Meet Liege
A Unique Travel Guide
The Liège Guide
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Things to do in Liège
Hiking in Liège
Get out in nature
History & Culture
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Meet Liège
Why go to Liege?
Liege is an economic powerhouse of Wallonia and a cultural one too! Liege’s university and artsy city vibes give this province a busy but cultured atmosphere. The capital of Liege is known for its beautiful staircase Montagne de Bueren and the view from the top. There’s a ton of variety with things to go and interesting places to go all over the province. Go out into the fresh countryside for some of Belgium’s prettiest walks!
What you need to know about Liege
Culture experiences
Liege is known as the cultural capital of Wallonia for a reason. You’ll find most of the artsy vibes in the city. There are plenty of museums of all kinds from pretty fine art at Musée de la Boverie and the galleries to a history of local life. Head into the cities of Liege for a night at the theatre, to see dance performances and local festivals.
Industrial past
Liege was THE spot to be in the Industrial Revolution. This province has a history of hard work in its industry and is one of the few places left in the country with a steel industry. That’s why it’s called Liege! Back in the day, Liege was known as la cité ardente in French (English: "the fervent city"). This name also reminds people of its long history of struggle and rebellion. Liege has seen many battles and war!
So many walks
Liege might be known for its awesome city experiences, but there’s plenty of walks, hikes and cycling routes in nature we need to tell you about. The high Fens or “hoge venen/hautes fagnes” area is one of the most popular spots for hikers in the country. One of the top favourites in the province is the Ninglinspo Walk with paths from 7 km to 14.6km to suit every ability level. Ninglinspo is known for its beautiful views of the Ardennes. Take a break from Liege’s cities to its nature for stunning surprises of views, streams, and forests.
Learn from history
Liege’s past is one of the most interesting in Belgium. This province borders Germany, so it went through a lot in both world wars. This is where it all started! The Battle of Liège was the very first battle of WWI. 32,000 Belgian troops battled it out against 50,00+ German soldiers in a bloody struggle. Liege’s stubborn spirit won out and they were able to delay Germany by 18 days, an effort that was highly praised by the Allies across Europe. You’ll find lots of details in Liege’s museums, statues throughout the city, and the memorial site of Fort de Loncin.
Liege’s cities you need to know
Liege - the cultural heart of Wallonia and the capital of the province. Known for its unique staircase, artsy sights, and industrial past.
Jalhay - a must visit to experience Liege’s nature. Come see the beautiful Lake Gileppe and hike the valleys.
Malmedy - town known for its lively carnivals and tragic Malmedy Massacre in 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. It’s a great starting point for beautiful hikes in the High Fens area.
Aywaille - this town’s name literally means “area full of water” and it sure does live up to it!home to the beginning of the beautiful Ninglinspo Walk through the best of Liege’s nature, streams and more.
Amay - a cute smallish city known for the beautiful 16th century Jehay-Bodegnée Castle. Come see its Italian gardens in the charming Belgian province of Liege.
When to go
Liege is a lively province in every season. Come in May to September to experience the best of Liege’s weather. May typically has the best sunny days without much rain. June to August is when Liege is at its busiest.
Transport
Getting There
Liege is easily reached in a car, especially the capital city of the same name. Liege city is a great starting point for an exploration of the province as it’s actually at a crossroads of many motorways, including the E25 and the E40. Depending on which direction you’re coming from to Liege, it will be different on the signposts. In Flanders, Liege is labelled “Luik”, “Lüttich” in Germany, and “Liège-Centre” in Luxembourg.
When you’re coming to Belgium by plane, you’re most likely landing at Brussels airport. It’s pretty easy to get to Liege city from Brussels by catching the train; depending on when you land it could take one or two trains to get to Liege. Budget airlines such as Ryanair might drop you off at Maastricht-Aachen Airport which is a 30 minute drive from Liege.
Liege city’s train station is Liège-Guillemins. From Brussels airport, it’s only about an hour and 20 minutes to Liege on the train. You can get to Liege on the intercity trains at the major train stations across Belgium. Trains from Paris, Frankfurt and other big cities of Europe also drop you off at Liege. From there, you can get to the smaller cities of the province though be sure to check ahead of time as some cities are harder to reach via public transport.
Getting Around
Walking is a great way to get around Liege’s cities and towns where many things to do are within walking distance. Liege’s cities are generally pedestrian friendly, but may have some hilly areas not so wheelchair friendly. Outside the cities, walking is popular for hikes but might require a car or public transport to get to the starting point.
Getting around the province by car is one of the best options to get around, though you might need to check your map or ask a local for help occasionally. Getting around Liege city by car is doable, although different from other cities. The roads in Liege were built along the river and its branches, so roads don’t always make sense. Other than that, there are plenty of parking spaces in the city or for Park & Ride not too far out.
Buses in Liege are run by TEC. Not many buses run after midnight in Liege city, so you might have to get a taxi after a night out partying. There’s free maps and schedules available from the bus station, but you can also check online easily. Getting around Liege by bus is pretty easy and affordable. Some of the sights further out of the city usually have a bus or train stop nearby, but are generally harder to reach. Give yourself some extra time to spend if you plan to get around by public transport.
Liege city is decently cyclist friendly, but we recommend avoiding the major roads. Roads marked as “sauf/bike symbol” mean you can use a one-way street either way. Liege does have some higher climb areas which makes cycling outside the city centre less beginner-friendly. You can rent a bike from Pro Velo for 24 hours for 14€. Cycling is a fairly popular activity in the province, so you won’t have too much trouble getting around by bike.
Essentials
Essential info
Languages: Walloon French
Emergency numbers: Police urgent: (101), Fire, ambulance, police: 112
Tourism office
Visitez Liège
Website: http://www.visitezliege.be/
Address: Quai de la Goffe 13, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Telephone: +32 4 221 92 21
Email: [email protected]
Malmundarium & Malmedy Tourist Office
Website: www.malmedy-tourisme.be
Address: Malmundarium & Malmedy Tourist Office, Place du Châtelet 9, 4960 Malmedy
Telephone: 0032 (0)80 799 668
Email: [email protected]
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