Top 10 Things To Do This Summer Outside Brussels

Here are just a few activities to put in your diary this month if you’re deciding to leave Brussels for a day or two…

10) Love boat

Embark upon one of these summer cruises leaving from the Quai des Péniches and glide around Brussels towards Vilvorde and Grimbergen. Sporty types can make the return journey on a bike – and if you prefer to be your own captain, why not opt for that classic of the Belgian summer: the kayak? Whether that’s on the Lesse or on another body of water, there certainly isn’t any shortage of options here in Belgium. Put on your life jacket and jump in…

9)Summer in Mechelen

In Mechelen, we love the summer and we let you know it! To make the most of the summer period spanning from the 1st of July to the 31st of August, Mechelen will get ready in all its splendour and will organise the longest free festival of the summer. Sport, culture, gastronomy, concerts… it’s the perfect mix of activities just half an hour from Brussels where traffic jams won’t spoil your party. You can find a complete programme at www.dezomerisvanmechelen.be.

8) Get an adrenaline rush

The Foire du Midi is all very well but haven’t you been there, done that? There are several other theme parks that are easily accessible from Brussels. From Walibi to Bellewaerde to the many different Plopsa parks, you’ll certainly be spoilt for choice!

7) Chassepierre

Like every year, street theatre will be the order of the day this summer in Gaume, in the village of Chassepierre. More than fifty theatre companies will be putting on their finest productions for children and adults alike from the 20th to the 21st of August.

6) Let yourself be charmed by Villers-la-Ville

Between the production of Amadeus, the guided tour of the vineyard or the Nuit des Chœurs, each summer event is more tempting than the last in the ruins of the Brabantian abbey. And when entertainment isn’t on the cards, Villers-la-Ville will unveil its unique charms: gardens, guided tours, activities for children…

5) Travel around the world at Pairi Daiza

Come and meet the little panda Hao Hao or even the koalas this summer on the edge of Brugelette (only fifty kilometres from Brussels). More than just an animal park, Paira Daiza invites you to travel from La Cité des Immortels to the Terre du Froid passing through the Royaume de Ganesha, without missing La Porte des Profondeurs. Quicker than Jules Verne and his 80 days!

4) Get on the only cable car in Belgium

In flat country, overhanging the Mosan valley, the Citadel of Dinant plunges you into the heart of history. Throughout your visit you’ll find educational objects and panels retracing Dinant’s glorious past: dungeons, kitchens, carriages, a weapons museum, all immersed into the trench warfare of the Yser with its own ‘collapsed shelter’. For the return journey, there’s nothing like a ride in a cable car. Dinant is an hour and a half away from Brussels and offers, as well as the citadel and its cable car, numerous cultural and sporting activities. You can find more information on the Dinant Tourism site.

3) Europeades in Namur

The biggest festival of European folklore packs its bags for Namur from the 20th to the 24th of July 2016. You’ll find singing, dancing and music on the programme, where 170 groups from 25 different countries are waiting for you in every corner of the Wallonian capital.

2) Durbuy Adventure

From the 1st of July 2016, why not visit a brand new park? Its mission is the same: adventure, but a bit greener… come and enjoy the playground, descend 800 metres in a zipwire and roam among the trees from up high.

1) Dali Exhibition in Liège

After Shanghai, London, Singapore, Paris and even Tokyo, Dalí has moved to Guillemins station in Liège, up until the end of August. A colourful evocation through a path of more than 2,000m² awaits, centred around the flamboyant genius of this eternal, universal artist. It’s a walk full of surprises, astonishment and fantastic discovery which is sure to delight everyone.