A city in the Flemish Brabant province of Belgium, Leuven typifies all the great aspects visitors love about the country as a whole, the great architecture, the historic sights, the rich culture, and perhaps most of all, the Belgian beer and chocolate. A famous university town it is a young and vibrant environment during term times and a whole different prospect in the summers, when the student throngs give way to large scale cultural events for all.
The location alone of Leuvens make its an attractive proposition for visitors to Belgium. From here it is s short trip to the other great cities of Ghent, Brussels, Antwerp and Liege, and the coast is just an hour and a half away on the train. Most international visitors will arrive via Brussels Airport, from which a train ride tales less than 15 minutes. From the train station it is a short walk down the Bondgenotenlaan to the historic city center and the Grand Place, or Grote Markt, where there is a tourist information service. From here the city opens up its considerable charms ready for exploration.
The list of tourist sights to see is longer than it would take in a single short visit but there are some very definite attractions which top the list. These will include St, Peter's Church and the Benguinage, both of which are world Heritage Sites, followed by the Gothic City Hall, and Leuven University, the world's oldest Catholic University, established in 1425. Further to these there is the Castle Arenberg and the Kruidtuin Botanical Gardens, but for a sense of the history and majesty of the city visitors need do little more than just walk around the city center.
The Old Market part of the city blends some of this great history with a lively modern vibe in the restaurants and bars and there is a flea market and flower market held every Saturday in the Grote Markt. In addition to the Bondgenotenlaan route from the train station to the city centre there is another street the Diestsestraat which follows the same route and both of these streets are the main shopping areas of the city. Diestsestraat is fully pedestrianized and as well as many high-street shops has two shopping malls, one of which contains a cinema. There are many Leuven hotels on and around this street too, but most of the hotels in the city are centrally located anyway.
Many of he shops in Leuven are the kind which may be found in any major city but if any single thing is a must buy purchase then it would be Belgian chocolate from any one of the many master chocolatiers in the city. Belgium is of course famous for its chocolate but also for its beer. It is estimated there are over 1000 different Belgian beers and most of them can be found in Leuven. The city is home to the Inbev Beer Factory, which makes, amongst other brands, Stella Artois, and factory tours can be arranged. Alternatively just sample the products in the bars of the Old Market and around the Tiensenstraat.
Leuven hotels will likely serve beer too within hotel lounge facilities and most of them will serve first class cuisine too. The quality and number of restaurants in the city is very high and it is possible to dine in true style for little outlay. There are modern hotels in the city but many others are as wonderfully stylish and elegantly historic as the city itself.
Euro Currency
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1.1950
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