Belgium Liege

Belgium ­ Liege Belgium : Small country, big… art, castles, diamonds, culture, cathedrals, festivals, beer, waffles, shopping, fun and mandatory chocolates !
Liege : located 61 miles from Brussels, near • Belgium's eastern borders with the Netherlands and Germany, on the Meuse river.Birth place of Charlemagne, Liege is the gateway to the Ardennes and in the French speaking part of Belgium » » Liege : It’s on foot that you will discover the city’s real treasures of this historical town: Old St Bartholomew’s Collegiate Church, Prince­ Bishops’ Palace, Town Hall, Market­place and its 100 Belfries. Liege is also the birth city of Simenon, the author of the famous character : Commissaire Maigret. » Liege : 19 museums to satisfy each and everyone’s artistic, cultural passions and curiosity such as the Ansembourg Museum, the Grand Curtius, the Museum of Wallon Life, the Glass Museum, the Wallon Art and the Modern and Contemporary Art Museum. Liege : Shopoholics should visit the shopping, while art lovers might seek out the many antique dealers found in Liege. And if you like to hunt for bargains, you can find them on Friday Morning at the St Pholien flea market or on Saturday morning at St Gilles . The absolute must is a visit on Sundays to the La Batte Market. Liege : The party continues right thought the sleepless nights with bars, cafes, discotheques, private clubs, cafes­concerts, lounge bars, beers bars, cabarets, jazz clubs,The Royal Opera of Wallonia (www.orw.be) and numerous theaters (www.theatredelaplace.be). From the new cuisine to the classical table, not forgetting the thousand­and­one regional specialties. In Liege, there is always something to suit your palate. Brussels: The capital of Belgium and also the capital of Europe. The major museums and attractions include: The Grand’Place, The Royal Museums of Fine Arts, The Belgian Center for Comic Strip, BOZAR, The Museum of Natural Sciences, Atomium, Autoworld, Musical Instruments Museum, The Royal Museums of Art and History, The flea markets and antique markets on weekends; shopping uptown and downtown (www.brusselscreativity.com) and jazz clubs at night!
Before you go: useful information: www.visitbelgium.com/practical.htm Entry requirements : US and Canadian citizens need a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of less than 90 days. Other nationalities should check with the Belgian Embassy or nearest Consulate Office for visa requirements Airlines : non­stop flights from the USA to Brussels airport : American Airlines (JFK/Chicago); Continental Airlines (Newark); Delta Air Lines (JFK/Atlanta); United Airlines (Washington ); US Airways (Philadelphia); Jet Airways (Newark & JFK) or Air France via Paris (+ Thalys); British Airways via London. Within Europe : Brussels Airlines www.brusselsairlines.com Rail : buy Benelux pass or tickets through Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com) For schedules and prices: www.b­rail.be Train passes can be bought in Belgium: Belgian Rail Pass : 69 Euro for 10 trips inside Belgium (2nd class) . The pass can be shared by several passengers. Seniors discount (over 65 years) roundtrip ticket for 4 Euro. Go Pass : 10 trips inside Belgium for 45 Euro available for youths under 26 years old. The pass can be shared by several passengers Thalys train Paris­Brussels in 85 minutes. 25 Thalys per day. Brussels­ Amsterdam in 2h30 minutes. 7 Thalys per day stop at Liege­Guillemins Eurostar London­Brussels in only 1h51 minutes. Up to 9 daily departures. » » Car rental : www.autoeurope.com ; www.avis.com ; www.hertz.com www.europcar.com » » » Distances : From Liege to Brussels: 61 miles ; Namur: 40 miles ; Bruges: 120 miles ; Bastogne: 54 miles ; Spa: 22 miles ; Mons : 80 miles
Accommodation www.visitbelgium.com/accommodations.htm • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Bedford Hotel : www.hotelbedford.be Best Western – Univers Hotel : www.univershotel.be Campanile Hotel : www.campanile.be Etap Hotel : www.etaphotel.com Eurotel : www.eurotel.com Holiday Inn Hotel : www.holidayinn­liege.com Hors­Chateau Hotel : www.hors­chateau.be Hotel Ibis – Liege Opera : www.ibishotel.com Husa – La Couronne : www.hoteldelacouronne.be La Metropole: www.hotelmetropole.be La Passerelle Hotel : www.liegecongres.be Les Acteurs Hotel : www.lesacteurs.be Le Cygne d’Argent : www.hotelcygnedargent.be Living Hotel : www.living­hotel.be Mercure Hotel : www.mercure­liege.com Park Inn : www.parkinn.be Posthotel: www.posthotel.com » » » » Youth Hostels : www.laj.be ; www.hihostels.com ; www.sleepwell.be Bed and Breakfast in Brussels: www.bnb­brussels.be Rental houses in Wallonia: www.gitesdewallonie.net ; www.belsud.be Guestrooms, Rural Gites : www.paysdebastogne.be
What to do ? Pre and Post tours in Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Paris & London www.gotoday.com , www.gate1travel.com, www.europaventure.be ; www.deboeck­incoming.com, www.euro­connections.com & travel bound via travel agent Museum & Culture : www.visitbelgium.com/artculture.htm, The Grand­Hornu is an old industrial mining complex now a museum of contemporary art www.grand­hornu.com. Hiking / Biking :www.europaventure.be, www.visitbelgium/bike.htm Liege by bike: www.provelo.org Wallonia by bike : ww.randovelo.org Learn French in Wallonia : www.ceran.com for total immersion and in Brussels : www.bdlf.be, www.anthealanguages.com, Villages: The 23 most beautiful villages of Wallonia www.beauxvillages.be UNESCO : www.visitbelgium.com/unesco.htm Castles with gardens : www.visitbelgium.com/gardens.htm Waterloo : www.waterloo­tourisme.be Tourist info for young travelers: www.use­it.be Adventures sports : www.visitbelgium.com/sportadventure.htm Suggested Itineraries : www.visitbelgium.com/itineraries.htm Not to be missed : The Grottes de Han www.grotte­de­han.be L’abbaye de Stavelot www.abbayedestavelot.be
Waffles : Liege is famous for its waffles. They are smaller and sweeter than are the Brussels waffles. They can be eaten lukewarm all day long, with or without toppings Chocolates: Jean Galler founded his chocolate factory in 1976 in Liège.www.galler.com ; www.visitbelgium.com/chocolate.htm Le Peket : Alcohol made from genievre. “La maison du peket” is a warm setting that attracts and seduces a heterogenous clientele. You can discover the Liège peket and its twenty­five varieties. www.maisondupeket.be and also many other establishments Tarte au riz : Delicious pie made with rice Beer Experience : Juliper www.breweryvisits.com; Abbaye de Val Dieu www.val­dieu.com and more than 500 other types of beer www.visitbelgium.com/beer.htm Markets : St Pholien Flea Market every Friday from 07:00 to 12:00 am (blvd de la Constitution and place Jehan le Bel), St Gilles Flea Market every Saturday from 07:00 am to 01:00 pm (blvd Kleyer and Hillier) . The Famous La Batte open­air market where you'll find brass, clothes, flowers, foodstuffs, jewelry, birds, animals, books, radios, and . . . the list is simply endless, it is open every Sunday morning with 500 vendors along the Meuse river & Farmers market every Thursday from 9:00 am to 14:30 pm. www.visitbelgium.com/markets.htm Shopping :. You'll find a good shopping in several small, pedestrian streets off place Saint­Lambert in the Old City. to shop for chrystal manufacture of Val Saint­Lambert : www.val­saint­lambert.com WW2 in Liege : The World War II Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial is situated 12 miles southwest of Liege www.awon.org/memorials/ardennes/ & also the Liege­Robermont cemetery.For all the sites : www.visitbelgium.com/worldwar.htm Tourist Offices : Liege: www.liege.be; Province of Liege : www.prov­liege.be Bastogne : www.paysdebastogne.be Bruges : www.brugge.be Brussels : www.brusselsinternational.be Dinant: www. http://www.forteressesetchateaux.be Durbuy: www.durbuy.be;Huy: www.pays­de­huy.be Mons : www.paysdemons.be; Namur :www.namur.be Spa : www.spa­info.be ; Waterloo:ww.waterloo­tourisme.be
2008 Summer Events www.visitbelgium.com/calendar.htm Year of Folon Jean Michel Folon is best known in the United States for his cover page drawings for the New Yorker and Time Magazines. Several major exhibitions throughout the country will highlight the art of Jean Michel Folon from April 25 throughSeptember 28, 2008 in Brussels and all over Belgium. The “Fondation Folon” located in the ancient farmhouse of the Chateau de la Hulpe, only a few minutes away from Brussels, offers a permanent exhibition of his works. www.visitbelgium.com/mediaroom/Folon2008.htm July 21, 2008 :Belgium Independence Day United we smurf The Belgian Comic Strip Centre has organized an original exhibition to celebrate the 50 th anniversary of the Smurfs. www.happysmurfday.com Spa Francofolies Every year for more than ten years, the biggest names in French music rock the stage in the quaint town of Spa – July 17­21, 2008 www.francofolies.be 50 th anniversary of the Atomium
All day long, Belgium will celebrate its independence day with a colorful program, folkloric traditions and fireworks. In Brussels, on this occasion, a big parade will take place on the Place des Palais around 3:30 pm ending with a firework display. Brosella Folk & Jazz All the quality of folk, and the warmth of jazz in twenty open­air concerts kindle new enthusiasm. Taking place under the trees and nostalgia for the past, in the shadow of the Atomium,it is a festival that is even more popular and keenly­ anticipated because it is completely free ­ July 11­14, 2008. www.brosella.be Dour Music Festival Yearly festival of world music. Look­out for new bands and new sounds July 17­ 20, 2008 – www.dourfestival.be