5 Secret and Unique Places in Belgium

The unmissable hidden gems in Belgium

If you like to travel off the beaten path, be prepared to discover some pretty unique hidden gems in Belgium.
Belgium is one of the most underrated European destinations, but trust me, the country has some fascinating destinations that will completely blow your mind. And no, they are not in Bruges, Antwerp or Brussels!
One of the reasons why we love vanlife is because it allows us to discover remote places that we wouldn’t otherwise see. And Belgium is full of these incredible spots.
Here’s where you can find them!

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1) Villers Abbey

Villers la ville abbey, Belgium

Villers Abbey is one of the places I loved the most of the trip, so it had to be first in the chart!

This marvellous abbey is located in the small town of Villers-la-Ville, not too far from Brussels. Founded in the 12th century, it was home to the monks of the Cistercian Order. Its 900 years of history can be perceived while walking through the majestic ruins.

The abbey is immense, and its really worth to explore it all. I highly suggest you take your time to walk in the incredible gardens, as they are truly magnificent. If you feel brave enough, you can also adventure yourself in the dark cunicles of the abbey for a more exciting experience. We loved it so much that it took us about 5 hours to explore it all!

The abbey really is a hidden gem worth a visit. Talking to some locals, I found out that most of them didn’t even know about its existence! It’s just incredible how, sometimes, we completely ignore such beautiful things, even though they are right next to us!

Prices vary between 4 and 9.

2) Zimmer Tower

Zimmer Tower, Lier hidden gems

While roaming around Belgium, we found ourselves in Lier and decided to spend a night at the free camping site offered by the city. This place by far exceeded our expectations! 

Located in the province of Antwerp, the historical town is full of hidden gems and (uncommon opinion) one of the most beautiful towns in Belgium.

Lier looks like a miniature Flemish town with its colourful buildings and great restaurants, beautiful parks and bridges. It is really worth a visit!

But the most beautiful attraction in town definitely is the Zimmer Tower. The marvellous tower has an impressive mechanical clockwork built buy the autodidact clockmaker Louis Zimmer about 100 years ago. At 12:00, the astronomical clock’s doors open to show a number of paintings of famous people in their day.

Admire this incredible tower while sipping a beer in one of the many pubs in the square, and take a step back in time!

3) Dinant

Dinant, Belgium hidden gems

The charming town of Dinant deserved a place between the most beautiful hidden gems in Belgium. Once again, we found ourselves here by chance as we drove around the country. But the views were so beautiful that we had to stop for a while!

The village is very compact, and can be visited in about 4 hours.

The impressive Cathedral, “Collegiale Notre Dame de Dinant“, overlooks the river Meuse and it’s worth a visit from the inside. This beautiful church was built in the 13th century, in place of an old church which dated back to the 10th century.

But that’s not all the town has to offer: besides the colourful houses and the picturesque panoramic views, the town is also the birth place of Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone. Many saxophones are displayed on the bridge in front of the Cathedral, each dedicated to a different European country.

The bridge is also the perfect point to take amazing pictures!

4) Borrekens Castle

Borrekens Castle, Belgium hidden gems

Borrekens Castle (also known as the castle of Vorselaar) offers what must be one of the most peaceful sceneries of the country.

The castle is really magnificent, surrounded by a lake with swans, with nature all around it.

Unfotunately, the it is in private hands and cannot be visited from the inside. However, it’s located in a beautiful park (with free entrance), the perfect place to take a relaxing walk and stop to the various viewpoints to admire the castle’s beauty.

In my opinion, the most beautiful spot is right at the back of the castle, where you will find an opening among the trees: a great viewpoint to sit and enjoy the surroundings!

5) The Wizard’s Cabin

I have decided to include this in our list, even though we were unable to find this place. The Wizard’s cabin is probably one of the most off the beaten path places in Belgium.

Our discovery of it came about while asking around about some hidden gems in the country.

The cabin has a fascinating story: it’s believed that an American traveller loved the place so much to buy it and return to it whenever he wanted to; but he never returned, and noone knows what happened to him!

However, its location has been kept a secret to preserve the cabin’s uniqueness, and we could not convince them to reveal it. The only thing we knew was that it was close to Namur, and we would have to walk through a forest to find it. So, we adventured ourselves in the forest, walked and wolked for about 3 hours, almost got lost and, when the dark started to kick in, we had to admit defeat and go back to the van.

I am sure we will visit Belgium again and find this incredible cabin.

Let me know if you ever find it!

Have more questions? Contact us at contact@kikkasvoyage.com, or drop us a message on Instagram!

Kikka

Kikka

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Kikka is the founder and owner of Kikka's Voyage. She is passionate about travelling, photography, and all artistic things; she has travelled through Europe for a two years in her self-converted van, with her partner Kris and her dog Sangria. She is now planning her next trip, while helping other creators to grow their business and earn their freedom.
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