Belgian Beer Tour
8 days
from Brussels to Hoboken
From
$ 2249
Duration8 days
Some people’s idea of a beer adventure is checking out that pub two streets over from the local. The true beer connoisseur is a different breed. Designed with the fancy suds aficionado in mind, this eight-day trip takes you to the ancestral home of Trappist, one of the world’s finest brewers. You’ll visit five Trappist monastery-breweries in Belgium, explore Brussels and Bruges, and stuff yourself with mussels, waffles, and chocolate galore. (Hey, beer-tasting is hungry work.)
This tour is operated by
-
Duration: 8 daysService level: Standard
-
Starts in: BrusselsPhysical Grading: Light
-
Ends in: HobokenAges: 12+
Tour Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1: Brussels
Start place: Brussels
There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.
Arrive at any time.
A note on the itinerary: Due to the nature of the Trappist brewing process, opportunities to visit the abbey, the breweries, and interact with the monks is based on the willingness of the abbey to open its doors to visitors and make an exception. We work very hard to bring as many of these behind-the-scenes experiences to fruition for our travellers, but we can't guarantee how much access we'll get.
Be prepared to enjoy tasting the abbey-made beers at local cafés, which host visitors from all over the world looking for these exclusive drinks. We can guarantee we will visit five breweries in Belgium from the outside and experience these charming towns– enjoying their markets, castles, cafés, and delicacies– and will aim to gain as much access to the abbeys as the monks permit on any given day. It's all part of this delicious adventure!
Be prepared to enjoy tasting the abbey-made beers at local cafés, which host visitors from all over the world looking for these exclusive drinks. We can guarantee we will visit five breweries in Belgium from the outside and experience these charming towns– enjoying their markets, castles, cafés, and delicacies– and will aim to gain as much access to the abbeys as the monks permit on any given day. It's all part of this delicious adventure!
End place: Brussels
Day 2: Brussels
Start place: Brussels
Belgium is know for many things, including fantastic cuisine.
If the chocolate factory and Delirium beer hall only whet your appetite, opt for a beer walking tour before indulging in waffles, mussels, and 'frites'.
If the chocolate factory and Delirium beer hall only whet your appetite, opt for a beer walking tour before indulging in waffles, mussels, and 'frites'.
Enjoy an orientation walk of the city before a free day to explore. Opt to visit a chocolate factory, the Delirium beer hall, Art Deco Turkish baths, or indulge in a gourmet Belgium tour.
End place: Brussels
Meals: B
Day 3: Brussels/Rochefort
Start place: Brussels
Travel by train and public bus to reach Rochefort in time for lunch. Head to the markets in this beautiful medieval town and collect some cheese, bread, meat, and local delicacies and enjoy a picnic with a Trappist beer. Brush up on your French as you chat with locals.
See the church then enjoy a free afternoon with options like visiting the remains of a 2,000-year-old Gallo-Roman villa in the Archaeopark of Rochefort.
Don't miss out on indulging in local Rochefort cheeses produced from a centuries-old recipe or some local cuisine like the giant meatball "gehaktbal", with "frites" and foie gras.
See the church then enjoy a free afternoon with options like visiting the remains of a 2,000-year-old Gallo-Roman villa in the Archaeopark of Rochefort.
Don't miss out on indulging in local Rochefort cheeses produced from a centuries-old recipe or some local cuisine like the giant meatball "gehaktbal", with "frites" and foie gras.
See the church at Abbaye Notre Dame de Saint Remy where Rochefort is made – with some luck, they'll let us in for a peek. Head to the markets and collect some picnic supplies to enjoy with a Trappist beer.
Enjoy a picnic with your Trappist beer.
End place: Rochefort
Meals: B, L
Day 4: Rochefort/Bruges
Start place: Rochefort
Head to Orval for a visit to the abbey's visitor centre. Sample some beer and Trappist cheese here before continuing on to Chimay.
Enjoy an included lunch at the brasserie near Chimay to try beer normally reserved for the monks.
The abbey and main brewing centre are not open to the public, but there are still plenty of opportunities to sample the local goods.
Arrive at Bruges in the evening and head out for an orientation walk around the town.
Enjoy an included lunch at the brasserie near Chimay to try beer normally reserved for the monks.
The abbey and main brewing centre are not open to the public, but there are still plenty of opportunities to sample the local goods.
Arrive at Bruges in the evening and head out for an orientation walk around the town.
Visit Orval in the late morning to try beer and Trappist cheese. Enjoy an included lunch at the brasserie near Chimay for a taste of beer normally reserved for the monks. Head to Bruges for the night.
Enjoy lunch at the brasserie near Chimay to try beer normally reserved for the monks.
End place: Sint-Michiels
Meals: B, L
Day 5: Bruges
Start place: Sint-Michiels
With a free evening in enchanting Bruges, opt for a horse-drawn carriage ride around town, or choose to rent a bike (complete with guide) and head out around the city and surrounding countryside.
Enjoy a free morning in Bruges. In the afternoon, head to the Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan brewery in the heart of the historic centre for a tour of the grounds, beer tasting and traditional Flemish lunch.
End place: Sint-Michiels
Meals: B, L
Day 6: Bruges/Antwerp
Start place: Sint-Michiels
Take a private van to Antwerp, stopping for a visit to Westmalle en route. The abbey here is closed to visitors but we will enjoy a tasting at the Café Trappisten, with the option for lunch including tastes of Trappist meat and cheese.
Continue on to Achel for the last official Trappist tasting of the trip. There is the opportunity to sample some Achel beer, though again, the abbey will be closed to visitors.
Arrive in Antwerp in the late afternoon. Opt to wander around the city and get a feel for the place.
Continue on to Achel for the last official Trappist tasting of the trip. There is the opportunity to sample some Achel beer, though again, the abbey will be closed to visitors.
Arrive in Antwerp in the late afternoon. Opt to wander around the city and get a feel for the place.
Travel to Antwerp, stopping en route to visit Westmalle. Enjoy a tasting at the Café Trappisten. Next, sample some Achel near the brewery before continuing on to Antwerp.
End place: Hoboken
Meals: B
Day 7: Antwerp
Start place: Hoboken
Enjoy a free day in Antwerp with the option to visit a local brewery by bike, check out some museums, or venture underground on an Antwerp sewer tour.
End place: Hoboken
Meals: B
Day 8: Antwerp
Start place: Hoboken
Your CEO can help arrange transport back to Brussels airport.
Depart at any time.
End place: Hoboken
Meals: B
Inclusions
Included
- Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group Your Foodie Moment: Rochefort Picnic with Trappist Beer Tasting, Rochefort Your Foodie Moment: Orval Visit with Beer and Cheese Tasting, Abbaye d'Orval Your Foodie Moment: Huisbrouwerij De Halve Maan Beer Tasting and Lunch, Bruges Your Foodie Moment: Westmalle Visit with Beer Tasting, Westmalle Your Foodie Moment: Achel Visit with Beer Tasting, Achel
- Brussels orientation walk
- Bruges orientation walk
- Antwerp orientation walk
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
-
Transport
Train, Public bus, Private van/bus -
Accommodation
Hotels (7 nts)