Category: Belgium (country) (Page 1 of 8)

The Country Belgium in Europe

Street Art: The Crystal Ship in Ostend

11th August 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

The Belgium coast is mostly famous for it’s ugly buildings and crowded beaches the moment the suns casts it’s first summer rays. But did you know that the Queen of the Bath Cities, as Ostend is often referred to, is home to an impressive collection of street art? Yes, for the third time running, Belgian’s largest coastal city forms the backdrop for the popular art festival The Crystal Ship.

This year over fifteen artists created large scale murals and art installations using Ostend as their canvas. The new artworks became a permanent addition to the fifty larger and hundreds of smaller creations which resulted from the past two editions. Together they form an impressive artistic trail throughout Ostend.

You can discover the art works on foot or rent a bike to get around even faster and absorb more of the art.

Alexis Diaz:

Oak Oak:

Pastel:

Unknown artist (not part of The Crystal Ship catalogue):

Pol Cosmo and Jaune:

Bué The Warrior and Jaune:

Isaac Cordal (it takes a bit of an effort to find the artwork):

Levalet:

Strook:

Pixel Pancho:

I hope you enjoyed this little virtual tour. Please let me know which is your favorite work of art.

Pairi Daiza: “A must visit”

23rd February 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Pairi Daiza is a gorgeous animal park in Brugelette. This park is so much more than a zoo, though, the environment is breath taking, with beautiful gardens, temples, an African stilt village, a nice playground for the children and so much more. A day really isn’t enough to visit everything thouroughly. The animals in the zoo have plenty of space and can be admired from different view points. No ugly cages here, but nice, clean housing with animals who look well fed and not stressed at all.

There are lots of different options for food. You can take your own picknick, buy some fastfood or eat in a real restaurant. Food is a little bit expensive, though.

I have to say, the pandas were a bit of a disappointment. Their housing was quite dark and to be honest, these animals are cute, but also a bit boring. The visit to the Lemure island was a highlight, though. It is absolutely wonderful to encounter these lovely animals up close and personal (one even sat on my shoulder).

Information
Pairi Daiza
Brugelette
Hainaut / Henegouwen
Belgium
http://www.pairidaiza.eu/en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pairi_Daiza
https://www.facebook.com/JardinDesMondes

Visited July 2015. You can find my review about Pairi Daiza also on TripAdvisor.

Belfry and Cloth Hall (Belfort en Lakenhalle): “Incredible views”

19th February 2018 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

This is a must see when visiting Ghent. From the top of the Belfry you have a splendid view on two of the three famous Ghent Towers (you’re standing on the third). You can also see the famous bell ‘Klokke Roeland’ and two of the older versions of the dragon on top of the tower. The Belfry is a beautiful historical place, you won’t regret visiting. Don’t worry about the stairs, there is an elevator which brings you to the highest level.

Information
Belfry Gent / Belfort
Sint-Baafsplein
Ghent 9000
Belgium
+32-92333954
info@artoria.be
http://www.belfortgent.be/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfry_of_Ghent
https://visit.gent.be/en/belfry?context=tourist

Visited June 2015. You can find my review about Belfry and Cloth Hall (Belfort en Lakenhalle) also on TripAdvisor.

Brouwerij Wilderen: “Great place to taste locally brewed beer”

30th November 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Brouwerij Wilderen is a superb place to have a drink and a nice chat with friends and family. The home brewed beer is excellent, the drink menu is very extensive, the terrace is enormous and very beautiful, with some lounging chairs and a separate playground for the children. What better way to relax than enjoying a glass while your children are having fun?

Be warned, in summer the terrace is very popular, so you’ll probably have to wait to find a place. We got lucky because we arrived around dinner time and lots of people left around that time.

Tip: Do try the tapas Wilderen. You will not be disappointed. Be warned though, chances are you won’t have any place left for the main course.

If you like the beer, you can buy some in the shop.

Information
Brouwerij (brewery) Wilderen
Wilderenlaan 8
3803 Wilderen
Belgium
https://www.brouwerijwilderen.be/index.php/en/
https://www.facebook.com/BrouwerijW/

Visited July 2016. You can find my review about Brouwerij Wilderen also on TripAdvisor.

Six ways to enjoy beer culture in Leuven

27th October 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 1 Comment

After my years as a student at the KU Leuven, I decided to stay for a while and enjoy the city and all it has to offer. Since Leuven is known as being the home town of the Stella Artois, beer has always been interwoven with the city’s history. Now I have to be honest with you, although I visited my fair share of breweries in Belgium, I do not really enjoy drinking beer. But thanks to my boyfriend who really loves beer, throughout the years I also got to know Leuven the beer city a bit better.

So here are my tips for beer lovers who want to learn more about beer culture in Leuven

Once a year, on the last weekend of april, the Zythos Beer Festival draws people from all over the world to the tiny town of Leuven. The Zythos Beer Festival is the biggest festival of its kind in Europe and to be fair, the choice in different beers is quite impressive. I don’t find the surroundings (a big, dark industrial hall) to be very inviting, but each beer vendor does an effort to decorate his or her stand in a way that makes it nice and welcoming.
Due to the success of the Zythos Beer Festival, this one weekend has been extended to a whole month. The month of April in Leuven is dedicated to the art of making and tasting beer. You’ll find restaurants that offer special menu’s with accompanying beers, beer tastings, beer walks, etc.
If you just want to enjoy a nice beer, I can recommend two cafés with an impressive beer menu: M-café and Fiere Margriet. The owners of both bars are very knowledgeable on the subject of beer, so make sure to ask for suggestions.
You can go on a pub tasting tour or a beer- and foodparing tour. A great way to explore the Longest Bar in the World. You won’t be disappointed! Still not satisfied? Make sure to check out beerhop.be, which offers some beer experiences in the surroundings of Leuven.
Of course, since Leuven is the home of the largest beer company in the world: InBev, you really have to join a guided tour of the Stella Artois brewery. The brewery is very modern (they recently modernized all of their brew kettles) and the guides are very good. At the end of the guided tour, you’ll get the opportunity to taste a perfectly poured Stella.
Leuven has also some small breweries, brewery Domus being the most famous. The bar-restaurant serves their own home brewed beer, which you can enjoy with some typical local cuisine. Guided tours of the brewery are possible, but the tours require an advance booking of at least 8 people and a maximum of 30.

Feel free to add your own tips in the comments.

Etna Trattoria: “Lovely Sicilian food”

1st October 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

If you like authentic Sicilian food, you’ll love Etna Trattoria. The couple who runs this cozy restaurant in the heart of Leuven sure knows what they are doing. The beautifully tiled floors and nice bar with lots of Italian specialties give of a really authentic vibe.

The husband makes sure his clients are served well and is very helpful in explaining the menu. He also knows his wines, so do yourself a favor and enjoy a nice glass of Italian wine with your dish.

The wife is the master of the kitchen and seems to really enjoy her job. When going to the toilet in the cellar, I’ve seen her countless times singing and dancing to the music. It must be this love for the art of cooking that translates onto the plates. The Sicilian food really is a feast for the taste buds. Most of the time I just order the specialty of the day, because I’ve never been disappointed by the food they serve.

A gem of a place.

Information
Sicilian, Italian restaurant Etna Trattoria
Tiensestraat 123
3000 Leuven
Belgium
+32 494 377 344
etna.leuven@gmail.com
http://restaurantetnaleuven.be/

Visited July 2017. You can find my review about Etna Trattoria also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 5/5, service 5/5, food 5/5.

Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert: “Lovely Galeries”

27th September 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Not to be missed! The combination of beautiful architecture and lots of chique shops makes this a must see when visiting Brussels. Chocolate lovers will be pleased to find here the highest concentration of chocolate shops in the whole of Brussels. My personal favorite: Marcolini.

This place has been photographed countless time. The symmetrie of the place is gorgeous and in the evening it is beautifully lit. Nice for some window shopping or perhaps enjoy a breakfast at Le Pain Quotidien.

Information
Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert
1000 Brussels
Belgium
http://www.grsh.be/en/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galeries_Royales_Saint-Hubert

Visited July 2017. You can find my review about Les Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert also on TripAdvisor.

I Latini: “Lovely pasta”

25th September 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Place Sainte Catherine went through some changes in recent years. A nice addition are the terraces on the square, where you can enjoy lunch or dinner in summer.

Since we were with a group of ten persons it wasn’t easy finding a place for lunch. We were lucky that the terrace of Italian restaurant I Latini on the square had just opened so we were seated in a very nice spot under some trees.

The Italian waiter who took our order did this with the kind of flair you’ll expect from an Italian gentleman. My friends and I all ordered a pasta dish. We had to wait some time before our order arrived, but weren’t disappointed. The pasta was served on warm plates and perfectly cooked (as should be expected).

I had ordered the trofie al pesce spada affumicato e pesto di pistacchi. Due to the combination of smoked swordfish and pesto sauce, I found the dish a bit too salty. But otherwise, we had a lovely lunch.

Information
Italian restaurant I Latini
place Sainte Catherine 2
1000 Brussels
Belgium
+32 2 502 50 30
ilatini@ilatini.be
http://www.ilatini.be/index.php?lang=en
http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Latini/329689867153856

Visited July 2017. You can find my review about I Latini also on TripAdvisor. My scores: value 4/5, service 4/5, food 4/5.

Grand Casino Brussels – Viage: “Nice restaurant, too many slot machines”

23rd September 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Restaurant Saffron in the Viage Casino was a pleasant surprise, to be honest. Wasn’t expecting such nice food in a casino. The staff was efficient and I was really impressed by the roasted sea bream I ordered. Very good! The wonton soup I had as a starter was nice, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The menu is kind of eclectic, ranging from Asian cuisine, to traditional Belgian dishes to hamburgers. So everybody will find something to their liking. Also worth noting, this is one of the few restaurants in Brussels open until 2.30 AM. On Friday and Saturday they are even open until 3.30 AM.

You’ll need to pay an entry fee to the casino though, if you want to enjoy this restaurant. Minimum age for entering the casino is 21. The casino itself had too many slot machines to my liking. We visited on the French National Holiday and got offered some free pancakes and small appetizers.

Information
Grand Casino Brussels Viage
Anspach Boulevard 30
1000 Brussels
Belgium
+32 2 300 01 00
info@viage.be
http://www.viage.be/en/
https://www.facebook.com/viage/

Visited July 2017. You can find my review about Grand Casino Brussels – Viage also on TripAdvisor.

Montagne de Bueren: “A must do when in Liège”

21st September 2017 / Carolien Coenen / 0 Comments

Very steep stairs, so when arriving at the top you’ll be out of breath (don’t forget to take a bottle of water with you). But really worth doing so when visiting Liège. It is really a must see. The view is beautiful and you’ll be proud of your own accomplishment!

Information
Montagne de Bueren
4000 Liège
Belgium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montagne_de_Bueren

Visited July 2017. You can find my review about Montagne de Bueren also on TripAdvisor.