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 | Belgium Off the Beaten Path | Tips 1 - 10 of 228 |  |
Belgium has only one nude beach , and
it is only there since a couple of years.
Activist have been asking for years for
a spot like this.
Now it is there , it is rather small and
the few sunny days there are it is crowded.
(But maybe that is just what you wanted?)
In July and August a lifeguard is present.
Easy to reach by public transport ,
take the train to Oostende and then
the coast tram to Knokke. Ask the driver. Leave a Comment
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The Our-Lady-of-the-Sablon Church is one of the loveliest churches in Brussels. Unfortunately it does not receive many tourists who seem to not venture far from the Grand Place. However there is much more to Brussels than than that famous square.
The Our-Lady-of-the-Sablon Church was initially a simple chapel but during the 15th century it was reconstructed into this magnificant church. The church was designed in The Brabantine gothic style. This is a much less elaborate gothic still that is common in Belgium. The Our-Lady-of-the-Sablon Church is especially famous for its fine stain-glass windows. Sadly during my visit, the exterior of the church was covered with scaffolding. Leave a Comment
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Damme became the seaport for Brugge when the river Zwin silted in the port of Brugge. A beautiful town hall and old church demonstrates Damme's brief moment in history - before the port here silted in, as well. Damme is a short, flat bike ride northeast from Brugge. Leave a Comment
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Kalmthout! If you name that village everybody
in the Flanders parth of Belgium will think
of two things.
'de Kalmthoutse heide' and
'Het arboretum van Kalmthout'
The first the heath, open uncultivated land
with few trees , is great for a walk with
the kids. It has also a visitors center.
'De vroente' - Putsesteenweg 129 , has
a parking where you can start your walk.
Go and have a short look inside ,
it's about the birds adn the bees.
Best to reach by car.
The arboretum is easy to reach by train.
Take the stop-train from Antwerp to Roosendael.
Only the 600 species of azalea's are worth
a visit.
12 hectares pure pleasure for those who enjoy
plants. If you need some help translating
from the website or some help with the
event calendar - please ask! Leave a Comment
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It is possible to visit the top of the arches in Jubelpark / 50aire. We did it during the Brussels meeting on Nov.30.
This grants you with a nice view on the center of Brussels and the South. From far, you would see most of Brussels landmarks too. Plus, it is free. Entry is in Army and Military history museum. Enter the museum and it's at your left. You will have to pass the little passage in front of the information stand at your right though. Then take the lift till the top. You will be able to see both parts of the arches. Pay attention to deadline: last time to stay on top of the arches is 11.45 am (but you'd be ousted at 11.40am :). So be sure to arrive there at 11.30 am at latest.
It is nice to see what the urban planners of the past had in mind. The arches were built to celebrate Belgian 50th Independance anniversary. The park in itself was built to liaise the center of the city to the South.
Click here to know more of the park and its museums. And here to have the view from top of the arches.
Other possibilities: click here Leave a Comment
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The Citadel of Namur is the one attraction in Namur that I think should be included as a must-see. It is both a marvelous piece of architecture and historically very important. This location, dominating the Meuse Valley has been fortified since Roman and Celtic times. However what you see today was actually constructed by the Dutch in the 17th century and added upon by the great French military architect Vauban. The citadel is a massive, rambling place with thick walls designed to deflect the most powerful of 17th century cannons. There is a barracks with a small military museum that is dedicated to a local regiment and the military history of the region. Apparently the grounds were used by General Omar Bradley as a headquarters during World War II. There are restaurants overlooking the Meuse Valley that offer splendid views.
There is a cable car up to the citadel or you can walk up like me. You can also drive up from the South end of the citadel where there is a parking lot. It cost 5 euros for a visit. Somehow I accidently wondered into the place without being stopped to pay for admission. It seems that the only ticket kiosk are at the parking lot. (at least the only ones I saw as I left). Leave a Comment Phone: 081-22-68-29
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Mechelen is a great town to visit. It easily reachable from both Antwerp and Brussels as it is about just a half hour from both cities. I visited it on a daytrip from Antwerp. It does not receive the hordes of tourist that other Belgium cites receive in the vicinity. This is probably because there are really no big ticket attractions in town. Still there Mechelen is home to a one of the finest cathedrals in Belgium, several smaller and nice churches, a stunning Hotel de Ville and a very beautiful market square, pictured here. Leave a Comment
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While wandering the streets of Brugge in came upon the Stedelijk Museum voor Volkskunde where they were holding a festival. The festival featured craftmens, and artisans building shoes, carving woodwork, blowing glass and all sorts of things that they did in the centuries gone by. Some of the craftsmen where in period outfits which added some flavour to the proceedings. There were also people folk dancing and choirs singing in costumes. It was all very cute and the sort of thing that usually brings in the tourists. The museum itself is housed in a a series of low whitewashed buildings. To be honest I saw little of it myself. From what I saw it featured alot of displays of silkwork, lace, and folk costumes. All were very well displayed. There are apparently recreations of old shops and school rooms. I did experience some of the beer is the recreation of an old inn called "the Black Cat".
The museum is open from 9:30am to 5pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Adults have to pay 3 Euros to enter while children are free.
The museum is located on Balstraat 43 which is about 500m south of the Markt. Leave a Comment Phone: 050/44-87-64
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There are several monasteries in Beligum that are well know for the food products that they produce - beer cheese and bread. Originally, the production was internal, but now, by selling to the outside world, they have ensured themselves a steady income. Belgian breweries, on the whole, brew beers of unique taste and quality. They are much sought after and can be surprisingly strong in alcohol content. The beer brewed at Val Dieu comes in three varieties: Blonde, Brune and Tripel with the last two being 8% and 9% in alcohol.
The monastery, itself, is situated in a pretty little vale - the Valley of God, literally - near the town of Aubel in the NE corner of Belgium, close to the borders of Germany and Holland, just north of the Belgian city of Liege. the site is rural and bucolic, though judging by the size of the parking lot, it might get a lot crazier on the weekend than the weekday when I visited - especially since the monastery is not far from Liege, Maastricht and the German megalopolis of the Ruhrgebiet/NordRhein/Aachen.
The monastery was established in 1216 or even earlier and thrived until it was destroyed in the French Revolution - a fate shared with the monastery at the well-known monastery at Orval. The monastery was restored by Cistcercian monks in 1846 and the 750th anniversary was celebrated in 1966. The church is a beautiful Gothic affair with the monastery attached to the east side of the chapel. There is a self-service restaurant and gift shop in the buildings fronting the monastery. Across a road on the west side, is an old mill, still being used, with a larger restaurant attached.
The site is about 30 minutes north and east of Liege in country that is very amenable to bicycling, though on a bike with a few gears, since there are a hills. Leave a Comment
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Veurne is a small city between Bruges and the Belgian coast. If you're visiting either Bruges, Oostende or De Panne, then don't hesitate to spend half a day in this beautiful place. It is not too touristic, so you'll have plenty of time and space to enjoy!
Find out more on my Veurne pages! Leave a Comment
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