What to See/Do in Belgium

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:31 pm

Yeah those Rough Guides are pretty good overview too, I agree.

In general, travel books are your 'key' to opening up a new place immediately & experiencing it as much like a local as possible.

Also Cadogan Guides from the UK (hard to find here) are exceptionally regarded for the 'inside traveller'. Like Rick's books these offer great guided walks & optional history tidbits, just so many fun details that seem to really add to the experience. The specialized bookstore store on King Street just a little east of Yonge (south side basement at corner of Toronto Street) may have your best 'insider' selection of travel books.

You don't really need the more formal 'mainstream' guides like Fodors or Frommers, and the heavy EyeWitness picture-book guides are just dead weight to take with you.

Worth a little research & investment given what trips cost. $$$

Magni · Post by **Magni** » Tue May 27, 2008 9:42 pm

There is a place you can buy some Westy just off of Grand Place... it might be beer circus I can't really remember anymore, but they have a good selection of trappists, lambics, etc. not to mention a stellar collection of Chimay Grand Crus going back a decade or so. You'll run into it I'm sure, if you wander around enough. I think it's near the Tintin museum.

austin · Post by **austin** » Tue May 27, 2008 10:31 pm

Just got back from Brussels. Don't miss Poechenelkelder, a beer cafe with
a good list of lambics and a great selection of cheeses- a good place for
lunch. Also, a good traditional Belgian restaurant is La Villette . Their food
and beer selectiion are very good. It's worth a visit to the Cantillon warehouse/museum,even if you don't have time for the tour, for couple of glasses of gueuze. You shouldn't have any problem getting the Westy
yellow or blue cap at either Biertempel or Beer Mania. All these places are within easy reach. Just remember, you can't carry on any liquids, everything has to to be packed. Have a great trip.

biegaman · Post by **biegaman** » Tue May 27, 2008 11:31 pm

austin wrote:Just got back from Brussels. Don't miss Poechenelkelder, a beer cafe with
a good list of lambics and a great selection of cheeses- a good place for
lunch. Also, a good traditional Belgian restaurant is La Villette . Their food
and beer selectiion are very good. It's worth a visit to the Cantillon warehouse/museum,even if you don't have time for the tour, for couple of glasses of gueuze. You shouldn't have any problem getting the Westy
yellow or blue cap at either Biertempel or Beer Mania. All these places are within easy reach. Just remember, you can't carry on any liquids, everything has to to be packed. Have a great trip.

La Villette is the greatest kept secret in Brussels. They specialize in cuisine a la biere. It is a charming little restaurant in the St. Catherine district (hardly 5-10 minute walk from Grand Place). BE SURE TO GO! It was best food I had in Belgium (which says PLENTY because EVERYWHERE I went the food was amazing!)

While in Brussels I would recommend visiting Cantillon. For any bottle shopping you should find anything and everything you need (Westvleteren included) at the Bier Tempel (there are two, one in Brussels, one in Bruges)

Drink plenty of lambics - they are simply too rare and too expensive here in North America. Many other things, Trappist included, you can try elsewhere. Especially if you find faro and/or unblended lambic, styles which you are hard pressed to find outside Brussels/Belgium. (By true definition, faro you can't possibly have outside of that area.)

The great thing about Belgium is that there is an endless list of places you could go for great beer/food. The best advice i can give you is to learn, listen, appreciate and EXPERIENCE the beer/food culture while you are there. No doubt you will! Have a great trip, we're all jealous!

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Wed May 28, 2008 8:02 pm

http://www.geocities.com./jercraigs/fun ... lgium.html

My trip stuff is posted on my website. You can get the rest from there but here are some of my biggest recommendations:

- Go to Delerium in the AM!!! It was just silly busy after about 4PM, and if youre not looking for that, I found it detracted from the experience
- Spinnekopke was fantastic. Highly recommended. Try the lapin a la geuze and cheese croquettes/fondue
- De Heeren Van De Liedekerke. Wow!
- Bottle shopping. Start at Beer Mania, then go to Bier Tempel for stuff you don't find there. Check a grocery store for stupid cheap Trappist brews.
- The Westveleteren Cafe was pretty cool but I wouldn't waste the trip out there if you just want to try the beer. Unless you plan to do some touring around Ieper, which I highly recommend if you have time.

Belgian · Post by **Belgian** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:56 am

Amazing travel tips guys. Thanks for sharing all this.

La Villette is the greatest kept secret in Brussels. They specialize in cuisine a la biere.

You mean like Brian Morin at BeerBistro? Also, check these out, unreal beer cooking:

http://www.epicurien.be/recettes/boisso ... -biere.asp

Seems like it would be worth learning some French!

Colin @ Canada · Post by **Colin @ Canada** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:57 am

Check out A La Mort Subite bar, when I was there a few years ago I had Westmalle Dubbel and Chimay Cinq Cent on Draught. Also you can usually find Westvleteren at the Bier Circus but just buy some in a gift shop and drink it back at your room. I will warn you that Delirium Tremens cafe is very addictive. I spent the better part of three days there once I found out they had over 2400 Different beers there. So plan to stay awhile. YOU MUST DO THE CANTILLION BREWERY TOUR. And you can't ship beer back home. They won't do it because it's not allowed, so don't waste your time on that, I unfortunately did.

Uncle Bobby · Post by **Uncle Bobby** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 5:32 pm

My trip to Belgium was five years ago. I enjoyed a daytrip to Brussels, but was otherwise occupied with a sporting event in Liege. So I have always felt that I had little to offer these sorts of suggestions especially as so many of the other people here could offer so many other great recommendations.

However one place my buddy took me to -- and I do not recall having ever seen this bar mentioned in any of these strings -- is a place called La Bécasse" ("The Sandpiper"). It's a bar just a few streets back of the Grand Place and can be walked to from any of the other great bars in the vicinity. It's quieter, and has some rustic touches. However the most interesting thing is the beer: the place serves only its own "true" lambic which is very sour and is served from pitchers like a wine. A real challenge to the pallet, but hard to put down. A distinctly Belgiam "session" beer. They will even bottle it up for takeaways just in case you want to shock your buddies at home and try to convince them that this beer is not skunky.

jmcnally · Post by **jmcnally** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 4:32 pm

It's been almost twenty years since I was in Belgium, but I'd definitely recommend Bruges (or Brugge as the Flemish call it). It's a very romantic place, so I don't think your GF will mind at all. I spent a week there and when I went to Brussels, I found it boring and came back to Bruges after three hours!

Have fun!

devonsleigh · Post by **devonsleigh** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:24 pm

thank you for all the excellent suggestions, I've tried to note everything I can. I'll wander around the Grand Palace a few times just in case I miss anything, will also definitely be visiting a few cafes and taking in the day-to-day belgian life. Bruges is on the maybe list right now depending on how much sampling of belgians best I do. To equate things from past experience, after a delerium, rochefort 10, and st bernardus abt 12 things start to get a little silly.