Tour Overview
Welcome to Belgium! There’s just something about Belgium. Maybe it’s the friendly & welcoming people who with three official languages still find it easy to converse in English, the 4th unofficial language. Maybe it’s the stunning architecture decorating the quaint cobblestone squares. Or perhaps it’s the incredible cuisine found in the vast array of restaurants where each meal seems better than the last. Energetic and carefree, the overall mood in Belgium is infectious, summoning in all of us to live as Belgians and enjoy life to the fullest. Come, explore Belgium the iExplore way!Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: Brussels, BelgiumWelcome to Brussels! After clearing Customs & Immigration formalities at the Brussels Airport, you will be met and driven to your hotel. One of the perfect places to stay in Brussels is the five-star Radisson SAS Royal Hotel with its Art Deco façade, which was designed by famed Belgian architect, Michel Jaspers. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and the administrative center of the European Union. This has earned the city the title of “Capital of Europe”. Brussels has been given its character by the coexistence of French and Flemish culture, and it is nowadays home to nationalities around the world, adding a cosmopolitan flavor to its atmosphere. The vibrant atmosphere of Brussels is further enhanced by picturesque medieval streets, lively squares, beautiful boulevards, impressive monuments, spacious parks, cozy cafés, interesting restaurants and an active cultural life. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.
Radisson SAS Royal Brussels Hotel- Standard Room Day 2: Brussels
Have breakfast at the hotel before you depart on a private city tour of Brussels (3 hours) with your driver and local English-speaking guide. Visit the Grand Place, which provides a sumptuous setting for the spectacle of city life in Brussels. The square is lined by garbled Baroque guildhouses in Flemish Renaissance style, a tribute to the Baroque ideals of balance and harmony. Grand Place began as a medieval market square, but with the completion of Brussels’ Town Hall in 1444, it became the civic heart of the city. Taking pride of place on the square is the Town Hall, a gothic masterpiece, and the finest building of its kind in Belgium. From the balcony of the Town Hall, dignitaries have been honored and ruling dukes have looked down upon festivities; peace had been proclaimed and pardons pronounced. The architect, unhappy with the spire, is said to have leapt to his death from the roof. St. Michael’s Cathedral rises majestically on the hillside between the upper and lower city. Although work was begun on the present cathedral during the 13th century, it was not completed until the end of the 15th. The building therefore exhibits a number of different architectural styles. Recent excavations have revealed a Romanesque crypt, which now can be seen. You will also see the Congress Column, the monument that commemorates the founding of Belgium in 1830, with the names of the heroes of the revolution inscribed in gold. Enthroned on top of the column is a statue of the first King of Belgium, Leopold I. The four vast female figures seated at his feet symbolizes the human rights that had up to then, been denied Belgians: freedom of education and religion, freedom of the press and freedom of assembly. At the base, an eternal flame burns over the grave of the Unknown Soldier, a memorial to victims of both world wars. The Brussels’ Atomium is a gigantic model of an iron molecule that dominates the Heysel Plateau. This curious monument was constructed for the World Exhibition of 1958, its dynamic frame symbolizing the potential of Belgian industry in the post war period. It proved such a success that the locals requested that they be able to hang on to their striking new monument. It has since become a shining symbol of the city. The Glass City: with rare and wonderful plants, the botanical gardens and royal greenhouses of the Royal Palace are defining features of the Laeken District, the area that is also home to the Atomium. The magnificent gardens and greenhouses, which rival their English counterpart in Kew, have earned the domain the title of “glass city”. As a colonial power, Belgium reveled in the profusion of exotic plants shipped in from the Congo. Apart from the leafy estate itself, Laeken’s appeal lies in the exotic oriental constructions and theatrical hothouses that enliven any visit. Please note: the greenhouses are open only for three weeks at the end of April/beginning of May. You will also see the Royal Palace, the European Parliament and the Palace of Justice before returning to your hotel.
Breakfast
Radisson SAS Royal Brussels Hotel- Standard Room Day 3: Brussels- Ghent- Brugges
This morning after breakfast at the hotel, depart for a full day excursion by private car to Ghent and on to Brugges. Ghent's historic inner city offers a superb collection of splendid buildings along picturesque canals. A walk through the town on a summer's evening, when the most important buildings are illuminated, is an unforgettable experience. Pause in Ghent for an enjoyable walking tour of this lovely city with an English-speaking local guide. A walk through the historic Old Town includes a detailed visit to the Cathedral of Saint-Bavon (Altar of Ghent by van Eyck, Conversion of St Baaf by Rubens), the Belfry (symbol of the city's independence), the Graslei (the old harbor), the castle of the Counts of Flanders (one of the strongest moated fortresses in Western Europe), the Vrijdagmarkt (center of political life in medieval Ghent). Afterwards, continue on to Brugges and check into your hotel. The elegant 4-star Hotel Oud Huis de Peellaert is situated right in the historical center of Bruges at only 150 meters from the Market Square. Here you will discover style and understated elegance, efficient and friendly service and true hospitality. The ultimate luxury at Hotel Oud Huis de Peellaert is the warm welcome and the inviting and peaceful atmosphere of an old 19th century house. You will have the impression that you are in one of Bruges’ finest houses, and the attentive staff will assure you feel very much at home.
Breakfast
Hotel Qud Huis de Peellaert Brugges- Standard Room Day 4: Brugges
Bruges (population 120,000) with its perfectly preserved medieval town center remains a tourist dream, a magnet drawing more than two million visitors a year. The Markt is Bruges' main square at the very heart of the city. Surrounded on all sides by fine buildings from a variety of different periods it also boasts a large monument erected in 1887 to the guild masters Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck who led the rebellion against the French in 1302. Along the Markt you find the Halle and Belfry and the Neo-Gothic Provincial Hof. Above the Halle soars Bruges's most distinctive landmark the Belfry, 83m high. It is one of the finest bell towers in Belgium. Breakfast
Hotel Qud Huis de Peellaert Brugges- Standard Room Day 5: Brugges- Antwerp- Mechelen
Today you have a private car and English-speaking driver at your disposal for a full day excursion to Antwerp en route to Mechelen. Your driver will meet you at the hotel after breakfast at about 9:00am. Antwerp (population 500,000) is the capital of the province of Antwerpen and the second largest seaport in Europe. Centuries of prosperity have bequeathed an inheritance, which includes above all, the city's paintings, an incomparable collection of 15th to 17th c. masterpieces. Brueghel, Rubens, van Dyck, Jordaens ... lived and worked in Antwerp. Thanks to its harbor, Antwerp was an important center of trade and commerce even before records began. Today, the Port of Antwerp is still one of the largest in the world. Approximately 20.000 vessels from 70 nations enter the port each year. Antwerp's international reputation is in part due to the diamond industry and the special role the city plays in the diamond trade worldwide.
Enjoy a walk through the old city center with your local English-speaking guide. Included in the tour is a visit to the Onze Lieve Vrouwkathedraal - Belgium's largest and most beautiful Gothic church. Work was started in 1352, continuing until 1521. Inside you can admire amongst other beautiful paintings, two masterpieces of Peter Paul Rubens. After your walking tour of Antwerp, you will continue on to Mechelen, where you will check into your hotel. The Hotel Ve Mechelen is situated in a former factory constructed in 1923, which was originally used for smoking fish. The building doesn't hide its past but uses its historic elements in an innovative mix with modern architecture and luxury. This creates a unique style. With their individualistic, personal approach to guests they will make sure that, whether you are in Mechelen on business or leisure, you will feel welcome at hotel Vé.
Breakfast
Hotel Ve Mechelen- Standard Room Day 6: Mechelen
Only 14 miles from the gates of Antwerp lay Mechelen, the city of bells. Enjoy a walking tour of this lovely city with your local English-speaking guide. Mechelen’s main symbol is the mighty Saint Rombout’s Cathedral, the construction of which began in the 13th century but was not completed until 200 years later. The church tower was to have extended to a massive height of 546 feet, but in the end, construction was stopped at 317 feet. Climb the tower for a wonderful view of the city. Inside the cathedral you will find a wealth of marble altars, ornate tombs, paintings by Flemish masters- including a Crucifixion by van Dyck- and baroque decorations, some of it the work of Artus Quellin. But the church is best known for its carillon. Since 1981 the tower has had two sets of bells; the new carillon, with 49 bells, is not only the heaviest in Europe, it is said to be the richest in tone as well. The walking tour will take about two hours. Afterwards, return to the hotel where the remainder of the day is on your own.
Breakfast
Hotel Ve Mechelen- Standard Day 7: Mechelen After breakfast today you will depart in your private car with your English-speaking driver for a full day exploration to Leuven and Spa. The university town of Leuven is about 16 miles east of Brussels. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the towns weaving industry made it one of the most important cloth manufacturing centers in Europe. The monasteries and churches still bear witness to the tremendous wealth of the Counts of Leuven, who, in 1190, also became Dukes of Brabant. Leuven’s Stadhuis (town hall) was built between 1448 and 1463. The three-story building has 10 pointed-arched windows per floor and six exquisitely carved octagonal turrets, making it a masterpiece of Brabant Gothic Architecture. The niches in the façade house statues of local personalities and reliefs illustrate themes from the bible. Directly opposite the town hall stands the late Gothic St. Pieterskerk (church of St. Peter). The basilica and chapels was never finished as the foundations proved unstable. The exuberantly baroque pulpit, dating from 1742, is adorned with reliefs depicting Peter’s denial and the conversion of St. Norbert. The churches most valuable treasures are two triptychs by Dirk Bouts, one illustrating the Martyrdom of St. Erasmus and the other, circa 1464 his painting of The Last Supper. Then, continue on to the invigorating resort of Spa. Spa is tucked just within the northern edge of the Ardennes. It is a landscape of austere beauty that surrounds the resort, as slopes give way to meadows and heaths; the moorland landscapes are often shrouded by drifting fog, trapped by the surrounding hills. This location has for centuries been the meeting place for the rich and famous of the European world, who have come to take the waters and reap the benefits of alkali mud baths containing iron- arteriosclerosis, heart trouble, varicose veins and rheumatism are all claimed to be helped by the medicinal waters and mud. Take a guided walking tour with your English-speaking local guide before checking into your hotel. As well as the attraction of the healing water, Spa also has some fine architecture, which dates from its turn of the century hey- day. The neoclassical style is at its best in the Baths, the Casino and the town’s pavilions. Check into your hotel. The crest inset of the Manoir de Lebioles reflects the philosophy of the House in its true and finest manner. This fine establishment welcomes its guests to a charming place situated in Belgium’s Ardennes region which offers refined luxury in a private and secluded surrounding offering excellent service and exquisite attention to detail. Dubbed as Belgium’s Versailles, the Manoir De Lebioles is pleased to have opened its doors in September 2006, following an intense year of renovations.
Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel Manoir de Lebioles- Castellane Suite Day 8: Spa- Brussels- Depart
Today you will be driven to the airport for your flight home.
Continental Breakfast
