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Gastronomic Flanders, the Best of Cuisine and Beverages
Explore the historic cities of Flanders, experience the distinct local culture and have ample opportunity to sample the fine local cuisine, dishes that can be found nowhere else. There are specialty treats, learn about the different types of Belgian waffles and enjoy the best chocolates in the world. On this discovery adventure, visit a local brewery or two, a world class winery and discover how a unique gin is made.
Available at any date for private groups of 2 – 15 people. Price available upon application. Rates are based upon vehicle and guide hire per day; groups of 7 - 15 would have a per person rate same/similar to one of our scheduled tours of the same length.
If you do not have a group of traveling companions and are still interested in this custom tour itinerary, you are welcomed to join a waitlist…We record who is looking for travel companions to make up a tour with them. We need between 6 and 8 persons minimum to operate a tour without it being uneconomic for us or too expensive for you. We will be happy to run the occasional special departure IF there is sufficient interest.
If you would like to check on or join a waitlist for this itinerary, please email us for full information: kate@specialgrouptours.com
This tour begins and ends from Brussels. As this is a suggested itinerary, it may be revised to suit your individual needs, around a special culinary event or festival and your tour can be adjusted to a length best suited to you. Please discuss options with us.
Many Belgian Beer and Food Festivals are happening in 2010, check them out! Your itinerary can be modified to include these very special events.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Day 1
You will be picked up from the rail station or from your Brussels hotel this morning. We will make our way to the village of Hoegaarden. Known for its famous white beer, the brewery is available for touring on most weekdays. This place also offers a lovely roomed Flemish show garden.
We will then take the scenic route to the mediaeval town of Leuven. There are many styles of architecture to be found in and around the town, from the flamboyant Gothic Saint Peter's Church (with the famous 15th century painting of Dirk Bouts, 'The Last Supper') to the impressive Romanesque Gate.
On our culinary theme, there is a lovely botanical garden with the oldest medicinal herbery in the country. We will have time to visit the Stella Artois brewery, opened most days for tours to learn about the brewing process and to enjoy a sample from the source.
Leuven is home to a lively Grote Markt with many restaurants, cafes and pubs; a perfect place for some relaxing time sampling local snacks, world famous beers and to savor your surroundings.
This evening, a welcome dinner together featuring local favorite dishes, perhaps you’ll choose mussels and frites, a hearty Flemish stew or a dish featuring locally grown white asparagus.
Overnight: Leuven
Day 2
This morning, discover a bit of history in the Bokrijk Flemish open air museum, dedicated to Flemish rural architecture of the past and Flemish country life.
Next, Hasselt is a charming town with a few buildings remaining from the 11th Century. Here we’ll discover the local specialty, a juniper berry flavored type of gin, “National Jenever,” with a tour of the distillery and a tastings.
Later today, we’ll cross the border into Holland, to the beautiful valley of the Jeker on the south side of Maastricht to experience the monumental 15th century farm Apostelhoeve, the oldest and largest winery of The Netherlands. We’ll enjoy a visit to the vineyards, the wine cellars and an opportunity for some wine tasting. We’ll spend some time in Maastricht itself; this is a unique area, surrounded by the borders of 3 countries, giving it an interesting Cosmopolitan flavor.
Overnight: Leuven
Day 3
Gent/Ghent is one of the country's noted art cities, and the capital of East Flanders. It is a university city, a port city criss-crossed by waterways and canals, home to two castles, dozens of museums featuring the works of the ‘Flemish Primitive’ Artists and St Bavo’s Cathedral, where we’ll see the famed VanEyck masterpiece, the ‘Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.’
Our focus will be the sights, smells and tastes of the local culinary experience on a walking tour. The locals of Gent/Ghent take the enjoyment of food very seriously! The remainder of the day is free for you to explore the city as you wish, perhaps taking a scenic boat trip, exploring one of the many fine museums or just have some relaxing time in one of the fabulous cafes in the Grote Markt.
Tonight, we will enjoy dinner together by the river in our picturesque night stop, the nearby village of St Martens-Latem (subject to availability.) During dinner, you may sample some local favorite meals such as waterzoï (salt & fresh water fish in bouillon and veg,) Belgian Blue Beef, rabbit with prunes or beer, eel “in green” (with sorrel & spinach) or with pale ale, hennepot (lemon soup with chicken, rabbit and veal,) or classic vegetable dishes featuring endives or hop shoots.
Overnight: St Marten-Latem
Day 4
We've saved perhaps the most famed of all Flanders cities until last, Bruges/Brugge. This medieval gem with its scenic canals and cobbled streets, beautifully decorated houses, old guild halls and churches never fails to surprise and delight its visitors.
After an orientation walking tour, there'll be free time to take an optional horse drawn carriage ride around the city, for shopping in the famous lace shops or for simply wandering the cobbled streets, soaking up the lovely atmosphere, munching a waffle or some frites. Your guide will be on hand for assistance and advice on how best to explore.
We'd most definitely recommend the Flanders Folk Museum where daily life has been wonderfully recreated. There are also 3 breweries offering tours, a brewery museum and several museums featuring the Flemish Masters including the Memling Museum, part of the St. John's Hospital chapel.
There are a staggering 40 chocolateries with enticing shop windows full of authentic Belgian chocolates, plain and filled with a wide range of ingredients. There is even a Chocolate Museum showing the history from the Mayans, a factory tour, demonstration and, yes samples!
This afternoon, en-route back to Brussels, we’ll have a stop in Beersel. This place is famous for the brewing of gueze, lambic & kriek (a cherry beer) and for a special dish 'boterham met plattekaas en radijzen' - a slice of bread with white cheese and radishes served with a lambic. There are two artisan breweries that still operate in the traditional method, opened on Saturdays only for tours. Since gueuze is made by blending lambics from wild yeasts, it tastes different from traditional ale or lager style beers and is sometimes called Brussels Champagne.
Please note: All opening times are correct at time of printing this website. We will adjust the itinerary accordingly should a location have an unscheduled change in opening times/dates.
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