Liege (Belgium) – the largest city of the province of the same name, located on the banks of the river Meuse. One of the industrial centers of the country, it is not considered a popular destination for tourists, but this does not affect its beauty and non-standard atmosphere.
In Liege, history and modernity are combined, and ancient cathedrals are often located near modern cultural centers. Its population is small – about 200 thousand people, so there are rarely traffic jams or huge lines in supermarkets.
The sights of Liège can be visited in a few days. Before you know where to go and what to see first of all, you need to figure out how to get into the city itself.
How to get to Liège
The province has an international airport that accepts flights from most countries of Europe, America and Asia, but, unfortunately, there is no regular air service to the CIS countries in Liège, so it is most convenient to fly to Brussels from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
To get from the airport to the city center (10 km), you can use public transport (in Liège it is only buses):
- No. 53. Sent once every 20-30 minutes;
- No. 57. It goes every two hours from 7 am to 5 pm daily.
The journey by car along the E42 highway takes about 15 minutes, and the approximate cost of a taxi on this route is 25 euros.
To get to Liège by train or bus is possible only from nearby countries, so most often tourists come here from the capital of Belgium.
Railway communication between the cities is represented by many trains running every 30-60 minutes from Brussel Central station to Liège Guillemins. You can buy tickets both in the station building (at the terminal or at the ticket office), or online on the official website of the Belgian Railway (www.belgianrail.be). The cost of a one-way ticket is about 16 €. For students, young people under 26 years old, children and pensioners discounts are provided.
Note! Traveling around the cities of Belgium is most beneficial on weekends when the discount system is in place. So, the price of tickets for the Brussels-Liege train from 19:00 Friday to 19:00 Sunday is only 8-9 €.
An Ouibus bus runs daily between cities, with a ticket price ranging from 4 to 6 €. There are discounts for schoolchildren, students and senior citizens.
It is most convenient to get to Liège by car, but the average rental price is 80 € / day. The shortest road is via route E40, but you can also go along the E411 highway, turning onto E42. The cost of a taxi in Liège is at the same level as in most European countries – from 2 euros per km and from 5 € – for landing.
Weather features
Liege is a city with a temperate warm climate. The most suitable months to relax here are June-August, when the air warms up to 22 ° C. The city gets colder in January and February, but the temperature almost never drops below -2 degrees Celsius.
Precipitation often occurs in Liège, in spring and late fall it is a shallow but lingering rain, and in winter it is soft snow. Most precipitation falls in the fall, as well as in June, July and December.
When to go to Liege? Prices
Among tourists, it is widely believed that there are few interesting sights in the city, so there is no influx of curious travelers throughout the whole year. Vacation prices are always kept at about the same level, but in the summer and on Christmas holidays they can rise by 5-15%.
The minimum price for accommodation in Liege is 25 € / day (with breakfast) per person in the only hostel in the city – Liège Youth Hostel. Those wishing to stay in a three-star hotel will have to pay from 70 € per room, and the most expensive five-star hotels located in the city center will cost about 170-250 € / day.
In Liege, as in other cities in Belgium, the most popular products are waffles, chocolate and cheeses. Be sure to try the following traditional desserts:
- Bouquetes – fritters with cocoa, fruit or raisins;
- Lacquemants – waffles with chocolate and caramel.
Prices for lunch in cafes and restaurants in Liège start at 15 euros for a three-course business lunch. According to tourists, the rating of the best institutions looks like this:
- Restaurant Saveurs de Bulgaria. Eastern European cuisine.
- Le Zocco Chico. Spanish
- La Maison Leblanc and La Roussette de Savoie. French
- The Huggy’s Bar. American
There are many pedestrian roads and few public transport in Liège, so the most convenient means of transportation are walking and cycling (rental services are available in all quarters, the price per day is about 14 €). The cost of a single ride on buses plying within the city – from 2 €.
Landmarks of Liège (Belgium)
Active (and not so) travelers first of all go to this unusual place, located not far from the city hospital. The 374-step staircase, planted with plants, is not only a great simulator for your legs, but also a really beautiful attraction.
Tourists who have mastered such a climb become the owners of the most beautiful photos of Liège, because it is from this point that a panoramic view of the whole city from the observation deck Coteaux de la Citadelle opens. At the foot are small shops with inexpensive souvenirs.
Liege Central Station is a true architectural masterpiece. This is a business card of the city, a photo against which – must have everyone who has been here. Innovative technologies and the brilliant idea of the author Santiago Calatrava made it possible to create a “soaring” building without walls and ceilings, with open platforms and natural light during daylight hours.
If you also want to enjoy the beauty and aesthetics of this attraction, pay attention to the weather conditions – a large number of people will not be able to hide here from rain or snow.
The station building also has many cafes and souvenir shops.
This cathedral is considered the most beautiful in the whole city. It is located in the central area of Liège and is a historical monument of the 15th century. All tourists can enter the church for free at any time of the day, except Sunday, when people come to dinner prayer. Do not forget to take the opportunity to take a photo inside and capture unusual sculptures and ancient stained-glass windows.
Sculpture of Lucifer. Liege is popular not only with its beautiful buildings, but also with unusual sculptures. One of these depicts a fallen angel and is located in the main city cathedral. The artist Guillaume Gifs spent more than 10 years to turn ordinary marble into this work of art, for which he is thanked today by the inhabitants of the city.
The Museum of Belgian and Foreign Painting and Photography is the main art center of Liege. Here you can not only see the works of masters of the Middle Ages, but also visit the exhibitions of contemporary artists. Around the building with galleries there is a small green park with benches and fountains. This pleasant place for a relaxing holiday with the whole family can be found at Parc de la Boverie 3.
The market square of Liège, a wide boulevard with many cafes and restaurants – a place where you can feel like an ordinary Belgian. Local residents and tourists who come to see the Perron fountain, a symbol of the independence of Liège, and take pictures against the backdrop of the city hall, are constantly resting here.
If you want to try delicious Belgian waffles or enjoy other desserts, be sure to check out one of the many pastry shops located on the square.
Everyone who gets to Liege should visit St. Jacob’s Church – one of the few architectural monuments that combine all the cultural styles. Built in the 11th century, it still retains its beauty and is a repository of famous works of religious art.
To get to the cathedral, take the city bus number 17.
Important! For tourists, the church is open daily from 10 am to noon.
Liège Angels Bridge, built at the beginning of the 20th century, is located at the confluence of two rivers. On both sides it is decorated with unusual golden figures, and with the onset of the evening, the landmark begins to play with all the colors of the rainbow.
Souvenirs
Delicious delicacies such as wine, chocolate or cheese are most often brought from Belgium. But the list of interesting gifts that can be brought from Belgium is not limited to this:
- Buy small copies of the sights of Liege – figurines, charms or magnets.
- In Belgium, a large selection of products from porcelain or ceramics of high quality.
- Beer and tinctures are an excellent substitute for standard wine.
Liege (Belgium) is a city worthy of your attention. Have a good rest!
