Hey guys! Now I’m more than halfway into the semester! Time has flown by and I can’t believe I only have 7ish weeks left in Belgium. From my study abroad experience here so far, I’ve created a list of 7 things you must do if you study in or travel to Leuven, Belgium:
1. Go to Oude Markt.
Oude Markt.
Oude Markt, or Old Market, is the place to go to for a night out. With dozens of bars lining a main pathway on two sides, Oude Markt is the go to place for anyone looking to go dancing or catch some drinks with friends. Oude Markt is also just beautiful, both during the day and at night. The architecture is beautiful and it’s just a few steps away from the Old City Hall. During the day, the bars act as a place to grab a yummy lunch. At night it transforms into a lively place where thousands of people are strolling around dancing and socializing. It’s a MUST GO when visiting or studying at Leuven. Funny enough, at the end of Oude Markt there is a secondary school, so at 2 pm you’ll see hundreds of students pour out of the gates on their bikes riding through Oude Markt.
2. Go to Grote Markt.
Grote Markt, or Large Market, is a large plaza in front of the Old City Hall and stretches into a shopping center in central Leuven. Grote Markt has a large outdoor market every Saturday morning where you can buy fresh cheese, fruit, and other foods. You can also shop for some antiques at the Saturday market and other little knick-knacks at the surrounding stores. There are also a handful of food places you can grab a bite to eat at- either a quick on-the-go meal or a nice sit down meal. Also, the Old City Hall is also here. You can behold the beautiful building where thousands of hand-carved figures detail the structure. It’s always bustling in this area due to the fact that the market center leads into several main streets.
3. Visit the Stella Artois Brewery.
At the Stella Artois tour with our vests.
Leuven is home to the original Stella Artois Brewery. You can take a tour through the brewery for as cheap as 7-8 euros and see the process of how the city’s famous beer is made. You also get a few goodies on the way out! It’s fun and you get to wear a neon orange vest when making your way throughout the factory. The people there are kind and are passionate about brewing quality beer and its really fun to see how much the beer means to them as a community.
4. Visit Museum M.
Museum M is a newer art museum that opened in 2009, but it is very popular and such a fun place to visit! Museum M is also where I do half of my internship but I’ll talk more about that in my next post! The people who work at the museum have worked very hard to make the museum a true community space where everyone is welcome. Even though most of the programming is in Dutch, they believe that art and creativity is a universal language that can be understood by all. If you have a Culture Card, which is usually connected to your student ID card, you can gain entry for only 3 euros! And if you buy a student member card for only 10 euros, you can get in as many times as you want for a year!
5. Visit OTHER Cities in Belgium.
Me and the girls in Gent, a BEAUTIFUL city an hour and a half train ride away from Leuven.
Though Leuven is bustling with a lot to do, it’s also important to explore Belgium’s other cities. Brussels is only a 20 minute train ride away, and other popular cities like Ghent or Bruges is only an hour and half to two hours away by train. It’s definitely worth it to make day trips out there and see the beautiful cities Belgium has to offer. On the weekdays round-trip tickets are usually about 12 euros but on the weekends it’s significantly cheaper. Or you can buy a Go Pass for 50 euros and get 5 round trip tickets! It’s totally worth it! Those pictures you look up on Google about Belgium really do not do any justice to the reality. Every time I visit a new city, I just stand there in awe of the beauty of it all and feel so grateful and lucky to be able to study abroad.
6. EAT EAT EAT!
Fries with Andalouse sauce!
You’re in Belgium so eating some frites, waffles, and mussels is a must! But also eat the Speculoos gelato you can find at the numerous gelato shops around Leuven. You won’t be disappointed! Eat at Domus, which is a restaurant on Tiensestraat, right by the Grote Markt, which boasts authentic Belgian food. Taste the authentic Belgian beers with your meal and really indulge yourself in the food culture of Leuven. The food culture also involves stopping by Panos and getting a large sandwich on a baguette to go, or getting waffles slathered with chocolate sauce in between classes! Enjoy it!
Fun fact: a lot of Europeans call cream cheese “Philadelphia.”
Eating some yummy gelato at Ostende, a coastal city in Belgium.
7. Indulge in the Culture of Others
Leuven is a huge international hub where students from all over the world come to study at KU (Katholieke Universiteit). Take advantage of that. Not only immerse yourself in Belgian culture, but also the culture of the other international students you will live with in dorms or have classes with. I’ve not only learned about the Belgian culture but I’ve also learned about Spanish, British, and German cultures because of my hall mates. It has been a really transformative experience and one I am so grateful for. Make sure to not stay in only your circles. Reach out and go to the events that KU provides and really try to meet new people. With them, you’ll learn and experience new things that you’ll never forget.
I hope this hopes anyone planning to study abroad in Leuven! I’ll check back in a few weeks to talk about my internship! Tot Ziens!!
