Belgium Beer Tour

Day 1 Brussels

Arrival at Brussels airport and transfer to hotel.

Day 2 Brussels  - Achel (113km/1h30min)

First stop is the Trappiste Abbey at Achel in Belgium, to try some of their beers and also see the small brewery behind glass surrounds. Lunch stop is at another Trappiste monastery, Westmalle  - watch a short film about the Trappiste monastic way of life and enjoy their fine cheese washed down with some beer. Overnight.

Day 3     Achel – Buggenhout (122km/2h) - Bruges (90km/1h30min) 

Drive to Bosteels Brewery in Buggenhout in East Flanders for a tour of this amazing brewery followed by some of their excellent beer, Kwak and Triple Karmeliet on draught. Drive to Bruges. The rest of the day is yours to discover and stroll around this amazing historic town, rightly recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Later a beer dinner at Den Dyver, probably Belgium‘s premier restaurant for beer cuisine. Overnight.

Day 4    Bruges - West Vlaanderen (102km/1h20min) - Pas-de-Calais (102km/1h20min)

Leave Bruges travelling across West Vlaanderen (West Flanders), an area steeped in history as well as some of the most diverse selection of beers in Belgium. After visiting Hill 62 and the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres, go onto Westvleteren Trappiste Abbey to experience the beers, renowned for the label ’Best Beer in the World’. Great cheese as well. Have lunch at the Rohardushof, a typical Flanders cafe serving traditional Vlaams food.Then go over the border via Watou and into the Pas-de-Calais (French Flandres) region in France, famous for its Bière de Garde. Overnight.

Day 5     Pas-de-Calais - Province of Hainaut (106km/1h20min) – Brussels (74km/1h)

Today go out of France and into the Province of Hainaut and to the brewery famous for its Saison beer, Brasserie Dupont. Have a tour here as well as some beer and excellent cheese after which go onto Roeselare and the renowned Rodenbach Brewery for a tour and tasting of the beers. Part of Belgium‘s history and probably the largest collection of oak barrels in the world. The ‘sweet and sour beers are pretty much unique in the world! Continue to Brussels. Overnight. 

Day 6    Brussels

Tour begins with a short walk to discover the heart of medieval Brussels in the famous Grand Place, with its world-famous Market Square. Next, see the beautiful St. Michael's Cathedral, the Congress Column, the Heyseldistrict with the world-famous Atomium, the Chinese Pavilion and the Japanese Tower. Passing the Royal Residence, you'll return to the city center to see the Sablon district with its countless antique dealer shops. Tour continues with a drive to the magnificent Palace of Justice and fashionable Louise Square. Passing the stately Royal Square, the Royal Palace and the Houses of Parliament, you'll arrive in the Cinquantenaire district, with its Triumphal Arch, exceptional museums and splendid Art Nouveau houses particular highlights of this part of Brussels. You will also find yourself at the very heart of the European Union as you drive in front of the imposing EU buildings housing the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. Overnight.

Day 7    Brussels – Drie Fonteinen (12km/15min) – Chimay (125km/2h) – Bouillon (100km/1h30min)

Leave the city as the tour continues through the rest of Wallonia. First stop today is Drie Fonteinen, an authentic beer brewery, great beers, great look around the brewery! Drive takes you to 4th Trappiste monastery at Chimay where you will have a look around the Abbey and the grounds after which we go to the Auberge de Poteaupre for some beer, cheese and some lunch. After that go ahead to Bouillon - an ancient town, again nestled between hills on a curve of a river, famous for its castle and the original crusader, Godfrey of Bouillon. Overnight.

Day 8   Bouillon – Meuse (105km/2h) – Charmois (58km/1h) – Stenay (60km/1h) – Rarecourt (59km/1h)

Travel into the region of the Upper Meuse river known as Pays de Meuse.Visit beer museum, a chateau brewery, through the WW1 battlegrounds and to a farm brewery and finally back to Verdun. First stop is the Chateau Charmois, a gorgeous Chateau with a micro brewery in the old converted cow shed. Then head up the road to the European Beer Museum in Stenay, an interesting museum dedicated to beer, also have lunch here washed down with a few of the local beers. A drive across the scenic landscape of Lorraine and reach the area well known from WW1 and the Battle of Verdun. Stop at the destroyed village of Vauquois after which head onto the Rarecourt farm brewery situated on the edge of this gorgeous village. This is an amazing farm brewery. Overnight.

Day 9    Rarecourt -  Orval (175km/3h) – Bastogne (262km/3h30min) - Houffalize (17km/20min)

Start the day with a visit to the Zone Rouge area near Verdun with the chance to visit some WW1 battle sites. Then have a scenic drive through this region and then up into the Belgian Ardennes and the amazing Trappiste monastery of Orval, probably the most historical of Belgium‘s 6 monastic breweries. See some serious history here, all the way from the early 1000‘s, the French Revolution and to its expansion from 1926 after donations from the De Harenne family secured its future. History is of little significance without the present and you soon find yourselves sat down in the L‘Auberge Guardian for some Orval beer and excellent cheese. The drive continues to Bastogne where you can visit the largest American memorial in Europe, the Mardasson Memorial just outside the town. There is also the Bastogne Historical Centre (WW2). Then take the back roads to Houffalize and along the way see remnants of the severe fighting over the Christmas of December 1944. After check into the 300-year old converted forgery La Vieille Forge, Mont. In the evening have a beer dinner- a 3-course meal cooked with beer. Overnight.

Day 10    Houffalize – Brussels (165km/2h20min)

Arrival at Brussels and transfer to the airport.