Brussels & Leuven Fam Visit
I was recently invited by Aer Lingus and the Brussels Tourist Board on an Educational 2 day visit to Belgium. Aer Lingus were launching their new 3 times a week Cork Brussels departure with flights on Monday's Wednesday's and Friday's. Having never been tempted to go to Brussels because I always associated it with politics and not really as tourist destination I jumped at the chance to see if the trip would change my opinion and so it certainly did!
We arrived a group of 10 Cork Travel Agents on a bright cold but sunny morning and were met by the lovely Lisa from the Tourist Board and took the train from the airport to city centre. A journey of about 20 minutes, left the station and walked 5 minutes to our hotel which was the Sheraton Brussels. The easiest transfer ever. Check in was extremely efficient and we were ready to leave the hotel for our walking tour within 45 minutes of arrival.
Lisa wanted to show us the non political side of Brusells so we were brought on a nibbling tour through Brussels. A sightseeing and culinary walk with local specialties (escargots being one) on route which took in all the city highlights like the Grand Palace, the Mannekin Piss ( the peeing boy of Brussels you will have to go to find out more) old churches too numerous to mention and of course the bars. There were many chocolate shops where we had a demonstration in chocolate making which was fantastic. In between sights and tasting's Lisa treated us to the most amusing stories and historical anecdotes in the centre of Brussels. Naturally we finished in a bar and the choice of beers was amazing. There are menus and the choice is incredible. Not being much of a beer drinker I was converted.
We dined at the Belga Queen on Rue Fosse aux Loups that night and what a fantastic restaurant you would go there for the décor alone, I will say no more. There is great night life which I declined but reliable assured by others that they had a great night.
Next morning we were being brought by train to Leuven for an overnight stay. This is a University City and I just fell in love with it. It is about 25 minutes from Brussels by train and again our hotel The Binnenhof was about 10 minutes walk from the station. It is just so easy to get around. Our highlight for the day was a cycling tour of this city and it was brilliant. I am used to cycling but some were not and we had great fun getting started. The bikes had been brought to the hotel for us and off we went.
Our first stop was a tour of the Domus Brewery and then lunch at the brewery, a great way to start a cycling tour. We then had a 2 hour cycling tour which I highly recommend as it was a great way to see the city and there are cycling lanes everywhere. Sights we visited included the Town Hall, St Peter's Church with Treasury and painting of Dirk Bouts (a Flemish Primitive), The Great Beguinage and Leuven University buildings and Library. We visited all the main shopping streets, the park and saw far more than if we had been on a bus tour.
We had to drop the bikes back to the main train station and I have never seen so many bikes in all my life. There is a bike parking lot at the station as thousands from Leuven work in Brussels and cycle to the train station in the morning. Everyone has a numbered parking space and it is just incredible to witness.
That night we dined at the Restaurant Tres on Munstraat 20 in the centre of Leuven next to the Great Market Square which is a hive of student pubs and restaurants. After an excellent meal we sampled the pubs and what a buzz in a city on a Tuesday night.
Up early next morning to take the train from Leuven back to Brussels airport for our flight back to Cork. The journey time took about 50 minutes with one change at De Panne. The train system is fantastic and so easy to get to the rest of Europe from here. I will definitely be back and next time will visit Brugges.
If you would like to book a city break to Brussels or any other city then please drop me a line.
Niamh