Belgium

Belgium: the Ardennes and Ghent

A forest of hills and caves that was the site of Germany's last major 1944 offensive, then a Flemish city dominated by a feudal castle at its very centre

Belgium

Belgium: the Ardennes and Ghent

A journey far from Brussels and Bruges: the Belgian Ardennes, a hilly forested massif whose limestone caves and medieval castles conceal a darker history, that of the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-1945, Germany's last major offensive in the West, which cost tens of thousands of soldiers their lives in extreme winter conditions, then Ghent, a Flemish city dominated at the very heart of its historic centre by the Gravensteen, a 12th-century moated castle that remains one of Europe's rare examples of a feudal fortress embedded within a modern urban fabric.

When

May to Sept

Price

From 2 000€ excl. flights

(based on 2 people sharing)

How long

5 nights

Ideal length

The Ardennes, Forests and Memory

Days 1-2

The first chapter unfolds in the Belgian Ardennes, a hilly forested massif whose landscapes of densely wooded hills and limestone caves, such as those of Han-sur-Lesse or Remouchamps, contrast with the darker memory of the Battle of the Bulge in the winter of 1944-1945. This offensive, Germany's last attempt to break through Allied lines in the West, unfolded in extreme winter conditions that cost tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides their lives, an episode whose memory is kept alive today by several museums and memorials scattered across the region, notably in Bastogne.

Day 1

Exploring the caves of Han-sur-Lesse

An exploration of the limestone caves of Han-sur-Lesse, one of Belgium's most visited underground networks, carved by the Lesse River over millions of years.

Day 2

In the footsteps of the Battle of the Bulge

A visit to the memorials of Bastogne, dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge of the winter of 1944-1945, Germany's last major offensive in the West.

1 / 3

Ghent and Gravensteen Castle

Days 1-2

The road to Ghent, a Flemish city whose historic centre remains dominated by the Gravensteen, the 12th-century "Castle of the Counts" surrounded by a moat, which remains one of Europe's rare examples of a feudal fortress embedded directly within a modern urban fabric rather than relegated to the outskirts. Built in 1180 by Count Philip of Alsace after a crusading journey that inspired its defensive architecture, the castle successively served as a count's residence, a prison, a mint, and a textile factory before its 20th-century restoration, a history that testifies to the adaptability of Ghent's historic built fabric.

Day 1

Gravensteen Castle

A visit to the Gravensteen, a 12th-century moated castle that still dominates Ghent's historic centre today.