Meet Limburg
A Unique Travel Guide
Meet Limburg, Flander’s eastern most province, bordered by the Netherlands to the east and Wallonia to the south. This small part of Belgium is off the tourist track with plenty of hidden gems to discover. Wandering around the charming towns, you’ll discover why Limburg is Flander’s friendliest province and also the greenest. With Flanders’ only national park, Hoge Kempen, Limburg is the perfect place to get outside and enjoy the great Belgian outdoors. There is Flemish culture aplenty and Belgian history from the Roman’s to WWII.
Our top picks
Things to do in Limburg
10 top trails in Limburg
Lace up your hiking boots
Explore the Limburg countryside
And do it in style!
Flemish & mining culture
Walk in the footsteps of Flemish history
Discover nearby provinces
To further explore
Meet Limburg
Limburg's 5 regions
Hasselt is Limburg’s capital where you’ve got the museums, shops, cafés and restaurants, but an escape to the green city outskirts is never far away.
Maasland in east Limburg is Flander’s favourite cycling destination: it's flat, green and there are plenty of places to take a break along the banks of Meuse river.
Haspengouw is the scenic region in south Limburg, known for its rolling landscape, orchards and rich history.
The Limburg Kempen makes up Limburg’s north, the region is great for getting a dose of nature, enjoying outdoor activities and is the heart of the province’s mining heritage.
Voer is a small, peaceful, picturesque region south of Limburg, that is great for hiking and relaxation.
What you need to know about Limburg
Get Outdoors
Limburg is all about nature and the outdoors. Visiting in the Summer means you can make the most to make the most of all the outdoor activities the province has to offer. There is Hoge Kempen National Park, countless nature reserves, fields and forests to be explored by foot. Cyclists will find endless, easy-going routes and enthusiasts can find more of a challenge in Haspengouw’s hilly countryside. But if off-road is more your style, you can also find mountain biking tracks. Looking for watersports? Try out water skiing or wakeboarding at Connecterra or go kayaking on the river Maas.
Flanders’ Industrial Heritage
Limburg is the gem of Flanders’ industrial heritage - old mines in Beringen and Genk have been protected as important heritage spots. The 7 retired mining sites in Limburg, set up at the beginning of the 20th century, have now been reinvigorated and repurposed for all sorts. They’ve become culture centres and museums turned into beautiful parks and places for outdoor activity. Plenty of things to do in Limburg will have something to do with the province’s mining history, so be on the lookout.
Blossoms and Wine: Haspengouw
Haspengouw’s transforms in April, as the white and pink flowering fruit trees speckle the green landscape. The province celebrates the season and ‘Blosemebars’ pop up around the region for visitors to enjoy a drink or a bite to eat on the outdoor terraces. Fall in Haspengouw is the fruit picking season which means farmers open their doors to the public and you can spend a morning or afternoon picking apples. Let’s not forget that Haspengouw is the ‘Tuscany of Flanders’ - the region that has the most wine estates in Limburg. It even has a wine castle, fancy eh?
Belgium’s Oldest Town
Tongeren is Belgium's oldest town and it's right here in Limburg. It used to be the capital of a huge Roman province and it’s also where you’ll find the statue of a Belgian tribe leader who fought against Julius Caesar. In and around the city you’ll find the remnants of Belgium's Roman past - definitely one for history buffs! Don’t forget Voer!
Separated from the rest of the Limburg by Wallonia, it's easy to forget that Voer is actually part of Flanders. This tiny region has Ardennes vibes and is made up of six charming church villages. There are beautiful walks, forests, vineyards and castles. It’s the perfect tranquil escape, made for the slow traveller.
When to go
Limburg is a good place to go all year round. There’s plenty to do in the colder, wetter months and a well-known Christmas village pops up for six weeks in the Winter. Spring sees the Japanese Garden hosts a cherry blossom festival. Limburg comes into its own in the warmer months when it's stunning green landscapes come to life.
Transport
Getting There
Limburg is pretty central so you’ve got a choice of airports.
Fly into: Brussels, Brussels South Charleroi Airport, Düsseldorf, Eindhoven, Liège or Maastricht Aachen. From these airports you’ll be looking at a 1-2 hour trip to Limburg.
From Bruxelles-Midi station trains run regularly to Hasselt, taking around 1 hour. From Antwerp Central Station, regular trains run to Hasselt and take about 1 ½ hours. You can easily reach Limburg by train from major surrounding European cities.
Europe has a good coach network but the closest big coach station to Limburg is in Maastricht, just across the Dutch border. From Maastricht you can get a cheap bus direct to Hasselt that takes just over an hour.
Already in Belgium? You can’t get a bus directly from Brussels, Antwerp or Liège to Hasselt. A connecting bus journey to Limburg from these cities will take around 2 hours and will be cheaper than getting the train.
Getting Around
With a car in Limburg you’ll rarely be over an hour’s drive from anywhere, Lommel in the north is just over 1 hour from Tongeren, near the Wallonian border in the south. So, driving is a convenient and quick way to get around.
Lots of places in Limburg have free parking nearby or on site, if you’re parking in cities and towns you may have to pay for the most convenient parking locations.
Belgium has an extensive public transport network and Limburg is no exception. The province is small, so train journeys are quick. But, because there aren’t many large towns and cities in the province some of the places you want to get to will be more easily accessed by bus, or you’ll be looking at having to get a train and a bus to reach your final destination.
Essentials
Transport Tips
In Limburg the bus and tram network are run by De Lijn transport. If you can, buy your tickets in advance from a train station, grocery store, kiosk etc, when you purchase them on-board it gets more expensive. Better yet, buy your bus or tram tickets via the De Lijn app (available on iOS or Android) - they’re the cheapest.
- Mobile Single Ticket Purchase: 2€
- Mobile Day Pass: 7.50€
- Mobile Lijn Card: 16€ (10 single journeys)
Tickets should be activated before boarding a bus or tram. With single tickets you can travel on all De Lijn transport for 1 hour, starting from when you activate the ticket. Day passes have a 24 hour window.
(NB: Tickets are valid on all De Lijn transport busses and trams except on Limburg express lines.)
Download the De Lijn app! It's super useful and has all the information you need to navigate Limburg’s bus and tram network with ease. It’s available in Dutch, French and English.
Under 26 train travel: Get a youth ticket or a Youth Multi ticket, if travelling with friends, for some big savings.
Family train travel: If you're travelling with more than 3 kids, save money and get a Large Family ticket.
Essential info
Languages: Flemish (Dutch)
Emergency numbers: Police (urgent): 101, Fire, ambulance, police: 112
Read more
Share this find!
