • Special features on battlefields by car and on foot; tour of Flanders; best beer, chocolate and wine
    • Expert local recommendations on when to go, eating, drinking, nightlife, shopping, accommodation, adventure activities, festivals, and more
    • Essential information toolkit containing tips on arriving; transport; making the most of your time and money; LGBTIQ+ travel advice; useful words and phrases; accessibility; and responsible travel
    • Connect with Belgian and Luxembourgish culture through stories that delve deep into local life, history, and traditions 
    • Inspiring full-colour travel photography and maps including a pull out map of Bruges & Brussels
    • Covers Brussels; Ghent, Bruges & Northwest Belgium; Antwerp & Northeast Belgium; Wallonia; Luxembourg

     

    Create a trip that's uniquely yours and get to the heart of these extraordinary countries with Lonely Planet's Belgium & Luxembourg.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLonely Planet
    Release dateAug 1, 2024
    ISBN9781837586080
    Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg
    Author

    Mark Elliott

    Mark Elliott has a BFA in illustration from the School of Visual Arts. He has illustrated a number of book covers, and his work has been exhibited at the Society of Illustrators and the Art Directors Guild. Mark lives on a sheep farm in the Hudson Valley region of New York.

    Read more from Mark Elliott

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      Book preview

      Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg - Mark Elliott

      Front CoverLonely Planet Logo

      Belgium & Luxembourg

      MapHow To Use This eBook

      CONTENTS

      Plan Your Trip

      Welcome

      Map Belgium & Luxembourg

      Our Picks

      Regions & Cities

      Itineraries

      When to Go

      Get Prepared

      The Food Scene

      The Outdoors

      The Guide

      Brussels

      The Pentagon

      EU Quarter, Cinquantenaire & Schaerbeek

      St-Gilles, Ixelles & Forest

      Along the Canal

      South and East Brussels & Forêt de Soignes

      Northwest Brussels

      Outskirts of Brussels

      Ghent, Bruges & Northwest Belgium

      Ghent

      Beyond Ghent

      Bruges

      Beyond Bruges

      Ostend

      Beyond Ostend

      Ypres

      Beyond Ypres

      Antwerp & Northeast Belgium

      Antwerp

      Beyond Antwerp

      Mechelen

      Leuven

      Beyond Leuven

      Wallonia

      Waterloo

      Mons

      Beyond Mons

      Namur

      Bouillon

      Central Ardennes

      Liège

      Beyond Liège

      Luxembourg

      Luxembourg City

      Beyond Luxembourg City

      Müllerthal & Éislek

      Toolkit

      Arriving

      Getting Around

      Money

      Accommodation

      Family Travel

      Health & Safe Travel

      Food, Drink & Nightlife

      Responsible Travel

      Accessible Travel

      LGBTIQ+ Travellers

      Nuts & Bolts

      Language

      Storybook

      A History of Belgium & Luxembourg in 15 Places

      The Art of Zwanze

      Don't You Dare Call Them French Fries

      The Brown Pub, A Taste of Belgium

      Contemporary Art & Architecture in Bruges

      This Book

      BELGIUM & LUXEMBOURG

      THE JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

      As a Brit visiting my Belgian cousins, I was mesmerised by the futuristic architecture of the Atomium in Brussels. Years later, I discovered the extraordinary historical complexities underlying these two small but dynamic countries. Having married a Belgian, it became ever clearer how the humorous self-deprecation in the art of René Magritte summed up something very real within the Belgian psyche.

      La Ducasse, Mons | Anibal Trejo/Shutterstock ©

      Mark Elliott

      @markbekaz

      Mark has contributed to over 70 guidebooks, writes cultural and pro-conciliation articles for the CaspianPost website and is the author of Culture Shock! Belgium. He wrote the Antwerp & Northeast Belgium, Wallonia and Luxembourg chapters.

      My favourite experience is somehow surviving the chaotic swirling sea of humanity that is the Ducasse de Mons with hundreds of bodies heaving and straining to grab a hair from the tail of Doudou the dragon.

      WHO GOES WHERE

      Our writers and experts choose the places which, for them, define Belgium & Luxembourg.

      skyfish/Shutterstock ©

      Place Sainte-Catherine in Brussels is the embodiment of the city’s history and the changes it experienced through the years. The church that stands where ships once docked is a testimony to the great urban planning revolution made during the 19th century – a plan that changed the face of Brussels forever. However, the square retains that village-like charm that characterises Brussels’ 19 communes.

      Mélissa Monaco

      @mellovestravels

      Mélissa is a travel blogger and guidebook author. Brussels has been her home for 18 years. She wrote the Brussels chapter.

      Catarina Belova/Shutterstock ©

      I spent four years in Ghent as a student, so I’m slightly biased. But I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of strolling around the medieval city centre. (The Archetypal European City Centre)

      Sander Van Den Broecke

      Sander is a copywriter, founder and editor of travel blog Ars Currendi, and author of The Solo Traveller’s Bible. Born and raised in Belgium, Sander is also a passionate home cook and — believe it or not — equally a dog and cat person. He wrote the Bruges, Ghent & Northwest Belgium chapter.

      Country Map

      MEDIEVAL MARVELS

      As well as great churches and monasteries, medieval Flanders developed begijnhoven, religious refuges for single women who stopped short of becoming nuns. What's now Belgium was also one of the first places in Europe where the economic power accumulated through crafts (especially weaving) led townsfolk to assert their civic rights, helped by trade guilds. Despite many a fight with reticent nobility, this power shift occurred and was symbolically demonstrated architecturally through guildhalls, belfries and grand market squares.

      Minnewater, Bruges | Mistervlad/Shutterstock ©

      Beautiful Belfries

      No fewer than 33 Belgian belfries are UNESCO-listed, representing visually in stone and brick the development of secular municipal power in the early Middle Ages.

      Anton_Ivanov/Shutterstock ©

      Market Squares

      The heart of each medieval city is a grand central square, Grand Place in French or Grote Markt in Dutch, typically ringed by beautifully gabled guildhalls.

      Sira Anamwong/Shutterstock ©

      Idyllic Begijnhoven

      The idea of the begijnhof dates from the 13th century. Soothingly calm, 13 Flemish begijnhoven are UNESCO-listed.

      BEST MEDIEVAL EXPERIENCES

      map

      In 1 Bruges, swoon at the fabulous canal scenes, visit the Historium, climb the belfry, then take a horse-cart ride from the Grote Markt to the idyllic begijnhof.

      Stroll around the Grande Place in 2 Brussels, wondering how such an incredibly ornate enclosed square could have survived so many wars.

      Explore northeast Belgium, comparing the many lovely begijnhoven. Do you prefer those in 3 Lier, 3 Turnhout or 3 Diest?

      At the 4 Kortrijk 1302 museum, learn about how the nobility had a rude awakening at the Battle of the Golden Spurs.

      Stand on the little Grasbrug Bridge in 5 Ghent to admire the picture-perfect 'medieval' scene of waterfront gabled houses, gorgeous if largely rebuilt in 1913.

      INDUSTRIAL INNOVATOR

      People in what's now Belgium and Luxembourg have been at the forefront of trade and new technologies for millennia. Both countries were major metallurgical centres and today they're hubs for international business and cooperation, symbolised in part through the EU institutions based here.

      Euro Space Center | MAKASANA PHOTO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

      Industrial Heritage

      The Borinage around Mons, the hinterland of Liège and the Minett region of southern Luxembourg all have mining museums and heavy industry experiences for visitors.

      Always Cutting Edge

      From transport infrastructure and space technology to the use of blockchain in tracing genuine diamonds, this region is proud to display its track record of innovation.

      BEST TRADE & INDUSTRY EXPERIENCES

      map

      In Antwerp, learn all about the trade and processing of diamonds at 1 DIVA or the ways in which 16th-century printing changed the world at 1 Museum Plantin-Moretus.

      Appreciate human resilience by going down the 2 Blégny coal mine near Liège, or the 3 MNM iron-ore mine at Rumelange.

      Be wowed by the rapid advances in science and technology at 4 Technopolis near Mechelen.

      At the 5 Euro Space Center, experience reduced-gravity training exercises that ESA astronauts undergo before heading into space.

      Stay in a mind-bending anti-hostel while trying to process the bleak dystopia that is post-industrial 6 Charleroi.

      THE GREAT OUTDOORS

      Whether for sport, relaxation or as a spectator, cycling is a passion for many Belgians. But there's a myriad other ways to get outside including kayaking and gentle river cruises, zip lines and activity parks, sporting events and long-distance hikes. There's many a cave to explore and the Belgian coast has some remarkably fine beaches.

      Schiessentuempel waterfall, Müllerthal | FALKENSTEINFOTO/Alamy Stock Photo ©

      On Your Bike

      Cyclists get both the flat, well-tended canalside routes of northern Flanders and the steep hills and high fenlands of the Ardennes.

      Caving In

      You don't need to be a speleologist to enjoy some of the numerous beautiful caves that form part of Belgium's newly declared Famenne-Ardenne UNESCO Global Geopark.

      BEST OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES

      map

      Head out on a musical hike on the Flanders–Wallonia border in Ronse’s so-called Musical Forest, 1Muziekbos, to enjoy the sounds of nature.

      Test your mountain-bike legs on the forest trails around 2 La Roche-en-Ardenne, or take a contrastingly gentle glide at FDHW near Bokrijk, where you’ll feel like you’re cycling right through a lake.

      Take an idyllic walk through the beechwoods and mossy micro-canyons of Luxembourg's 3 Müllerthal region.

      Delve deep underground at Rochefort's awe-inspiring 4 Grotte de Lorette, or for more stalactites and fewer steps, choose the Grottes de Han at Han-sur-Lesse.

      Exhaust the family with countless activities at the extensive Adventure Valley complex at 5 Durbuy, Belgium's 'smallest city'.

      PERENNIAL SURVIVOR

      For centuries the region has seen battles between dukes and counts, nobles and townsfolk, and against many an outside enemy sweeping across the land. The result is a vast number of castles, forts and historic battlefields. Today a great deal of what once represented the worst of human aggression and the indulgence of overlords has been transformed into beauty or fascination for 21st-century visitors.

      Bastogne War Museum | Vilius Veitas/Shutterstock ©

      Castles & Forts

      Impenetrable medieval castles like Bouillon's, grandiose châteaux like Chimay, Modave and Beloeil, and harsh fortresses like Namur and Luxembourgare all fascinating in their own way.

      Traveller70/Shutterstock ©

      Battlefields

      Some of Europe's defining battles have been fought on Belgian and Luxembourg soil; various attractions help visitors to envisage what really happened.

      Alexandre Tziripouloff/Shutterstock ©

      World War Memorials

      Silent memorials, vast white graveyards and many a moving museum commemorate the appalling tragedies of the world wars for soldiers and civilians alike.

      TOP WAR-RELATED EXPERIENCES

      map

      Find yourself right in the midst of the horrifically bloody 1 Battle of Waterloo with a 4-D experience that's part of the highly interactive Memorial 1815 complex.

      The brooding stone beast of a medieval castle at 2 Bouillon is utterly atmospheric and takes on a whole new persona when illuminated at night.

      Devastated in WWI, the magnificently rebuilt 3 Lakenhalle in Ypres (Ieper) retells personal stories from terrible trench warfare in the surrounding Ypres Salient. Gravesites abound.

      The Ardennes region was pummelled in Hitler's last-ditch counter-attack at Christmas 1944. Several specialist war museums are based in 4 Bastogne.

      WWII occupation horrors and murderous deportations are movingly memorialised at 5 Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen.

      BOOZY BRILLIANCE

      Belgium is globally famous for its beers. The world's biggest brewer grew out of a family business based in Leuven, and the country has some truly fabulous drinking holes. Viniculture is a maturing novelty in Belgium but well established in Luxembourg, whose sparkling wines and pinot blancs are great discoveries.

      De Koninck Brewery, Antwerp | Alexandros Michailidis/Shutterstock ©

      Belgian Beer

      Classics range from self-fermenting lambics to classic Trappist masterpieces created by monks in active monasteries. Enjoy them in hipster bars or timeless brown cafes.

      Fizzy Fun

      The beautiful undulating countryside east of St-Truiden is increasingly planted with vines, but for archetypal vineyard scenes do a tasting tour of Luxembourg's Moselle Valley.

      BEST BEER & WINE EXPERIENCES

      map

      Seek the holy grail of Trappist beers, a glass of Westvletteren 12, at 1 In de Vrede, located beside St-Sixtus Abbey where it's brewed.

      Take one of the most amusing brewery tours imaginable at 2 De Koninck in Antwerp, then do a city cafe crawl.

      Go direct to the source with a tour of the historic 3 Cantillon Brewery (gueuze museum.

      Venture down the tiny alleys around Brussels' Bourse to discover a trio of Belgium's best preserved medieval bars.

      Visit Belgium's last 'steam' brewery at 4 Pipaix.

      CULTURE CLUSTER

      Belgium's artistic pedigree is out of all proportion to its size. The van Eycks and Brueghels, Rubens, van Dyck and surrealist superstar Magritte all lived and worked here. Cartoons are also a major art form. And then there are all those wildly idiosyncratic festivals and carnivals. Who said Belgium was boring?!

      Arrays of Art

      On top of some truly world-beating galleries, Belgium also has a vibrant fashion scene, centred in Antwerp, and a penchant for large-scale street art.

      KerrysWorld/Shutterstock ©;

      Museum Marvels

      So much culture and so many collectors mean that if you look hard enough you'll find museums celebrating virtually anything from 17th-century clocks to chips to ribbon-making.

      CNMages/Alamy Stock Photo ©

      Crazy Carnivals

      Certain Belgian towns seem to live for their carnivals, some of which are deliciously weird. Foremost choices are at Binche, Stavelot, Aalst and Malmédy.

      BEST CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

      map

      Be blown away by the collection of Flemish Primitive artworks at the 1 Groeningemuseum in Bruges.

      Avoid Rubens overload in Antwerp by wandering round 2 Berchem and perusing the astonishing wealth of street art.

      Jump on a bicycle in 3 Mons and follow a route around the Borinage mining villages, whose miseries turned Vincent van Gogh from wannabe priest to painter.

      Immerse yourself in the surreal carnival world of the Gilles at 4 Binche.

      Go on the trail of prolific Maigret author Georges Simenon in the 5 Outremeuse quarter of Liège, a district that semi-comically declares independence every year.

      REGIONS & CITIES

      Find the places that tick all your boxes.

      jpg

      ITINERARIES

      The Main Marvels

      map

      Allow: 8 days    Distance: 260km

      Belgium’s fab four historic cities are all within a hour or so from one another by train. Each could entertain you for days at a time but with just a week you can still get a pretty good taster.

      Beguinage and canal, Bruges | Scirocco340/Shutterstock ©

      map

      1 Brussels 2 DAYS

      As Belgium’s capital, Brussels is a logical starting point. Its flamboyant Grand Place is a phenomenal sight and the tiny alleys around the Bourse hide some of Europe’s most marvellous ‘secret’ cafes. Central Brussels has world-class galleries and amazing museums and on the outskirts there are countless more, including the extraordinary Atomium.

      BEMBO DE NIRO/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

      2 Waterloo Battlefield DAY TRIP

      This is a battlefield which changed the whole course of European history, and the state-of-the art Memorial 1815 experience is powerful enough to appeal even to those who thought Napoleon was a brandy trademark. There are several sub-sites, museums, walks and summer ‘animations’ making Waterloo a very satisfying day trip from Brussels.

      BBSFERRARI/GETTY IMAGES ©

      3 Bruges 2 DAYS

      Bruges has it all. Romantic canals lined by picture-perfect houses, a towering belfry, a mysterious secret in a medieval church, an idyllic begijnhof and so many great museums. The one caveat is that everyone knows. Ideally visit out of season, stay overnight, and rework your itinerary if necessary to avoid being here at weekends when visitor numbers peak.

      Detour: Grab a bicycle in Bruges and pedal gently alongside a long straight canal to reach the historic inland port village of Damme. After a quick look around continue at least a couple of kilometres further to get a more restful sense of the mesmerising flat landscapes with their towering trees.

      4 Ghent 1 DAY

      With majestic canal views of its own and some spectacular medieval architecture, gorgeous Ghent feels like a slightly grittier, more lived-in version of Bruges. A day here will leave you wanting much more but it’s enough to climb the belfry, take a canal-boat trip, explore the medieval castle of Gravensteen, and adore the Mystic Lamb, a 20-panel altarpiece by Flemish Primitive artist Jan van Eyck in Sint-Baafskathedraal.

      Thomas Dekiere/Shutterstock ©

      5 Antwerp 2 DAYS

      If you’re not yet overloaded with medieval majesty, the old core of Antwerp has plenty more, including some fabulous museums and a Rubens connection at every turn. However, this is also a buzzing cradle of creativity, where immersive experiences give great insights into the diamond industry as well as chocolate making and brewing, alongside a cutting-edge fashion district and plenty of alternative culture.

      Uwe Aranas/Shutterstock ©

      ITINERARIES

      The Other Side of Flanders

      map

      Allow: 4–5 days    Distance: 220km

      The dazzle of Bruges and Ghent helps keep several other historic Flemish cities a little off the main tourist radar. So if you’re looking for beautiful medieval townscapes without the crowds, this route might suit as an alternative, or addition to, the Main Marvels itinerary.

      Grote Markt, Mechelen | Catarina Belova/Shutterstock ©

      map

      1 Antwerp 1 DAY

      On top of the couple of days you’ve been here with the previous itinerary, add an extra night in Antwerp and explore some of the great brown pubs. Next morning use the short-hop bicycle system to admire Art Nouveau architecture in Zurenborg and street art around Berchem. Drop off the bicycle beside Antwerpen-Berchem station and take the train to Lier.

      2 Lier 5 HOURS

      If you arrive at Lier by 11.30am, there’s time to stroll into the centre and catch the noon ‘performance’ of Lier’s signature Zimmertoren clock. Afterwards you can spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the canal, begijnhoven and laid-back pub-cafes that give this underrated city such a sense of effortless class. There’s a decent hostel here if you don’t want to go back to Antwerp or continue on to Mechelen.

      3 Mechelen 1½ DAYS

      If it were located in a country with fewer superb medieval cities, Mechelen would be internationally famous. Attractions include an achingly photogenic main square, several grand churches, a toy museum and a hands-on experiential centre bringing science to life. If possible, time your itinerary so that you overnight here at the weekend which, in complete contrast to Bruges, is when accommodation prices typically fall.

      4 Leuven ½ DAY

      You could happily spend days in Leuven, a major university and brewing centre where there’s always lots going on. However, if you’re on a tight deadline, a few hours give you just enough time to walk down from the station, climb the university belfry, admire the fabulous Stadhuis and inspect Oude Markt, sometimes nicknamed the ‘world’s longest bar’.

      BOTOND HORVATH/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

      5 Diest 2½ HOURS

      While it’s not an essential destination, many railway routes in northeastern Belgium pass through the handsome city of Diest. It’s well worth jumping off the train for an hour or two to stroll through the older sections of town and into the UNESCO-listed begijnhof. It’s one of Belgium’s loveliest and a soothing place to unwind with a snack in a former chapel turned cafe.

      BERT BECKERS/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

      6 Tongeren 1 DAY

      Come to Tongeren if you’re interested in Gallo-Roman history and to discover another lovely old Flemish city with a small, historic core. Alternatively get off the train 15 minutes earlier in Hasselt and visit the jenever (local gin) museum. Head for Bokrijk and spend most of the day amid reassembled antique buildings before renting a bicycle to ‘cycle through water’.

      KEMPENEERS LUC/SHUTTERSTOCK ©

      ITINERARIES

      Driving Wallonia & Luxembourg

      map

      Allow: around 8 days    Distance: 560km

      This route links many of the more important towns in Wallonia and Luxembourg, which all have characters of their own. While all have public transport access, this is a route to drive since many of the smaller stops en route are integral to what makes the region memorable.

      Citadel and Collegiate Church of Notre Dame, Dinant | Dmitry Rukhlenko/Shutterstock ©

      map

      1 Charleroi 1 DAY

      Love it or hate it, the ‘world’s ugliest city’ has a perverse fascination, and some budget airlines fly here. Hire a car for a driving tour across Wallonia, but start with Charleroi’s surprisingly impressive art gallery, out-of-town photo museum and the Bois du Cazier coal-mine site for an insight into the region’s industrial history (which, in the case of the Bois du Cazier, is sadly tragic). Then drive on to spend the night in nearby Namur.

      2 Namur 1 DAY

      The old centre of Namur is a fine place to while away a day. The city has some fun museums and the vast bastions of the great fortress make for great exploration. Afterwards drive to Luxembourg City via Dinant and the Meuse Valley.

      Detour: Take a rest stop off the motorway at Redu to visit the highly imaginative Mudia art gallery.

      3 Luxembourg City 2 DAYS

      Luxembourg City is the capital of Europe’s richest country, but while much is pricy, there are plenty of free attractions and public transport is gratis. Enjoy endlessly photogenic valley views and consider day trips to the post-industrial Minett region, driving to local castle villages or cycling between wineries along the Moselle.

      Detour: On your drive from Luxembourg City to Vianden, it’s worth visiting Larochette and Beaufort en route. Yes, more fabulous castles!

      4 Vianden 1 DAY

      Hilly Luxembourg is a feast of castles, most impressively the the brilliantly restored monster crowning Vianden. Vianden town has a steep, cobbled main street on which you can sleep in an atmospheric, heavy beamed inn.

      Detour: En route to Spa, visit The Family of Man exhibition at Clervaux Castle (pictured) and pop into Stavelot where the former abbey has a multi-themed museum. Travelling with children? Then spend time instead at Coo.

      Jesus Barroso/Shutterstock ©

      5 Spa 1 DAY

      The elegant original spa of Spa is a charmer whether for dining well, ‘taking the waters’, or pampering yourself with massages and steam baths.

      Detour: Although the shortest route from Spa to Liège is around 40km, a much more satisfying drive takes you across the Haute Fagnes (High Fens) via Baraque Michel, then offers stops in lovely little Limbourg, underrated Verviers and the Val-Dieu abbey-brewery gardens.

      Stanislava Karagyozova/Shutterstock ©

      6 Liège 2 DAYS

      Liège takes a bit of effort to love, but it’s rewarding to stroll around Hors Chateau, visit the Grand Curtius museum, cruise down to La Bovarie on a river ferry and practise your French with ebullient, fun-loving locals everywhere you go. Timing your visit so you’re here on a Sunday adds to the fun.

      Algirdas Gelazius/Shutterstock ©

      WHEN TO GO

      With a temperate climate, Belgium and Luxembourg are enjoyable all year long, although November and January–February are often gloomy.

      Belgium is known for overcast skies and a rainy, unpredictable weather while Luxembourg, with a slightly more continental climate, has a reputation for colder winters and sunny summers. Regardless, you will need to pack an umbrella or a raincoat, no matter the season.

      Brussels and the Belgian 'Art Cities' (Antwerp, Ghent and especially Bruges) are flooded with tourists between May and September and during the weekend. Try to avoid these

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