Belgium Beer Adventure - Trappists and Beyond

“We had a wonderful time experiencing Belgium’s beer culture. This is absolutely a must-do bucket list trip for any beer enthusiast.” – Cara J., Belgium Beer Tour Guest

Sold Out! Please contact info@nulltastevacations.com to join the waitlist. 

On this seven-day Belgium Beer Tour,  we will visit many breweries and abbeys, new and old, to learn more about the people, their history, and the beers they brew throughout this beautiful country. We’ll visit and learn some of Belgium’s renowned WWII history. You can expect to leave with a treasure trove of unforgettable memories and experiences, all while indulging in a culinary adventure that might come as a pleasant surprise. The delicious food on offer seamlessly blends traditional Belgian cuisine with elements from the country’s diverse range of cultures, making for a truly unique gastronomic journey.

Since the first Crusades the Church allowed abbeys to brew and distribute beer as a fundraising method. Trappist monks carry on those deep traditions today with their dark, sweet, complex ales while Belgian craft brewers create their own rich brewing history by experimenting with modern beer flavors. You’ll get to taste a wide variety of these beers throughout the week.

Life is short and so it makes sense to maximize your time in Belgium. This seven-day vacation does just that. We tour much of the country, staying in four different cities and villages, including Chimay, Mons, Bastogne, and Brussels. We will visit over a dozen breweries, abbeys, and beer restaurants, and your Hosts will show you some of our favorite off-the-beaten-path local spots while introducing you to some of our favorite people in Belgium’s beer culture.

Related Blog Posts:

10 Best Hidden Gem Beer Bars in Flanders, Belgium
Know Before You Go: The Do’s and Don’ts of a Beer Tour
7 Must-Trys When Visiting Belgium

Please Note: We may need to adjust our itinerary to accommodate any changes and availability. We will keep you informed of these changes and promise to find equal or better experiences if needed.

Belgium Beer Tour Details

• Tour Dates: May 19 – 25, 2024
• Trip Price Per Person: $4,650
• Single Supplement: $900
• Guide: Yannick de Cocquéau
• Min/Max: 4 people/10 people
• Meals:  Breakfasts & dinners included, except for dinner on Day 6 when lunch is included. Lunches are specifically left on your own on this tour, unless otherwise indicated, to give you the freedom to wander through the many towns we visit.
• General Tour FAQs

“It was great. Thought we got way more than our money’s worth with the amount of food & drinks included in the tour. It makes me want to use Taste Vacations for our next trip.” -Belgium Beer Tour Guest

Day 1: Brussels & Mechelen

Welcome to Belgium! Home of delicious fries, waffles, and of course, beer!

Our adventure starts at 1:00 PM, allowing you to arrive in Brussels this morning or the day before (which we highly recommend). After a quick orientation, we head out to our first brewery of the tour, Duvel, located in the beautiful town of Breendonk, just outside of Brussels. Founded in 1871, Duvel Brewery has been producing its signature beer, the Duvel, a strong golden ale, for over a century. The brewery itself is a modern and impressive facility that blends traditional Belgian brewing techniques with state-of-the-art technology. When you visit, you’ll get to see the brewing process up close, from the mash tun to the fermentation tanks.

From there, we’ll head to the picturesque city of Mechelen and check into your first hotel of the tour. You’ll have a chance to settle in before we visit Het Anker, one of the oldest and most prestigious breweries in Belgium, for a tour, tasting, and dinner. The brewery is housed in a former hospital and orphanage that dates back to the 15th century and is best known for its signature beer, the Gouden Carolus.

To conclude the evening, if you’re not too tired, we’ll take you on a tour of the vibrant Mechelen pub scene, providing a perfect opportunity to unwind and soak in the lively nightlife.

Day 2: Westmalle & Turnhout

After breakfast, our adventure in Mechelen continues with a final city walk. We’ll explore the town’s charming streets and visit a local cheese shop to sample the famous Golden Carolus Cheese.

From there, we’ll head to the picturesque town of Westmalle, home to the famous Westmalle Abbey and brewery. You’ll have free time to explore the town and enjoy a leisurely lunch at Café Trappisten. The café is situated next to the iconic Westmalle Abbey and is known for its extensive and impressive beer menu, which also includes beers from other well-known Trappist breweries such as Chimay, Orval, and Rochefort. After lunch, we will get a better look at the area with a short walk around the Westmalle grounds.

Our next stop is Turnhout, a charming city in the northern part of Belgium. Here, we’ll visit Het Nest. Some of the most popular beers offered by Het Nest include the Kleveretien, a dark and complex Belgian ale with a rich and malty flavor, and the Schuppenboer Tripel, a strong and spicy Belgian tripel with a fruity and hoppy finish.

Finally, we’ll check into our hotel, drop off our luggage, and set out for dinner at Bardo Brasserie & Lounge Bar. This trendy restaurant offers a modern take on classic Belgian cuisine, using fresh and locally sourced ingredients to create unique and flavorful dishes. The menu features dishes such as Belgian-style beef stew, char-grilled octopus, and roasted pumpkin risotto. Come hungry and ready to savor the delicious flavors of Belgian cuisine!

Day 3: Averbode & Diest

After breakfast, we will check out our hotel and start our daily exploration by whetting everyone’s whistle with a tour and tasting of the Averbode Abbaye, a historic abbey known for its incredible bakery and microbrewery. We’ll learn about the abbey’s fascinating history and architecture before indulging in some of their freshly baked bread and Mongoza beer. What better way to start the morning and get your taste buds excited for the rest of the day?

You’ll then have a chance to walk through the fairy tale streets of Diest, one of our favorite hidden gems, and enjoy lunch on your own. After lunch, we’ll make our way to the Enigma Brewery, a brand-new brewery set to open its doors in the spring of 2024. You will be among the first beer enthusiasts to enjoy these new brews.

The day is not over! We will continue to Sint-Truiden, a charming city in the Flemish region of Belgium, and have dinner at De Gebrande Winning, one of the best beer restaurants in the country. The restaurant is housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century building with a cozy interior, exposed brick walls, and wooden beams.

Day 4: Achouffe & Bastogne

After checking out of our hotel and loading up our luggage, we will head to Achouffe and start our day with a tour and tasting at the beloved Brasserie d’Achouffe, whose world-famous gnome logo was chosen based on the legend of the Ardennes. The brewery was founded by two brothers-in-law, Pierre Gobron and Chris Bauweraerts, in a garage, who’s 1st brew of 49 liters was produced in 1982. From the iconic gnome statue to the lively atmosphere and the passion that goes into every batch of beer, you’ll be immersed in the world of Achouffe and experience why this brewery is a favorite of both Chouffe lovers and artists.

We will then have lunch on our own in Achouffe. Our next stop is a solemn but powerful visit to sites of great importance memorializing the region’s WWII history and the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne. There, we’ll visit the Bastogne War Museum located just outside the city, where we’ll learn about the history of the Battle of the Bulge and explore the various exhibitions, including a vast collection of WWII artifacts.

After a thought-provoking and educational experience, we’ll finish our day with a delicious dinner together in town.

Day 5: Orval & Chimay

Today, our journey will continue after a hearty breakfast and hotel checkout, as we head to the historic Orval Abbaye for a tour. Founded in 1132, Orval Abbaye is a Cistercian monastery and is renowned for its stunning architecture and rich history. Lunch will be on your own at Orval L’ange gardien where we can have an Orval on draft and taste Orval cheese.

Following lunch, we will depart for Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy in Rochefort, belonging to the Cistercians of Strict Observance. Here we will look at the Abbaye and pick up our bikes.  We will bike through Rochefort Village and along the Ravel Road L150 to Houyet, an easy and scenic point-to-point trail (20km or 12 miles). Along the way, you will see the beautiful and varied landscape of the province of Namur, our most favorite way of seeing the area. After dropping off our bikes, we’ll continue our journey to Chimay, where we will take a short walk to the Abbey to see the church, gardens, and cemetery.

We will end the day with dinner at L’auberge du Poteaupré, Chimay’s official ‘Inn’, tasting room, and restaurant. Tonight we will sleep soundly in Chimay next to the Eau d’Heure Lake.

Tonight we will sleep soundly in Chimay next to the Eau d’Heure Lake.

Day 6: Binche & Mons

We’ll enjoy a lovely breakfast this morning before heading out for a walking tour of Binche. The quaint town of approximately 30,000 people is not the only treasure of the walk. We will end at Brasserie La Binchoise for a tour, tasting, and lunch. Located at the base of the city walls of Binche, Brasserie La Binchoise occupies a historic maltings building. Their brewery tour is a comprehensive introduction to the brewing process, covering everything from malt milling and mash production to boiling, hop addition, filtration, cooling, fermentation, cold storage, bottling, and re-fermentation in the bottle. An introduction for some and a crash course for others.

We will then depart for Boussu, with an optional stop at the ‘Boat Lift of Strépy-Thieu’ if time allows. We will end our day together by checking into our hotel but not before a tour and tasting at Brasserie Desevaux, a family brewery started in 2009. Brewed with just natural ingredients, we’ll taste their beautiful golden Sarazen, the Blanche de Boussu with a slightly tart flavor, and possibly their brown Sarazen, brewed from 3 kinds of grains: barley malt, buckwheat, and rye.

Tonight will be dinner on your own. Your guide, Yannick, will be happy to provide recommendations, such as Chez Henri, for local cuisine.

Day 7: Pajottenland & Brussels

On our final morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making our way back to Brussels. We’ll start with a drive to Sint-Pieters-Leeuw / Silly and stop for a tasting at either De Lambiek Fabriek or Brasserie de Silly.

Our tour will end when we drop you back in Brussels this afternoon. This isn’t goodbye, it’s see you next time. Cheers!

Belgium Beer Tour Highlights

• Het Anker – Mechelen
• Café Trappisten – Westmalle
• Het Nest – Turnhout
• Bardo Brasserie & Lounge Bar – Turnhout
• Averbode Abbaye – Averbode
• Enigma Brewery – Diest
• RDe Gebrande Winning – Sint-Truiden
• Brasserie d’Achouffe – Achouffe
• Bastogne War Museum – Bastogne
• Orval L’ange gardien – Orval
• Abbaye Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy – Rochefort
• L’auberge du Poteaupré – Chimay
• Brasserie La Binchoise – Binche
• Brasserie Desevaux – Boussu
• De Lambiek Fabriek – Sint-Pieters-Leeuw

*Please note updates to the outlined itinerary may occur due to changes in availability of breweries and to accommodate new opportunities that arise.

• Night 1: Het Anker, Mechelen – Our first hotel is Belgium’s first brewery hotel. You can have breakfast with a view of the awakening brewery. From the unique location in the heart of the Groot Begijnhof you can explore the city of Mechelen on foot.
• Night 2: Corsendonk Turnova is the luxurious 4-star hotel of Corsendonk Hotels located in the new Turnova district in Turnhout. Take your pick to relax in the lounge, bar or spa. 
• Night 3: Kasteel van Ordingen / De Beek ANNO 1410 (St-Truiden) This hotel is located in a 15th-century house in St Truiden, 100 meters from the Grote Markt.
• Night 4: Hotel Melba or Leo Station, Bastogne – For our fourth night, we will stay in the city’s heart. The exact hotel depends on the availability, but you really can’t go wrong in Bastogne!
• Night 5: Best Western Plus Golden Lakes, Chimay – Located in an exceptional and unique natural setting on the shores of Lake Plate Taille at the Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure, the Golden Lakes Hotel is a peaceful 4-star hotel. 
• Night 6: Van der Valk Congres / Lido Mons Centre, Mons – For our final night, you will stay at one of two places in Mons. Both are just as lovely and comfortable and located just a 10-minute walk from town. 

Please note: Hotels are subject to availability.  If listed hotel is not available at time of tour, a hotel that is equal or better to the original will be secured.