Belgium Breweries Full Itinerary

June 7, 2017

FULL ITINERARY

Sunday, 24 September

Arrive Brussels – Bruges

Upon arrival you will be met at Brussels airport and transferred privately to the historic town of Bruges where you check in to your centrally-located hotel, Hotel Dukes' Palace.

Later enjoy a short orientation tour of the town which will include a visit to the brewery, De Halve Maan (4.15pm) to enjoy a private beer tasting in their cellars. Arrive back at the hotel at shortly after 6.00pm. Later this evening enjoy dinner at one of the traditional restaurants on the Markt.

Monday, 25 September

Bruges – Westvleteren – Watou – Ypres – Bruges

10.00am. Today drive south to Westvleteren, the site of the Abbey of St Sixtus, one of Belgium’s six Trappist breweries. The brewery cannot be visited but you can visit the Claustrum in where you can learn about life in the abbey and the daily rituals of the Sint-Sixtus monks as well as the history of the brewery and details of the brewing process. Afterwards enjoy a light lunch in the In de Vrede visitors’ centre and café. Later continue to Watou, close to the French border and in the heart of hop-growing country, where you will visit the St Bernardus Brewery (2.00pm).

Later stop in nearby Ieper, better known as Ypres (or ‘Wipers’ to the British servicemen in 1914-18). Known as the Queen of the Westhoek, the town suffered severe damage during the First World War and was rebuilt in its original style following the Armistice.

Here you’ll visit the In Flanders Fields Museum, housed in the old Cloth Hall. Afterwards visit the Menin Gate, a vast memorial arch built by the British to commemorate the 300,000 soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient (the Last Post is sounded here every evening at 8.00pm and has done since 1928). Return to Bruges by 7.00pm.

Tuesday, 26 September

Bruges – Berkel-Enschot – Westmalle – Bruges

10.00am. After breakfast head north-east across Belgium and cross the border into the Netherlands where, at 1.00pm, you visit the Trappist Brewery de Koningshoeven, home of La Trappe.

After enjoying lunch at the brewery return to Belgium for a visit Westmalle where another Trappist brewery is in operation. It is located within the monastery and for this reason cannot be visited. However in nearby Café Trappisten you can learn about the brewery, the farm and the monks’ cheese-making endeavours.

Arrive back in Bruges at 7.00pm in time for dinner independently.

Wednesday, 27 September

Bruges

Enjoy a day at leisure in beautiful Bruges today.

Thursday, 28 September

Bruges – Brussels – Breendonk-Dorp – Brussels

9.00am. This morning drive the western part of Brussels to visit the Cantillon Brewery (10.30am).

Afterwards drive about 15 miles north to Breendonk-Dorp to visit the Duvel Moortgat Brewery (1.00pm).

Later return to Brussels to visit the stunning Grand ‘Place, perhaps the most beautiful of Europe’s many historic city squares and dominated by the 15^th-century Gothic Town Hall. Nearby you will also see Mannekin Pis, another iconic symbol of the city.

At 4:45pm enjoy a visit to the Delirium Café which has over 2000 different beers.

Later check in to your hotel, Warwick Hotel Brussels and enjoy your final evening in Belgium with dinner at Restaurant T’Kelderke on the lovely Grand ‘Place.

Friday, 29 September, 2017

Depart Brussels

Transfer privately to Brussels airport for your flight home.

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