Lonely Planet Belgium & Luxembourg

By Mark Elliott

Lonely Planet’s Belgium & Luxembourg is our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the countries have to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences. Wander through Brussels’ Grand Place, explore the caves of the Ardennes, and indulge in Belgian chocolate and beer; all with your trusted travel companion.

 

Inside Lonely Planet’s Belgium & Luxembourg Travel Guide:

What’s NEW in this edition?

Up-to-date information - all businesses were rechecked before publication to ensure they are still open after 2020’s COVID-19 outbreak

NEW top experiences feature - a visually inspiring collection of Belgium & Luxembourg’s best experiences and where to have them

Planning tools for family travellers - where to go, how to save money, plus fun stuff just for kids

NEW pull-out, passport-size 'Just Landed' card* with wi-fi, ATM and transport info - all you need for a smooth journey from airport to hotel

 

Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests

Eating & drinking in Belgium & Luxembourg - we reveal the dishes and drinks you have to try
Colour maps and images throughout

Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots

Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sightseeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss

Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, people, music, landscapes, wildlife, politics

Over 39 maps 

Covers Brussels, Bruge, Ghent, Northwest Belgium, Antwerp & Northeast Belgium, Wallonia, Luxembourg

 

The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet’s Belgium & Luxembourg, our most comprehensive guide to Belgium and Luxembourg, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less travelled. 

Visiting Brussels? Lonely Planet’s Pocket Bruges & Brussels is a handy-sized guide focused on the city’s can’t-miss experiences.

 

About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveller since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and phrasebooks for 120 languages, and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travellers. You'll also find our content online, and in mobile apps, videos, 14 languages, armchair and lifestyle books, ebooks, and more, enabling you to explore every day. 

 

'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' – New York Times

 

'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' – Fairfax Media (Australia)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lonely Planet
• Release date: Oct 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781837580521

Mark Elliott

Mark Elliott’ s brilliant illustrations have appeared in many picture books and novels for young readers, including the ever-popular Princess Tales series. His acclaimed artwork delivers inspiration, wonder, and timeless beauty.

Book preview

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Belgium & Luxembourg

MapHow To Use This eBookFull Page SamplerbuttonCountry Map

Contents

Plan Your Trip

Welcome to Belgium & Luxembourg

Belgium & Luxembourg’s Top Experiences

Need to Know

First Time Belgium & Luxembourg

Month by Month

Itineraries

Family Travel

Regions at a Glance

On The Road

Brussels

Sights

Tours

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

Information

Getting There & Away

Getting Around

Bruges, Ghent & Northwest Belgium

Bruges

Damme

Belgian Coast

Knokke-Heist

De Haan

Bredene

Zeebrugge & Lissewege

Ostend (Oostende)

Nieuwpoort

Oostduinkerke

De Panne

Beer Country

Veurne

Diksmuide

Poperinge

Ypres (Ieper)

Ypres Salient

Kortrijk

Oudenaarde

Geraardsbergen

Ghent

Antwerp & Northeast Belgium

Antwerp (Antwerpen)

Around Antwerp

Westmalle

Turnhout

Lier

Mechelen

Leuven

Hageland

Diest

Hasselt

Haspengouw

Tienen

Zoutleeuw

Sint-Truiden

Tongeren

Wallonia

Western Wallonia

Tournai

Pipaix

Aubechies

Ath

Lessines

Enghien

Mons

Binche

Nivelles

Waterloo Battlefield

Louvain-la-Neuve

Charleroi

Thuin

Aulne

Botte de Hainaut

Philippeville

Mariembourg & Nismes

Chimay

The Ardennes

Namur

Crupet

Dinant

Han-sur-Lesse

Rochefort

St-Hubert

Bouillon

Orval

Arlon

Bastogne

Achouffe

La Roche-en-Ardenne

Durbuy

Huy

Liège

Verviers

Spa

Coo

Stavelot

The Eastern Cantons

Luxembourg

Luxembourg City

Moselle Valley

Schengen & Remerschen

Müllerthal Region

Larochette

Echternach

Beaufort

Éislek

Bourscheid

Diekirch

Vianden

Esch-sur-Sûre

Wiltz

Clervaux

UNDERSTAND

Understand Belgium & Luxembourg

History

Belgian Beer

Arts & Architecture

The Belgian People

Creative Cuisine

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A-Z

Accessible Travel

Accommodation

Activities

Climate

Customs Regulations

Discount Cards

Electricity

Food

Health

Insurance

Internet Access

Legal Matters

LGBTIQ+ Travellers

Money

Opening Hours

Post

Public Holidays

Safe Travel

Telephone

Time

Toilets

Tourist Information

Visas

Work

Transport

Getting There & Away

Air

Land

Sea

getting AROUND

Air

Bicycle

Boat

Bus

Car & Motorcycle

Hitching & Ride Sharing

Local Transport

Train

Language

Behind the Scenes

Our Writers

COVID-19

We have re-checked every business in this book before publication to ensure that it is still open after the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the economic and social impacts of COVID-19 will continue to be felt long after the outbreak has been contained, and many businesses, services and events referenced in this guide may experience ongoing restrictions. Some businesses may be temporarily closed, have changed their opening hours and services, or require bookings; some unfortunately could have closed permanently. We suggest you check with venues before visiting for the latest information.

Welcome to Belgium & Luxembourg

Celebrated chocolate shops, abbey breweries and soaring castles are just a few reasons Belgium and Luxembourg are so easy to love. There’s also those early-morning walks along canal-side lanes and rambles by kayak or bike through bucolic scenery. Travelling here is also about experiencing the past, through art, industry and geopolitical conflicts. Most of all, it’s the surprises that await every visit – from surreal carnival celebrations, to wine-tasting and cycling amid the vineyards of the Moselle Valley.

Bruges | BOTOND HORVATH / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

by Regis St Louis, writer

@regisstlouis @regisstlouis

For more about, see our writers

Belgium & Luxembourg’s Top Experiences

1CAPTIVATING CITYSCAPES

Belgium’s medieval town cores are home to a bounty of Unesco World Heritage sites. These cobblestone centres are packed with treasures from the past. You can ascend lofty bell towers for views across the Gothic cityscape or take in the architectural grandeur while boating along a canal, pedalling the lamplit lanes or browsing markets in a cinematic square.

Bruges

Laced with canals and full of evocative step-gabled houses, Bruges is the ultimate picture-postcard tourist destination. Meandering canals, towering churches and picturesque squares set the stage for memorable rambles in one of Europe’s most enchanting cities.

YASONYA / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

SHARON LAPKIN / GETTY IMAGES ©

Brussels

Ringed by gold-trimmed, gabled guildhouses and flanked by the 15th-century Gothic town hall, Brussels’ Grand Place ranks among the most beautiful medieval squares in Europe. The cobblestones were laid in the 12th century, when the square was used as a marketplace.

REPISTU / GETTY IMAGES ©

Luxembourg City

It’s hard to imagine a more picturesque capital than this one. Perched along a deep river gorge, Luxembourg City is packed with atmospheric lanes that wind past grand cathedrals and cutting-edge museums.

FRéDéRIC COLLIN / GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

2CASTLES & CITADELS

Belgium is remarkably over-endowed with fortifications: from grand châteaux to rugged stone ruins and pre-WWI fortresses, there are castles for all tastes. You’ll get an eyeful of centuries-old architectural techniques amid often striking surrounds – riversides, formal gardens, panoramic hilltops. Visiting these remarkable buildings is inevitably a journey into the past, and you’ll get a deeper understanding of centuries-old geopolitical conflicts on guided tours.

Citadelle de Namur

Reason enough to visit the riverside capital of Wallonia, the hilltop citadel-fortress was once considered among the most impregnable in Europe. Walking its lofty ramparts and dark tunnels is like stepping back in time. Guided tours and interactive exhibitions help bring the place to life.

CEDANT / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Château de Belœil

This grand castle has been part of the royal House of Ligne since the 14th century, and has an impressive fortified facade rising above a moat. Even more striking are the formal gardens first laid out in the 1660s, which have earned this place the moniker of ‘Belgium’s Versailles’.

MONIKAISANSKA / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Beaufort Castles

In Luxembourg, you can scramble around Beaufort’s medieval castle ruins before fast-forwarding a few centuries to its Renaissance-style neighbour. The best way here is to walk the trail through the woodlands.

SERGEY NOVIKOV / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

3CONFLICTS OF THE PAST

Since at least Roman times, what we now call Belgium has regularly found itself in the path of invaders. A lion statue atop an artificial hill overlooks the famous Waterloo battlefield. Endless rows of gravestones in the northwest commemorate four years of WWI hell. And haunting former prison camps and museums honour those who died in WWII.

Flanders Fields

Flanders Fields became synonymous with senseless death in the wake of WWI’s trench warfare. Museums vividly evoke the context and conditions that soldiers endured, while in the Ypres Salient you can see restored WWI trenches, resurrected townscapes and contemplative graveyards.

JURGAR / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Waterloo

You could spend days visiting historical sites (Butte du Lion) and learning about the events surrounding Napoleon’s infamous defeat by the Duke of Wellington. The impressive Memorial 1815 museum takes you to the heart of the conflict.

BONANDBON / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Bastogne War Museum

Hitler’s devastating last-gasp counter-attack in the Battle of the Bulge is still a vivid memory in these thoughtfully designed exhibitions. Some events are told through the eyes of four different fictional characters, which helps humanise the battle.

VILIUS VEITAS / SHUTTERSTOCK © ARCHITECT GEORGES DEDOYARD

Top Experiences

4BEER & WINE TASTING

Brewing is an almost mystical art in Belgium, with a dazzling rainbow of different styles – a classic, hop-draped Belgian beer-pub might serve over 200 choices. What really excites are the strong, abbey-brewed Trappists, locally crafted dark ales, crisp golden Tripels and, for the adventurous, a range of sharp, spontaneously fermented lambics, often blended with soft fruit. Wine-loving Luxembourg offers some excellent opportunities for vineyard tours.

Chimay

Spend some time exploring Chimay’s royal castle and tiny centre before heading south of town to immerse yourself in the world of legendary abbey brewing at the Espace Chimay.

CLAUDIO DIVIZIA / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Caves St-Martin

The Moselle Valley in Luxembourg is a riverine region famed for its vineyards. For insight into old traditions of producing sparkling wine, visit the subterranean Caves St-Martin.

VALERY SHANIN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Val-Dieu

Spin back the wheels of time on a visit to a working Cistercian monastery founded in the 13th century. Join a tour, drink glorious beers from the brewery and take in the pretty parkland scenery.

BARMALINI / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

5OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

If you want to get out into the fresh air, there’s more to Belgium than historic cityscapes, especially in the forests, rolling hills and meandering rivers of Wallonia. You can go paddling along forest-lined waterways, hike through enchanting forests and gorges, and go cycling along meandering wildflower-lined roadways in the countryside. Brave souls can take a dip off Belgium’s pretty beaches, and there’s also skiing in the wintertime.

Bouillon

Sitting serenely on the Rivière Semois, the picturesque village of Bouillon makes an excellent base for walking and cycling in the surrounding forests or paddling trips along the river.

La Transardennaise

See the verdant forests and peaceful valleys of the Ardennes while cycling or hiking this scenic 160km route between La Roche-en-Ardenne and Bouillon. You can overnight in villages along the way.

Müllerthal Trails

Amid striking rock formations, moss-lined brooks and narrow gorges, you can head out on day hikes or make a grand six-day circuit camping along the way in Luxembourg’s ‘Little Switzerland’.

LORADO / GETTY IMAGES ©

Top Experiences

6EPICENTRE OF THE ARTS

Avant-garde museums and finely endowed galleries unveil the complex history of what has been a crucible of European art, from the Flemish Primitives to bizarre surrealism, comic strips and 21st-century fashion. Fine arts aside, Belgium is also home to dynamic destinations for fashion design, flamboyant architecture and a packed performing arts calendar. It’s well worth planning a trip around one of the region’s wildly imaginative festivals.

Antwerp

Fashion-focused Antwerp has it all, from contemporary galleries (M HKA) to medieval house-museums stuffed with works by its most famous 17th-century resident, Pieter Paul Rubens.

JJS-PEPITE / GETTY IMAGE © / ARCHITECT MICHEL GRANDSARD

Musée Magritte

Brussels has a trove of surrealistic works, none more impressive than those in the Musée Magritte, with the world’s largest collection of the pioneer’s paintings and drawings.

ANALIA GLOGOWSKI / LONELY PLANET ©

Binche

Join the pre-Lenten pageantry in Binche, complete with barrel costumes, spooky masks, ostrich-feather hats and plenty of mayhem. The bizarre rituals date back hundreds of years.

KOBBY DAGAN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Top Experiences

7ENTER THE UNDERWORLD

You don’t need to be a daring speleologist to explore some of northern Europe’s most awesome cave systems, hollowed out beneath the rolling countryside of the Belgian Ardennes. The best known starts with a train ride, while at another you can float along on an underground river. Once you’re caved out, the region offers gentle kayaking amid pretty valleys, as well as plenty of hiking in forests between castles and grey-stone villages.

Grottes de Han

The journey to Belgium’s most impressive caverns begins with a whimsical ride aboard a narrow-gauge train. You’ll then leave the sunlight behind as you wander through the stalactite-filled chambers of this Unesco Global Geopark.

TWIN DESIGN / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Grottes du Remouchamps

You can go right from the town centre to subterranean passageways on a memorable jaunt inside this surprising cave system. The best part is a boat ride along Europe’s longest underground river.

Grottes de Hotton

You’ll find superb natural grottoes and fabulously vertical subterranean chasms, plus fewer crowds than most in these Ardennes caves.

JOYPICA / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Need to Know

For more information, see Survival Guide

Currency

Euro (€)

Language

Dutch (Flanders), French (Wallonia), both (Brussels), German (Eastern Cantons), Luxembourgish, French and German (Luxembourg).

Visas

EU citizens can stay indefinitely; many other nationals can enter visa-free for up to 90 days.

Money

Credit cards are widely accepted. ATMs are very prevalent.

Mobile Phones

Most EU mobile phone contracts allow customers to use roaming data in Belgium and Luxembourg as though they were in their home country. For non-EU visitors, the cheapest and most practical solution is usually to purchase a local SIM card for your GSM phone, assuming it’s not blocked by your home network.

Time

Central European Time (GMT/UTC plus one hour)

When to Go

03-climate-blx8jpg

High Season (Jul–Aug)

A Warm weather, many outdoor activities and festivals.

A Hotels get overloaded in the Ardennes, Bruges and coastal towns but are cheaper in Brussels and Luxembourg City.

Shoulder Season (May, Jun & Sep)

A Pleasant weather reasonably likely but rush-hour traffic jams return.

A Crowds are thinner; prices might fall slightly but most tourist facilities still open.

A Luxembourg wine festivals in early autumn.

Low Season (Oct–Mar)

A Weather often cold and wet.

A Hotels cheaper, but some attractions close.

A From start of Lent there are numerous superbly colourful carnivals.

A Bruges is at its quietest in February.

Useful Websites

Visit Brussels (https://visit.brussels/en) The capital region.

Visit Wallonia (www.walloniabelgiumtourism.co.uk) Tourism website for Wallonia.

Visit Flanders (www.visitflanders.com) Tourist information on Flanders.

Visit Luxembourg (www.visitluxembourg.com) Tourist information on the Grand Duchy.

Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/belgium) Destination information, hotel reviews, traveller forum and more.

SNCB (www.belgiantrain.be) Trains in Belgium.

Mobilitéit (www.mobiliteit.lu) Countrywide information on all forms of Luxembourg public transport.

Important Numbers

Exchange Rates

For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.

Daily Costs

Budget: Less than €100

A Dorm bed including breakfast: €22–30

A Midweek lunch: €10–15

A Train ticket: €10

A Museum entry: €5–15

A Beer: €2–4

A Short-hop city bike hire: €2

Midrange: €100–250

A Double room at B&B or midrange hotel: €60–140

A Car hire per day: €20–30

A Two-course meal with wine for two: €80–110

Top End: More than €250

A Double room at better hotel or top B&B: €140–200

A Cocktails: €9–20

A Degustation meal with wine for two: €180–350

Opening Hours

Many sights, especially museums, close on Mondays. Restaurants normally close one or two full days per week. Opening hours for shops, bars and cafes vary widely.

Banks 8.30am–3.30pm or later Monday to Friday, some also Saturday morning. However, few banks exchange money and ATMs are open 24 hours.

Bars 10am–1am, but hours very flexible. Often open later on Friday and Saturday nights.

Restaurants noon–2pm and 7pm–9.30pm

Shops 10am–6.30pm Monday to Saturday, to 5pm in Luxembourg. Sunday opening limited.

Arriving in Belgium & Luxembourg

Brussels Airport There are several trains an hour (5.30am to midnight) to central Brussels (€9.10, 20 minutes) and two to Leuven (€8.80, 15 minutes).

Bruxelles-Midi station Take any east-bound train to Bruxelles-Central station (3 minutes, 4.45am to 12.15am) rather than walking into central Brussels.

Charleroi (‘Brussels-South’) Airport Two or three buses per hour run to to Brussels (around €15, 4.30am to midnight, 55 minutes). Flibco (www.flibco.com) offers connections to Luxembourg, Bruges and Ghent. Or buy a combo ticket allowing a TEC bus ride to Charleroi-Sud train station (20 minutes) plus a rail connection to your destination.

Luxembourg Airport Buses (€2) into Luxembourg City run from 5.30am to 11pm every 10 minutes Monday to Friday, every 20 minutes on Saturday and every 30 minutes on Sunday. A new tram service should start in 2023.

Getting Around

Train A good network of trains makes public transport the best way to reach northern Belgium’s car-averse cities.

Bus Buses are important in rural Wallonia and Luxembourg, often used in conjunction with trains rather than in competition.

Car In Belgium’s less populous south, public transport can be sparse: away from the jammed motorways, having your own wheels makes a lot of sense.

Bicycle Cycling is a local passion, rentals are easy and cycle paths common.

For much more, see getting around

First Time Belgium & Luxembourg

For more information, see Survival Guide

Checklist

A Check the validity of your passport and whether you need a visa.

A Download offline maps for your smartphone.

A Print necessary boarding passes and car-hire receipts.

A Organise travel insurance.

A Consider joining Hostelling International.

A Investigate phone roaming charges, ensuring that your phone is unlocked if you plan to use a local SIM card on arrival.

A Make advance reservations for popular and/or high-end restaurants.

What to Pack

A Passport and driving licence

A European adaptor plug

A USB hub or multi-plug

A A phrasebook

A Padlock for hostel lockers

A Student card if relevant

A Corkscrew (packed in your checked baggage for flights) as screwtop wine bottles are rare

Top Tips for Your Trip

A You can save a lot of money on accommodation by visiting tourist towns midweek and larger ‘business’ cities at weekends.

A Don’t assume that all hotels will have air-conditioning or 24-hour reception. For B&Bs, arrange arrival times in advance.

A Rush-hour traffic jams can be painful around big cities. But take smaller country roads in rural areas and you’ll discover some charming scenery; distances are short anyway.

A Sip slowly: Belgian beers can pack quite a punch.

A Bicycle-hire options make train-bike combinations an appealing way to visit the country.

A Lunch options are typically simpler but much cheaper than dinners in the same restaurant, though top dining establishments rarely open till evening.

What to Wear

Antwerp is a major fashion centre, yet even in its upmarket boutiques you can see the Belgian love of understatement. In a male business context, a blazer and slacks are likely to be more appropriate than a tailored suit, which might be considered stuffy. Smart casual is the norm for going out to restaurants. In winter it’s worth bringing heavy clothes when things can feel much colder than the temperature suggests due to the pervading damp. Conversely, in summer humidity can make conditions feel surprisingly hot, and air-conditioning is rare.

Sleeping

A High season (May to September) sees fewer accommodation options available, particularly on the weekends.

A The Ardennes gets very crowded in July and August.

A Look out for business hotels in places such as Brussels, Liège and Mechelen as they may drop their rates during weekends.

A Breakfast is often included in hotel rates.

A Quoted prices usually include national taxes but many towns also add a small city tourist tax.

Money

A Chip-and-PIN credit cards are widely accepted, but some places stipulate cash only.

A Occasionally only one or two international cards are accepted (typically MasterCard and/or Visa).

A ATMs are common but exchange offices rare. Banks don’t usually offer exchange for non-account holders.

A For last-minute bookings with smaller hotels and B&Bs, try phoning direct rather than using online services.

A Some cities have one day a month with free entrance to municipal museums.

Bargaining

Gentle haggling is common in markets, but in all other instances you’re expected to pay the stated price.

Tipping

Restaurants, bars and hairdressers Tipping is not required: personnel receive living wages and all charges are included within stated prices. If service was quite exceptional, you could show appreciation, but even then 10% would seem generous.

Tourist-oriented locations Unaware foreigners regularly leave disproportionate tips leading to a certain expectation from staff but tipping is still not obligatory.

Upmarket hotels A tip of €0.50 to €2.50 is common for door staff and porters.

Taxis In Belgium tipping drivers is not required. In Luxembourg rounding up is common by up to 10%. Airport taxi drivers might hint (or even state outright) that a tip is appropriate but that’s a gentle scam. Don’t be bullied.

Cycling in Bruges | PORNPOJ / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

Language

In Flanders it’s polite to know some basic Dutch greetings…and of course the term ‘pintje’ for ordering beer, but so many locals speak great English that it’s almost embarrassing to try much more. In Wallonia, a grasp of French will prove more important. If you learnt French in France, be prepared for a few little differences. However, don’t think it’s clever to speak French in Flanders: English will generally be better understood and better appreciated. In Luxembourg, a few words of Luxembourgish will impress those who speak it but that’s by no means every resident.

Etiquette

Say hello, wave goodbye When entering a shop or arriving at a cash desk, it’s polite to offer a cheery greeting to staff. When you leave, say thank you and good day/good evening.

Giving gifts When visiting someone’s home, it’s appropriate to bring wine, flowers or chocolates – choose the brand carefully!

Greetings Men and women alike greet each other with a handshake; close friends exchange three skimmed kisses on the cheek (starting with the right cheek).

Punctuality Being punctual is expected whether for meetings, appointments or restaurant reservations.

Month by Month

TOP EVENTS

Binche Carnival, February

Le Doudou, May/June

Waterloo Battle Re-Enactment, June

Outremeuse Celebrations, August

Heritage Days, September

January

Days are short, cold and often grey but snow might lay just long enough for an Ardennes ski weekend.

2 Ski Time

Belgium has no Alpine mountains but when enough snow falls on the Ardennes modest slopes, the perilous E411 (over)fills with day-tripping skiers making a beeline for the handful of little hillside pistes in the Haute Fagnes.

February

z Carnival

Orange-lobbing Gilles lead one of the world’s oddest carnivals in Binche on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras), which might fall in February or March. The Sunday before, Malmédy’s carnival climaxes with the parade of the masked Haguètes, and the next day Eupen’s Rosenmontag is joyously colourful.

March

z Burning of Winter

The Spirit of Winter is ceremonially cremated on the first Sunday of Lent, both with bonfires in Belgian village fields and cruciform fires on hillsides in Luxembourg.

z Laetare

Sinister Pinocchio-like Blanc Moussis stuff confetti down women’s clothes, dangle smelly dried herrings in people’s hair and beat bystanders with dried pigs’ bladders. It’s all part of Stavelot’s unique Laetare carnival (www.laetare-stavelot.be), culminating on the fourth Saturday of Lent.

April

At Easter children seek out eggs in their gardens, deposited there by the ‘Bells of Rome’.

z Penitents’ Procession

After dusk on Good Friday, Lessines turns off the city lights as eerie figures in monks’ habits and medieval conical hoods parade moodily around town carrying flaming torches.

2 On Your Bike

Three of Belgium’s most important cycling races take place in April, including the one-day classic Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders; www.rvv.be), famed for its classic steep climbs on rough cobbled lanes.

1 Serres Royales

The royal greenhouses at Laeken (Brussels) open to the public for three weeks.

May

z Hanswijk Procession

Part religious tableau, part medieval pageant: thousands dress up to thank the Virgin Mary for sparing Mechelen from the plague back in 1272.

z Zinneke Parade

This one-day multicultural parade is held every even-numbered year, designed to bridge social divides and expose Brussels’ zanier side (www.zinneke.org).

z Heilig-Bloedprocessie

On Ascension Day, Bruges’ biggest folklore event sees the parading around town of an enormously revered reliquary supposedly containing a few drops of Christ’s blood.

z Belgian Pride

From tiny radical beginnings, Belgian Pride, now based in Brussels, involves a rainbow parade that attracts up to 100,000 people in mid-May.

z Sprinprozession

Echternach pilgrims celebrate the town’s Anglo-Saxon founding father with handkerchief dances on Whit Tuesday morning.

3 Brussels Jazz Weekend

Three fabulous evenings of free, nonstop jazz, blues and zydeco concerts on the last weekend of the month, all over Brussels.

z Ducasse de Mons (Le Doudou)

On Trinity Sunday (eight weeks after Easter Sunday), a golden ‘coach’ of relics parades through town, then Mons goes completely nuts as St George fights the dragon on the Grand Place.

June

A great travelling month with long, long days and mild weather.

z Kattenstoet

Ypres’ cat festival (www.kattenstoet.be) sees furry feline toys flung about while giant cats parade through the street. It’s held every third year (next in 2024) on the second Sunday of June.

1 Waterloo Battle Re-enactments

On the weekend nearest 18 June, Waterloo celebrates the anniversary of the 1815 battle with re-enactments by costumed ‘soldiers’.

z Luxembourg National Day

Luxembourg City becomes one giant party zone on 22 June, culminating in a major firework display.

3 Couleur Café

This three-day festival (www.couleurcafe.be) brings world-music concerts, workshops, ethnic-dining opportunities and over 75,000 people to Brussels’ Atomium area at the end of June.

July

Schools close and Belgians begin their lengthy holidays. There’s a smorgasbord of summer festivals.

3 Wiltz Festival

An impressive month-long theatre, jazz and music festival in the château grounds at Wiltz (www.festivalwiltz.online.lu).

z Ommegang

It costs nothing to watch Brussels’ biggest medieval-style procession (www.ommegang.be) wind around town from the Sablon. But book tickets ahead to witness the lavish finale on the illuminated Grand Place. It’s on the first Thursday of July.

Ommegang procession | ALEXANDROS MICHAILIDIS / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

3 Rock Werchter

The four-day Belgian equivalent of Glastonbury or Roskilde rocks fields north of Leuven (www.rockwerchter.be). Accommodation fills up all across eastern Flanders.

3 Les Francofolies

In the first week of July, Spa hosts one of Belgium’s biggest French-language cultural festivals (www.francofolies.be), notable for attracting some of the biggest names in chanson.

3 Tomorrowland

The world’s largest annual electronic music festival is held annually in the appropriately named town of Boom, 16km south of Antwerp on the last two weekends of July.

z De Gentse Feesten

This fabulously raucous 10-day festival (www.gentsefeesten.be) transforms the heart of Ghent into a youthful party of music and street theatre.

z Belgian National Day

Brussels celebrates Belgium’s 1830 declaration of independence with a large military parade in the morning, brass bands on the Place de Jeu de Bal around 7pm, then fireworks at 11pm.

3 Luxembourg Jazz & Blues Rallye

The Grund and Clausen areas of Luxembourg City party all night to a fine array of free concerts.

z Boetprocessie

Held in Veurne since 1644, this solemn street parade (www.boetprocessie.be) sees hundreds of biblically costumed players illustrate 40 scenes from Jesus’ life, death and resurrection interspersed with masked ‘penitents’ in brown monk-style robes, some carrying heavy wooden crosses. Last Sunday of July.

2 Tour de Wallonie

For five days, professional cyclists race across Wallonia (www.trworg.be), heading west to east in even years, reversing the route in odd years.

August

The beach towns of Flanders and activity villages of the Ardennes are at peak capacity.

3 Festival Musica Antiqua

This week-long festival of medieval music (www.mafestival.be) takes place in Bruges in the first week of August.

3 La Nuit du Livre

Redu’s book-fest on the first Saturday of August is accompanied by music and midnight fireworks.

3 Folk Dranouter

One of Europe’s most important folk-music festivals (www.folkdranouter.be) is held on the first weekend of August at Dranouter, 12km southwest of Ypres.

z Meyboom

On 9 August this merrily low-key Brussels’ folkloric procession (www.meyboom.be) ends with the planting of a ‘tree of joy’, as has happened since 1308.

z St-Rochus-Verlichting

In Aarschot, electric lamps are extinguished from dusk to midnight on 15 August, replaced by flickering lines of candles along window sills and footpaths and accompanied by folk dances and brass bands.

z Festival Outremeuse

A week of raucously drunken celebrations in Liège’s ‘Republic of Outremeuse’ (www.tchantches.eu) culminates on 15 August when sermons are read in full Walloon dialect.

z Golden Tree Pageant

Every five years in mid- to late August, Bruges lays on this grandiose procession (www.goudenboomstoet.be) celebrating the 1468 marriage of Charles the Bold to Margaret of York. Next in 2022.

z Giants’ Procession

On August’s fourth weekend, Ath holds a series of parades featuring enormous Unesco-listed models with biblical and folkloric connections. One such giant, Goliath (Gouyasse), has his trousers ‘burnt’ on Friday night, gets married on Saturday, then fights David.

1 Flower Carpet

On even-numbered years, Brussels’ Grand Place is decorated with half a million begonia petals that create the effect of a giant ‘carpet’ (www.flowercarpet.brussels).

Flower Carpet, Grand Place, Brussels | BOMBAERT / GETTY IMAGES ©

September

The weather is often lovely, while accommodation in rural getaways is no longer overstretched.

2 Belgian Grand Prix

Formula 1 comes to Spa-Francorchamps (www.belgium-grand-prix.com) in late August/early September.

1 Heritage Days

The second weekend of September sees Flanders’ Open Monumentendag (www.openmonumentendag.be) and Wallonia’s Journées du Patrimoine (www.journeesdupatrimoine.be) open a selection of monuments to the public.

z Combat de l’Échasse d’Or

On the third Sunday of September, Namur’s weeklong Fêtes de Wallonie (www.fetesdewallonie.be) culminates in this jousting competition between two teams of stilt-walkers dressed in medieval garb.

October

Temperatures cool, days get shorter and trees develop a pretty autumnal blush.

z Nocturne des Coteaux

Liège comes alive at dusk on the first Saturday of October with 20,000 candles forming beautiful patterns on the city’s vertiginous stairway, Montagne de Bueren.

6 Hasseltse Jeneverfeesten

The most celebrated moment in Hasselt’s famous gin festival (www.jeneverfeesten.be) comes at 3pm when the little Borrelmanneke Fountain briefly pours forth jenever (gin) instead of water. Third weekend of October.

November

Christmas markets begin making the rounds of many a town square. These typically come with nativity scenes that sometimes have living characters rather than mannequins.

z All Saints’ Day

The first of November (Allerheiligen/Toussaint) is the day that Belgian families take flowers to the graves of deceased relatives.

3 Ars Musica

This respected festival of contemporary classical music (www.arsmusica.be) is held in late November every even-numbered year at various Brussels venues.

December

Belgian kids get presents twice over, not just on 24–25 December but also on 6 December from red-coated, bushy-bearded Sinterklaas/St-Nicholas. A speciality for the day is fancily shaped speculaas/speculoos (cinnamon-flavoured gingerbread).

Itineraries

Belgium’s Greatest Hits

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2 WEEKS

Taking in nearly a dozen of Belgium’s top destinations in two weeks is likely to be an exhausting but unforgettable experience.

You will of course admire the Grand Place in Brussels, explore gloriously multifaceted Ghent and visit idyllic, ever-popular Bruges. Then add a day in Ypres with its magnificent cloth hall and moving WWI history; if you’re driving, get there by swinging through lovable Veurne and beer-grail Westvleteren en route.

Tournai is well worth a brief stop to admire its magnificent Romanesque cathedral, then head to historic Mons with its excellent portfolio of museums. Looping back towards Brussels, the Waterloo battle site is a major draw, if slightly fiddly to reach by public transport. Or keep going northeast to Leuven – brew-home of Stella Artois and Leffe – with its splendid town hall and mind-blowing square full of student bars.

Before giving in to the irresistible pull of amazing Antwerp, do stop in underrated Mechelen, Belgium’s spiritual heart. And don’t miss lovely Lier, a gem of a town with a loop of canal, an extensive central square, a plethora of old houses, a Unesco-listed begijnhof and a remarkable astronomical clock speckled with planets and dials.

Itineraries

Dawdling on the Back Roads

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2 WEEKS

This driving trip takes in some of Belgium’s more off-beat cities and its most charming rural corners. Starting from the airport in either Brussels or Charleroi, pick up a rental car and drive via Napoleon’s Waterloo to museum-rich Mons, which was Europe’s cultural capital back in 2015. Continue via Aulne abbey ruins and the ‘hanging gardens’ of Thuin to spend two nights in or around the pretty little castle town of Chimay, famed for its beer. Tootle on along the pretty lanes to Mariembourg and very attractive Nismes, possibly taking the steam train. Visit the splendid gardens of Freÿr and the fabulous caves at Han-sur-Lesse or less commercial versions at Rochefort, which is home to another Trappist brewery and some fine local accommodation. From Rochefort drive down to Bouillon with its looming Crusader castle ruin, and kayak along some of Belgium’s loveliest wooded valleys around Vresse-sur-Semois. Follow the Semois Valley in both directions enjoying the panoramas at Rochehaut and Tombeau du Géant.

Head northeast to visit the excellent war museum at Bastogne, then cut across through thick forests via St-Hubert and the impressive open-air museum of Fourneau St-Michel to La Roche-en-Ardenne, with its castle ghost and sad but fascinating WWII history. Famed for its long-nosed carnival characters, attractive Stavelot makes a good base for outdoor activities organised at nearby Coo. Or sleep in cathedral-town Malmedy and visit the WWII museum at Baugnez before making a day-hike on the Hautes Fagnes. Stop for coffee and pastries in Eupen, Belgium’s only really Germanic city, or for a beer in delightful little Limbourg en route to underrated Verviers, a once-grand city with an excellent new chocolate museum. Lovely country lanes lead on to beautiful Val-Dieu monastery and nearby Blegny, where you can descend into Belgium’s last accessible coal mine. After a dose of boistrous, big-city action in sprawling Liège comes quieter, appealing Tongeren, Belgium’s ‘oldest’ town and then the Roman road to attractive Sint-Truiden. Wander the pretty Haspengouw lanes and peruse the remarkable church in Zoutleeuw plus more Roman remnants in Tienen before spending your last night in the lively student city of Leuven.

Itineraries

Lovable Luxembourg

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5 DAYS

Little Luxembourg makes an unexpectedly complete destination. Accommodation prices in Luxembourg City fall dramatically at weekends, while midweek is better for the rural castle villages, with smaller crowds and less traffic on the country lanes.

Arrive in Luxembourg City on Friday afternoon to make the most of the city’s nightlife, particularly at Rives de Clausen within a former brewery. Buy a Luxembourg Card on Saturday if you’re planning to see all of the main museums, or just stroll the city ramparts and gorges. On Monday strike out for Echternach, either via Larochette or through the Moselle wine country. Hike in the Müllerthal micro-canyons then head to Diekirch to learn about Luxembourg’s WWII history at the country’s national military museum. Consider visiting Bourscheid to admire one of the Grand Duchy’s most impressive medieval castle ruins and its 17th-century neighbour. Head to Vianden, whose restored fortress looms above the town, reached by a chairlift. Travel on to pretty Clervaux, whose castle contains Edward Steichen’s World Heritage–listed photography exhibition Family of Man, then continue to Liège in Belgium or return to Luxembourg City.

Itineraries

Belgian Beer Tour

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7 DAYS

You could claim cultural motivations for touring Belgium’s monasteries and historic towns, pretending that you’re only tasting the local brews out of politeness along the way. But do sign up a patient designated driver – some of these magnificent monster-brews tip the scales at 10% or more.

Start in Brussels by paying respects at L’Arbre d’Or, the brewers’ guild building on the Grand Place. Learn about lambics at Cantillon brewery, then let beer teach you local history at Het Anker in Mechelen.

While exploring the hop-growing region of western Flanders, the ultimate beer pilgrimage is to Sint-Sixtus Abbey at Westvleteren, home to the rarest of Trappist brews. Compare it with a St-Bernardus Tripel sipped in nearby Watou.

Time your arrival at Pipaix to coincide with a visit to the steam brewery. Then continue into the rural Botte du Hainaut area, home to legendary Chimay Trappist beer, and the Fagnes brewery at Mariembourg.

Belgium’s southeast holds a brewery-monastery at Orval and Achouffe. Heading back to Brussels, visit Val-Dieu brew-abbey and try some white beer at Hoegaarden.

Plan Your Trip

Family Travel

From spooky rambles through candlelit castles to high-tech space simulators and splashing about on beaches and rivers, Belgium and Luxembourg have plenty to thrill and inspire beyond the sheer magic of historic chocolate-box cityscapes. And most museums make a point of offering special activities aimed at a younger audience.

Best Regions for Kids

Rural Wallonia

The array of summer sports activities goes well beyond the archetypal kayaking weekend, offering something for kids of all ages, with Durbuy and Coo especially well set up.

Bruges

Adding to its beauty, Bruges excites the less historically minded with museums of chips and chocolate.

The Coast

Even if it’s too cold to swim, children can ride kwistax (pedal carts) along the promenade and visit crazy sandcastles.

Ghent

Magical townscapes inspire, while plenty of interactive museums have kid-friendly activities.

Antwerp

The city is very much a grown-ups’ town, but the zoo will keep kids engrossed, museums cater well for tweens, and teens love the shopping.

Brussels

After gazing at the unforgettable Atomium, particularly child-friendly attractions include Train World, puppet shows at Toone, dino-discovery at Musée des Sciences Naturelles, miniature architecture at Mini Europe and cartoon characters at Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée.

Children’s Highlights

Theme- & Activity-Parks

Very helpfully, several of Belgium’s best theme parks have been installed near enough to other major sites so that one parent might slope off to enjoy a different kind of attraction while the rest of the family is busily soaking up the fun rides.

Pairi Daiza An incredible array of wildlife lives amid beautifully designed gardens, Chinese temples, African villages and other striking recreations.

Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure An activity-filled outdoor area featuring the impressive Natura Parc.

Plopsaland The biggest theme park on the coast is tucked back off the beach strip at De Panne. Related Plopsa Coo in the Ardennes is smaller but prettier, with plenty nearby for adults.

Domaine Provincial de Chevetogne Imaginative playgrounds, a petting zoo, forested areas, minigolf and lakeside fun.

Educational Activities

The difference between educational attractions and theme parks is increasingly blurred as the best install simulators and full-sense experiences. Many museums are designed in large part with children in mind, and include interactive activities and workshops. It’s well worth looking at the websites of the various museums or sights before going, as some activities might operate only on certain days of the week. Naturally a lot will be in local languages, but many are tactile and intuitive, so an adventurous child is likely to enjoy them, and most tour leaders speak excellent English. Even non-child-specific museums tend to have a toddlers’ zone equipped with relevant play activities.

Technopolis Mechelen’s cutting-edge science-experience museum constantly adds new educational delights.

Euro Space Center A major interactive experience, though be aware that it’s awkward to reach without a car.

Musée des Sciences Naturelles Meet a family of real dinosaurs.

Earth Explorer Lets rip in Ostend with earthquakes and storms, then goes on to explain them.

Train World This cracking new Brussels diversion for children and adults offers hands-on exploration of historic locomotives.

Natur Musée Stuffed animals, preserved insects and more life-size dinosaurs reside at this Luxembourg City museum.

Outdoor Excitement

Château de Bouillon This wonderfully evocative Crusader ruin is likely to inspire young minds, especially during the birds of prey show. The site is all the more special if you visit on a summer’s night by the light of burning torches.

Han-sur-Lesse Younger kids might find the cave visit a little long, but there’s the fun of starting out by train. With the ‘safari’ and various other minor attractions, it all adds up to a fine day out.

Outdoor Freizeit Older kids will enjoy canoeing and kayaking on Luxembourg’s Sûre river.

Durbuy Belgium’s smallest ‘town’ is brilliantly set up with activities to keep the whole family active, while a few kilometres away in Barvaux there’s also the summer fun of a great cornfield labyrinth.

Planning

Entrance Fees

Many attractions are free for those under 26 (or in some instances 21), which can make a big difference if you’re planning to visit a number of museums. Otherwise there are usually discounted children’s tickets for those aged 12 years or under.

Accommodation & Eating

Hotels don’t usually charge for toddlers, while many will provide an extra bed for children for around €15 (though it’s very variable). A great idea for bigger families is to rent a self-catering gîte to use as a base. Rentals are usually per week. Many midrange restaurants have a small selection of simpler dishes and/or smaller portions for children. If you need a high chair, it’s worth calling ahead to check availability.

Babies

Baby cots are available on request in many B&Bs, hotels and even some hostels, but it’s worth reserving ahead as they’re often limited.

Breastfeeding in public is acceptable, though not commonly seen.

Transport

Train travel in Belgium is free for under-12s when accompanied by an adult if the journey starts after 9am. Luxembourg is more generous, with public transport free countrywide for those aged 20 and younger.

In cars, children under 12 must sit in the back and those under 1.35m tall must use a child’s safety seat: for car-rental and taxis book well ahead if these are required.

Further Information

For all-round information and advice, check out Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children.

For Luxembourg, www.livres.maisonmoderne.lu/familyguide is a remarkably detailed resource.

Regions at a Glance

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Brussels

Art Nouveau Trail

Victor Horta was Brussels’ master architect, his buildings characteristically austere from the outside but light-filled symphonies of curved wood and stained glass within. Take a neighbourhood walk to find other gorgeously ornamented art nouveau houses.

Spontaneous Success

Brussels’ unique contribution to brewing is the spontaneously fermented lambic. But if that’s too off-the-wall for your taste buds, the capital’s opulent old cafés and hip new minimal bars are sure to offer something that will wow your senses.

Jazz Heaven

Brussels is mad about jazz. The Jazz Weekend is a highlight in May’s festival program, but year-round you can enjoy great live music in venues from basement bars to sit-down restaurants and jazz clubs.

Regions at a Glance

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Bruges, Ghent & Northwest Belgium

Step-Gabled Delights

Whether prettily preserved like Bruges, Veurne and Damme, reconstructed like Diksmuide and Ypres, or a vibrant mixture like Ghent, there are few places in Northern Europe that thrust so much medieval-style architecture in your face.

Heavenly Hops

The hops that flavour virtually all great Belgian beers are cultivated around Poperinge, an area that is, not surprisingly, the epicentre of great local brewing and home to the almost mystical Trappist wonder, Westvleteren 12.

Flanders Fields

WWI cemeteries are movingly beautiful throughout the region, with battlefield tours, war museums and trench sites in special concentrations around Ypres, whose whole centre was meticulously rebuilt after the war.

Regions at a Glance

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Antwerp & Northeast Belgium

Beguiling Buildings

For architectural inspiration take in the begijnhoven of Diest, Lier and Turnhout, the cathedrals at Antwerp and Mechelen, the belfries of Hoogstraten and Tienen, and the city halls of Leuven, Mechelen and Zoutleeuw.

Rainbow of Ales

Westmalle and Achel are this region’s Trappist brews, but Het Anker’s Mechelen-brewed range is arguably as fine. International exports Leffe and Stella Artois come from Leuven, and Hoegaarden makes the classic White Beer.

Rubens & More

Galleries in Lier, Leuven, Mechelen and Antwerp are all impressively endowed with great artworks. There’s a very wide range to peruse from contemporary to old masters, but in Antwerp, especially, much revolves around Rubens who spent most of his life here.

Regions at a Glance

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Wallonia

Folklore Overload

Fantastical festivals feature orange-lobbing Gilles at Binche, Pinocchio-esque Blanc Moussis in Stavelot, pincer-wielding Haguètes at Malmedy, George re-slaying the Dragon at Mons and pointy-hatted penitents parading eerily through torch-lit Lessines.

Fortify Yourself

From the medieval ruins of Bouillon and La Roche to the latter-day fortress of Huy and Namur, via splendid châteaux like Modave and Belœil, Wallonia has a castle for all seasons.

Cavern Country

Han, Hotton, Remouchamps or Rochefort? These four superb cave systems are distinctly different, so why not visit them all while touring Wallonia’s pretty hill country? Just be prepared for plenty of steps and dress appropriately for temperatures of around 10–12°C.

Regions at a Glance

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Luxembourg

Capital Class

One of Europe’s more underrated capitals, Luxembourg City has a gloriously dramatic clifftop-and-valley setting and backs up its scenic impact with interesting museums, great dining and a lively bar scene.

Fortress Fiesta

The nation is studded with spectacular castles, often picturesquely set in idyllic wooded countryside. Looming Vianden contrasts brilliantly with ruined Bourscheid or Beaufort. Hollenfels’ castle houses a hostel, while Bourglinster’s hosts two fabulous restaurants.

Bubbling Over

Sipping fine fizzy wines amid the immaculately groomed hillside vineyards of the Moselle Valley is all the more enjoyable with the region’s handy bicycle-hire scheme. Many wineries have tours and tastings, and there is a whole series of harvest festivals to celebrate the gathering of the grapes.

Brussels

Sights

Tours

Sleeping

Eating

Drinking & Nightlife

Entertainment

Shopping

Information

Getting There & Away

Getting Around

Brussels

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