Things to do in Leuven

If you visit Leuven, make sure that the combination ticket from ILUVLEUVEN For €16. This ticket allows you to visit four Leuven highlights with a €7 discount: the town hall, the M-Museum, the university library with its tower, and the M-treasury of St. Peter's. You can purchase these tickets from Tourism Leuven at Naamsestraat 3 or order them online.

With a combination ticket from ILLUVLEUVEN you can visit the four highlights of Leuven at a discount

Town Hall of Leuven

Leuven's most striking building is undoubtedly the Town Hall. This imposing building on the Grote Markt square boasts graceful turrets and 236 statues. All these beautiful details make it easy to gaze at this structure for hours. Construction began in 1439 and took a remarkable 30 years.

Together with a guide, we'll explore the town hall and learn more about the façade with its 236 statues, all representing important figures from Leuven's history. We'll also be reminded to pay close attention to the details, as you'll see all sorts of well-known biblical scenes. We'll visit the various rooms, including the reception hall and the mayor's office, and learn more about the history of the town hall, the stories behind the various paintings, and the building's functions. A fascinating tour.

University Library

The university library is an absolute must-see. During the First and Second World Wars, the library suffered extensive damage, with 300.000 books, a thousand medieval manuscripts, and 800 incunabula going up in flames. With American help, a new library was rebuilt after the war. We can learn more about this impressive building and its turbulent history on our own via an audio tour. The reading room, with its rows of books, hard-working students (even on weekends), and beautiful wood carvings, is the most impressive. This space is so impressive that you'll naturally start whispering.

Finally, we'll climb the university library tower, from where we'll have a magnificent view of Leuven and the surrounding area. Just keep in mind that the bells can ring quite loudly when you're at the top.

From the tower of the university library you have a beautiful view over the city

M-Treasury of St. Peter's

Opposite the Town Hall stands St. Peter's Church. Founded in 986, it is the oldest church in Leuven. However, the current structure wasn't built until 1425. The church's ambulatory was converted into a museum in 1980, part of the M-Museum. When we entered the church, renovations were underway, but the interior was impressive. Admission to the church is free, but a ticket also allows you to visit the treasury.

The museum contains sculptures, paintings, reliquaries, monstrances, and goldsmith's work. The absolute highlight is "The Last Supper" by painter Dirk Bouts from the 15th century.^e century. What remains are some colorful, bizarre paintings depicting severed heads and flying monsters. The audio tour explains in detail the stories depicted in the paintings, but also highlights all the other treasures in the treasury.

M-Museum

We're not visiting Leuven's fourth highlight, the M-Museum, simply because we're short on time. We could have admired a mix of old and contemporary art there, with a collection of over 52.000 objects. Who knows, we might have to schedule a visit sometime in the future.

Besides these four highlights of Leuven, there are even more sights you absolutely shouldn't miss. There are several beautiful parks, including the Kruidtuin (Botanical Garden), abbeys, and unique churches. The Vaartkom is a trendy neighborhood undergoing a major renovation and is currently booming with great eateries and green spaces. To visit all the sights, you'll need to get an early start.

Great Beguinage

We'll escape the hustle and bustle of the city center for a moment and stroll through the Groot Begijnhof (Great Beguinage). Here, we'll find an oasis of peace as we wander through the streets, squares, and gardens. Every corner has something beautiful to offer.

The Great Beguinage was built at the beginning of the 13th century^e Founded in the 18th century, it is now one of the largest surviving beguinages in Flanders. The Beguines who lived here were not nuns and did not join an order. They did, however, take vows of chastity and obedience. They earned income by sewing, embroidering, washing, and working in education or caring for the sick. In the heyday of the 18th^e In the 17th century, 360 beguines lived here, but in 1795 the French abolished the beguinage. Slowly but surely, the beguinage was abandoned and fell into disrepair until Leuven University bought the houses and began renovating them. Since 1998, the Great Beguinage has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Definitely worth a visit.

Small Beguinage

The Small Beguinage is much smaller than the Large Beguinage. This neighborhood consists of a single street with two dead-end alleys. Yet, this street is absolutely beautiful. We stroll through the picturesque street with its thirty white houses.

More than 100 beguines once lived here, but the Small Beguinage had to make way for the expanding Stella Artois brewery. Thirty houses were saved, renovated, and sold to private individuals.

During our weekend we stayed overnight in the Park inn by radissonThe hotel is located next to Central Station, making it easily accessible so you don't have to lug your belongings all over the city. If you're coming by car, you can park in the nearby parking garage. The cost is around 15 euros for a weekend. If you can't check in yet, you can drop off your luggage at the hotel. This way, you can explore Leuven from the early hours. You can reach City Hall from the hotel on foot in just fifteen minutes.

The hotel has 133 rooms, a fitness center, and several meeting facilities. The standard rooms are trendy and decorated in soft colors, equipped with a television and free Wi-Fi, and have a separate toilet and bathroom. The hotel has been awarded two Green Keys for promoting active, responsible, and sustainable business practices. We were particularly impressed with the breakfast. Delicious smoothies, superfoods, and fresh rolls with plenty of fillings. With such a breakfast, we were able to start our Sunday off right. The staff is friendly and very helpful.

Book a room at Park Inn by Radisson Leuven.

Other hotels in Leuven

Sausage

At Würst, they serve trendy hot dogs under the name "Haute Dog." No dry buns with sausage and some sauce here, but sophisticated rolls with all sorts of variations. How about a Mexican-style hot dog with guacamole, Mexican salad, sour cream, jalapeños, and nachos? Sounds like an interesting variation, right? I order a Memphis Soul and get a cornbread with coleslaw, pulled meat, honey, fried onions, jalapeños, and of course, sausage. Lianne goes for a more traditional hot dog with sauerkraut, bacon, fried onions, mustard, and ketchup. The buns are delicious. A simple dish is transformed into something very sophisticated here—a super fun concept.

Bar book

Another fun concept can be found at Barboek. While they sell books, it's definitely not a traditional bookstore. Visitors can enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and pastries among the books. The store is quite large, with chairs and tables tucked away in cozy corners. It's a wonderful place to sit and browse.

Kokoon

Traditional dishes get a new twist at Kokoon. On Sunday afternoon, we have lunch at this restaurant on Munstraat. Unfortunately, I'm not the easiest eater, as I don't like fish or mushrooms, so I have to skip half the menu. Fortunately, the menu also offers plenty of dishes that sound delicious, such as spare ribs, rib-eye steak, or pork cheek. Lianne goes for a goat cheese salad with fried bacon and witof, while I try the blanquette of young rabbit with a Delvaux beer sauce. The portions are generous, so you really get your money's worth. It's so much, in fact, that we need to relax after our lunch. The service is friendly and attentive and makes us feel as comfortable as possible.

Julia and Elias

For dinner, we end up at Julia and Elias. The restaurant is somewhat tucked away in an alleyway near the Vismarkt, but once inside, we receive a friendly welcome from the staff and are immediately offered a glass of bubbly. The owner goes out of her way to make our stay as pleasant as possible. She apologizes that things might take a little longer because someone in the kitchen is ill, but we don't notice. Portraits of Julia and Elias hang everywhere on the walls. The restaurant has a pleasant, homely feel where you can dine in peace and enjoy well-prepared dishes.

We start with a creamy pumpkin soup and a small, fresh salmon salad. For our main course, Lianne has Texel lamb, while I choose duck and fennel. The plates look beautifully presented and taste delicious. For dessert, we choose a cheese board and a macaron. The cheese board features various regional cheeses, each with wonderfully robust flavors, accompanied by sweet syrup and date bread. The macaron is a perfect combination with the tartness of raspberries and a sweet mango/passion fruit sorbet. It tastes delicious, and we thoroughly enjoy this end to the evening. To round off our dinner, we order a cup of coffee and some biscuits.

Leuven residents know it for sure: the city is the beer capital of Belgium. Leuven used to boast no fewer than 56 breweries. Today, only two remain: Domus Brewery and Stella Artois Brewery. With the city's many students, the beer flows freely. Leuven boasts many traditional pubs and charming beer cafes. And beer is certainly valued in Leuven.

Leuven is considered the beer capital of Belgium. The city once boasted 56 breweries, but only two remain. However, there are many charming beer cafés.

Domus Brewery

The Domus brewery is the oldest home brewery in the Benelux. This means the brewery is directly connected to the café. Since 1985, three different beers have been brewed on small-scale equipment across from the café and restaurant. The beer is only served in the café and flows through pipelines to the taps. You can visit the brewery, but reservations are required. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, we weren't able to take a tour, but we did sample the beers. I ordered a sampler to try the three different beers. Two of these beers are brewed continuously, while the third is a seasonal beer, ensuring a varied selection.

Stella Artois Brewery

Leuven's oldest brewery is located in the heart of the city. Den Hoorn Brewery already existed in 1366 and quickly became one of Leuven's largest enterprises. Sébastian Artois became the brewer-in-chief in 1708, thus linking his name to the brewery. In 1926, the brewery launched a Christmas beer called Stella Artois. The beer was such a success that it was decided to market it permanently. Today, the brewery is owned by InBev and is the largest brewing group in the world. Stella Artois is sold in more than 80 countries.

The brewery is open to the public every Saturday and Sunday, and we're invited to take a look. The tour is interactive, featuring visuals and numerous videos. After the 90-minute tour, we'll finish at the Stella Artois Bar and enjoy a freshly tapped beer, along with three more beers to take home.

Capital

The Grote Markt is home to plenty of charming cafés where you can enjoy a delicious Belgian beer. We visited The Capital, Leuven's largest beer café. The menu boasts over 2000 beers, all kept at the right temperature in the cellar. Glass tiles are set into the floor, providing a glimpse into the cellar. After ordering, the beers are transported to the bar in an industrial elevator. There are also twenty beer taps where you can get beer straight from the barrel. Definitely worth a visit.

Disclaimer: My stay in Leuven was arranged at the invitation of Tourism Flanders and in collaboration with Leuven Tourism. Everything you read in this article is my personal opinion/experience.