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Brussels

city and municipality in the Brussels-Capital Region, capital of Belgium

52km

50.846434.3517

Flemish Brabant

Flemish Brabant is one of the five provinces of Flanders (Belgium). The province completely surrounds Brussels, the national capital. Brussels however is not a part of the province. The capital Leuven is one of Belgium's largest student cities. The university is one of the oldest universities in this part of Europe and makes the city one with an impressive student tradition.

77km

50.91674.5833

Poperinge

municipality in West Flanders, Belgium

138km

50.852.7333

Hauts-de-France

Hauts-de-France is the northernmost region of France, located to the north of the French capital Paris and situated on the English Channel at the point closest to England. The region also fronts much of the French border with Belgium. The area is sadly known for its central part in the trench warfare of the First World War (1914-1918), perhaps most notoriously the Battle of the Somme, which lasted four and a half months during which more than one million men and women lost their lives. Unsurprisingly, Hauts-de-France hosts a large number of battlefields, war cemeteries and memorials. Less well-known, but still worth your time are the region's many belfries and Gothic churches, and the remnants of France's industrial heartland. Hauts-de-France was created in 2016 by merging Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy.

143km

49.92062.703
Sights (33)

Belfry of Mons

Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site, dates from the 17th century and is the only Baroque-style belfry in Belgium.

295m

50.454166673.95011111

Maison Van Gogh

Cuesmoise the house where he lived from August 1879 to October 1880, was saved from ruin in the 1970s and is now accessible to the public.

2.8km

50.441388893.92527778

Neolithic flint mines of Spiennes

You can visit a silex mine dating back to the Neolithic period. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

3.5km

50.430773.97879

Dour

Walloon municipality in Hainaut, Belgium

18km

50.43.78333333

Binche

city in Hainaut, Belgium

24km

50.44.16666667

Thuin

city in Hainaut, Belgium

37km

50.333333334.28333333

Campo Santo, Ghent

This monumental cemetery is located on a small hill in the suburb of Sint-Amandsberg. Many famous and important Belgians that lived in Ghent are buried here.

48km

51.06453.7498

Graslei

street in Ghent, Belgium

49km

51.0553.72083333

Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst

contemporary art museum in Ghent, Belgium

49km

51.038055563.70388889

Musée Hergé

75km

50.67124.613

Keizersberg Abbey

abbey in Leuven, Belgium

88km

50.88854.6966

Collegium Trilingue

88km

50.881111114.70027778

St. Peter's Church, Leuven

church in Leuven, Belgium

88km

50.87954.7013

Werchter

section of Rotselaar, Belgium

90km

50.966666674.7

Groeningemuseum

Known as 'The city museum of Fine Arts', it houses a collection of artworks that span several centuries (14th-20th), focusing mainly on works by painters who lived and worked in Bruges.

96km

51.206111113.22638889

Basilica of the Holy Blood

A beautiful church on the Burg square. It houses a relic - a vial of blood that is said to be that of Jesus - and was built in the Gothic style. Try and get there early so you can view the chapel when it is quiet and not filled with tourists. And don't forget to visit the chapel underneath, in heavy Romanesque style - a contrast to the lovely light Gothic above.

96km

51.208166673.22672222

Church of Our Lady, Bruges

A fascinating church with architecture from the Romanesque and Gothic periods. In the east end of the church are very fine tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary of Burgundy - in contrasting Gothic and Renaissance styles, despite their superficial similarity. The church also houses one of the few Michelangelo sculptures outside of Italy, the "Madonna with child". To see the "Madonna with Child" an entrance fee of €5 for 18 to 26, 26 to 64 is €6, over 65 is €5, and under 17 is free.

96km

51.204722223.22444444

Old St. John's Hospital

Sint-Janshospitaal contains a museum of six paintings by Hans Memling, within the early medieval hospital buildings.

96km

51.2043.224

Ten Wijngaerde (Begijnhof Brugge)

In the history, many women couldn't find a man, as men were more likely to die in accidents or in a war. Those women could "marry God" and become a beguine. The beguinage, also known as the convent, offered protection for those single ladies. It lies between the centre of the city and the station, with white painted small houses and fine plane trees, is a quiet place to walk - groups are discouraged.

96km

51.201222223.22255556

Choco-Story

This museum is a must see for chocolate enthusiasts as it describes chocolate's transition from cocoa into chocolate. Its low-cost tasty exhibits make it well worth the time (and Belcolade's gently overt marketing). Be sure to stay for the chocolate making exhibition to get some excellent samplers.

96km

51.210555563.22611111

Citadel of Namur

The primary tourist attraction of Namur, the Citadel is a fortress at the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers. Its original design dates from Roman times, with foundations laid out in 937. Throughout history it was captured, destroyed and rebuilt several times. It underwent major expansions under Dutch control between 1631 and 1675. Its current topology was designed by Dutch architect Menno van Coehoorn and improved by Vauban after the siege of 1692. A variety of positions were added in the 18th century, but the complex was finally disestablished as a military post in 1891 when it was superseded by a ring of forts around Namur to provide better protection against the improved range of artillery at the time. It saw battle a last time during the German invasion of World War I, after which the new fortifications took over its defensive role. The Citadel is classified as a Walloon Major Heritage site, and together with the citadels of Dinant, Huy and Liège it forms part of the so-called Meuse Citadels. For those unable to climb the hill, a tourist train is available for an additional fee.

101km

50.46054.864

Tyne Cot

The largest Commonwealth Wargraves Commission cemetery in the world, situated to the south of the village of Passendale. There are also many more smaller Commonwealth cemeteries dotted around the region as well.

110km

50.886944442.99805556

Marche-les-Dames

113km

50.49224.9725

Bellewaerde

Bellewaerde was established in 1954 as a zoo and safari park. The park evolved into a theme park. Bellewaerde attracts 850,000-900,000 visitors a year and is one of the main theme parks in Flanders.

115km

50.848333332.94555556

Battle of Hill 60 (Western Front)

A well-preserved World War I battle site that changed sides repeatedly. There area covered in craters. There was also a large amount of tunneling during the war which adds to the uneven terrain. The memorial to the 1st Australian Tunneling Co contains bullet holes from World War II.

116km

50.821388892.93166667

Langemark German war cemetery

The cemetery, which evolved from a small group of graves from 1915, has seen numerous changes and extensions. It was dedicated in 1932. Today, visitors find a mass grave near the entrance. This comrades' grave contains 24,917 servicemen, including the Ace Werner Voss. Between the oak trees, next to this mass grave, are another 10,143 soldiers (including 2 British soldiers killed in 1918). The 3,000 school students who were killed during the First Battle of Ypres are buried in a third part of the cemetery. At the rear of the cemetery is a sculpture of four mourning figures by Professor Emil Krieger. The group was added in 1956, and is said to stand guard over the fallen. The cemetery is maintained by the German War Graves Commission, the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge.

119km

50.920555562.91666667

Menin Gate

Dedicated on 24 July 1927 as a memorial to the missing British and Commonwealth soldiers who fell in Belgium during World War One. Has a Last Post Ceremony each night at 20:00 as a way for the Ypres citizens to express their gratitude towards those who died for Belgium's freedom.

121km

50.852222222.89166667

Museum Godshuis Belle

art museum and gallery in West Flanders, Belgium

121km

50.84972.8862

Ypres Cloth Hall

121km

50.85122.8858

Bouillon

city in Luxembourg, Belgium

132km

49.79555.068

Vleteren

municipality in West Flanders, Belgium

139km

50.933333332.73333333

Han-sur-Lesse

section of Rochefort, Belgium

139km

50.126111115.18777778

Huy

city in Liège, Belgium

142km

50.516666675.23333333
Nature

we will see

Mons

Belgium
Someday we will visit Mons or begin to dream about going there! However, for now its not on our radar. Let us know in the comments if you think that should change!

Mons

Mons is the capital of the Belgian province of Hainaut, in the region of Wallonia. The town is a worthy place to base yourself for a multi-day exploration of the Hainaut region.

The centre consists largely of red brick houses. Although there are few old buildings and rarely new blue stone buildings, its use is generally limited to parts of the decorative walls. Much of the centre is made up of houses which are two or three storeys high. In commercial areas, the ground floor is used as commercial space, while other floors are used for housing. Generally behind the houses there is a small garden.

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Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

5.8°C0.5
Precipitation: 71.2 mm

Feb

6.7°C0.3
Precipitation: 58.6 mm

Mar

10.5°C2.5
Precipitation: 69 mm

Apr

14.2°C4.2
Precipitation: 49.2 mm

May

18.3°C8.2
Precipitation: 67.2 mm

Jun

21°C11
Precipitation: 74.9 mm

Jul

23.5°C13
Precipitation: 70.1 mm

Aug

23.2°C12.6
Precipitation: 73.7 mm

Sep

19.4°C9.9
Precipitation: 61 mm

Oct

15°C7
Precipitation: 73.2 mm

Nov

9.7°C3.7
Precipitation: 72.9 mm

Dec

6.2°C1.4
Precipitation: 76.5 mm
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