Leuven

Leuven is also known as Belgium’s University town and the beer capital of Belgium. Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant, a stone’s throw away from Brussels, Mechelen, Hasselt and Tienen.

It is another historical city in Belgium with scholars claiming it was founded as early as the 9th century. Leuven was home to the Dukes of Brabant from the 12th to 13th centuries and a major cloth trading center between the 11th to the 14th centuries. More importantly, Leuven permanently marked its significant place in Belgium’s map with two things - the founding of the largest and oldest university in the Low Countries in the 15th century – the Catholic University of Leuven, and the brewery of Anheuser-Busch InBev started its empire in the city. This paved the way for more construction of university college buildings in the 16th and 17th centuries, the building of paved roads and the canal in the 18th century and the railway station in the 19th century. Like most other cities in Belgium, Leuven suffered the same massive destruction during the two World Wars of the 20th century. Restoration efforts after World War II went on for decades but efforts have paid well. Now Leuven stands proudly with its rich heritage, modern and well-planned infrastructure and a thriving economy.

Leuven can be reached via Brussels where there are trains or buses that can take you on a 13-20 minute ride to the city. To get around, you can either take the bus (De Lijn), rent a bike (Leuven has a number of bike paths) or just do it by foot.
When you set foot on Leuven, the first thing you will notice is the lively and youthful feel which can be partly attributed to the large student population in the city. Residents speak mostly Dutch but can also converse in English.  Make no mistake, though – Leuven has everything for the young and old alike. Exploring the city brings about amazing discoveries and finds for the interested visitor.

Nighttime crawlers and students alike flock at the trendy Oude Markt (Old Market), known for having the “longest bar crawl in Belgium.” Of course there are plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants where you can enjoy its main pride – beer, and lots of it. Aside from the world-famous Stella Artois beer, there’s also the Park Abbey beer, Keizersberg Abbey Beer, Wentelkrierk beer and the seasonal beers of Domus just to name a few. Another popular promenade area is the Grote Markt (Grand Place) – a bustling, pedestrian-friendly, cobble-stoned square that seats most of the historic buildings in the city, including the K.U. Leuven and the Romanesque-style Church of Saint Peter, the oldest church in the city.  It is also the venue for the yearly festival of the Flower Carpet and the traditional Planting of the Maypole. Other interesting festivals to time your visit around are the Jaarmarkt (Year Market) held every first Monday of September, where the whole city of Leuven becomes one big market; the musical festival of Beleuvenissen done for all Fridays in July; the Marktrock held every August 15; and the Leuven Kermis (Leuven Carnival) also in September.

Not to be missed are the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the city- the 17th century Groot Begijnhof (Grand Beguinage), one of the largest, well-preserved surviving beguinage – a 13th century community for Beguines (single women who committed their lives to God); and the Belfry on Saint Peter’s Church which is part of the list of 56 Belfries of Belgium and France inscribed into the list.

For those into museums and guided tours, do not leave Leuven without taking the tour of the Artois Brewery, the oldest brewery in the city, or the Domus Brewery Pub where you can see the brewing process and get to taste the different beers as well.

Another thing to enjoy in Leuven is the vast green spaces all around. Explore Kruidtuin (Botanical Garden), the oldest herbal garden in Belgium built in the 18th century and also houses over 800 different species of plants, shrubs and trees. Have a picnic or ride your bike in Saint Donatus Park, a spacious area of greenery laid out in the English landscape style. It is also home to the ruins of 12th century city walls. For more outdoor activities head on out to the Kessel-Lo Provincial Recreation Park which is a favorite among families. There are playgrounds, bike-rides, go karts, petting zoo and heated splashing pool for kids, while adults can have fun on the tennis, volleyball and basketball courts, skate ramps, football pitches and skate ramps.