A French-speaking region in the south of Belgium, Wallonia is a dream destination for holidaymakers in love with history and discovery. Famous for its architecture and medieval cities, the Walloon region is both welcoming and generous, sporty and playful, and will certainly surprise you.
A city of contrasts and astonishment, Liège is one of the largest cities in Wallonia. Facing the world, it is only 1 hour from Brussels and Paris, and less than 30 minutes from Germany and the Netherlands. Rich with a very heterogeneous heritage, you can just as well, during your peregrinations in this city, visit the historic Place Saint-Lambert, the Archéoforum, the Opéra Royal de Wallonie and the Palais des Princes-évêques, as discover the very modern Guillemins station and the futuristic Médiacité shopping centre. Whether you visit it on foot, by bike, by boat or by motorbike, Liege surprises, but leaves no one indifferent.
Namur is also one of Wallonia's main tourist destinations. Its pedestrian centre is ideal for visiting the city, with its old quarters, small streets and beautiful buildings. From the top of its Citadel on the banks of the Sambre, Namur can be visited taking its time. The cathedral Saint-Aubain, the belfry, the theatre, the quays... So many places to visit absolutely during your visit to Namur. After having been at the top of the Citadel to enjoy from this spur an impregnable panorama over the city and its surroundings, sit down in one of the restaurants at the foot of the fortress to taste the famous Belgian fries ! The story even says that French fries were born in Namur : it was in the 18th century, when the harsh winter prevented the people of Namur from fishing, that they decided to cut potatoes into fish shapes and fry them in order to eat... And so would be born French fries !
Undeniably cultural, Mons gives pride of place to history, heritage and culture for the happiness of its inhabitants and visitors, more and more numerous each year. The city is home to a multitude of museums, from Fine Arts to the Doudou Museum (a traditional local festival).
Embedded between the cliffs and the Meuse, Dinant full of charm bears the sweet nickname of "Fille de Meuse". The birthplace of Adolphe Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, this picturesque town is appreciated for its fortified citadel perched over 100 meters high, as well as for its valleys dotted with sublime castles and abbeys, such as Notre-Dame de Leffe Abbey, and caves such as the sumptuous Grotte de Dinant de la Merveilleuse. Taste the Couque de Dinant, its flamiche, its wines from Château Bon Baron and its Caracole, a local beer that is the pride of the Dinantais.
How not to mention Chimay : both friendly and historic, its steep alleys will lead you along its ramparts to the Château de Chimay, without forgetting the Old Tower and its many listed monuments. Gourmand, Chimay is also one of the capitals of Belgian beer and Trappist cheeses, tasty and fragrant.
The smallest town in the world, Durbuy is undeniably romantic. Settled in the hollow of the meanders of Ourthe, its maze of paved lanes in which rise superb old stone houses deserves all your attention. Its historic heart and small shops are the perfect place for a romantic break.
It is at the edge of the forest of Soignes, only twenty kilometres from Brussels, that Waterloo is located: a historic town famous for its field which suffered the last battle of Napoleon, it attracts many visitors every year. Whether you are on foot or by bike, the "Route Napoléon" will be the path to follow to relive the route of this famous battle. The Butte du Lion, the hamlet of Le Lion and the Wellington Museum are some of the sites you will also need to visit while in Waterloo.
Home to the oldest castle in Belgium, Bouillon has inspired so many artists over the centuries, thanks to the multiplicity of its charms and landscapes. In addition to this feudal fortress which definitely deserves the detour, Bouillon is surrounded by the Semois Valley, ideal place for multiple family sports activities, such as hiking, golf, fishing, motorcycle, or finally canoeing, rafting and kayaking on the Semois.
Marche-en-Famenne and its houses of character, Charleroi and its street-art, Tournai and its five steeples, Nivelles and its superb millenary collegiate church Sainte-Gertrude, Stavelot, Malmedy and its ski slopes, Rochefort and its Trappist beer, Bastogne, Huy and its terroir, La Roche-en-Ardenne, pearl of the Belgian Ardennes, Spa and its thermal baths, Thuin and its belfry classified as a World Heritage site... So many cities among so many which will deserve the detour during your stay in Wallonia.
Finally, bucolic and rich with numerous green spaces made of nature reserves, parks and gardens, Wallonia will satisfy travellers who love nature. Combining a passion for beer with a passion for hiking, the GR trail of the Trappist abbeys of Wallonia will take you 290 kilometres from abbey to abbey, following in the footsteps of the Trappist beers of Rochefort, Orval and Chimay. In all, more than 5,000 kilometres of marked routes criss-cross the roads of the Walloon region, notably through the Ardennes. Itineraries for all levels that will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the Walloon landscapes at your own pace, with family or friends.
