# Leuven from Brussels: town hall, library tower, beguinage and Oude Markt

The Gothic town hall, the University Library tower, lunch at the Domus brewery, the Grand Beguinage and the Oude Markt. By train, about 25 minutes from Brussels.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/belgium/leuven/itineraries/half-a-day-in-leuven-from-brussels · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 10:00 · Salida: 30 min by train (from Bruxelles-Central or Nord)
- 10:45 · The Grote Markt and the Gothic town hall (the façade of the 236 statues)
  - 8 min on foot
- 11:30 · The University Library and its tower (tower €10 · free under 12)
  - 8 min on foot
- 13:00 · Domus (house beer · closed Mondays) · Domus, €€
  - 12 min on foot
- 14:45 · The Great Beguinage (Groot Begijnhof) (along the Naamsestraat · free)
  - 12 min on foot
- 16:15 · The Oude Markt, Europe's longest bar (a beer on a terrace)
- 17:30 · Vuelta: 30 min by train (fifteen minutes' walk to the station)

Leuven is the shortest trip from Brussels, and the calmest: a university city dating from 1425 that you can cover entirely on foot from the station. This plan sets out mid-morning, climbs the library tower, has lunch in a brewery-restaurant with its own beers and goes down to the Grand Beguinage before a beer on the Oude Markt.

## The day, hour by hour

10:00 · Train to Leuven. About 25 minutes. From the station, the Bondgenotenlaan leads straight to the Grote Markt.

10:45 · The Grote Markt. The Gothic town hall, closed inside until 2029, and St Peter's Church.

11:30 · The library tower. On the Ladeuze square: the story of the two fires and the view of the city, €10.

13:00 · Lunch at Domus. Flemish cooking with beers that arrive through a pipe from the brewhouse opposite.

14:45 · The Grand Beguinage. A red-brick district crossed by the Dijle, free.

16:15 · The Oude Markt. The square of terraces, with the students.

17:30 · Return. In Brussels before half past six.

## Cómo llegar

### Without a car
Train from Brussels or from the airport, and everything on foot.

### By car
About 25 km along the E40, but you can't cross the centre by car: park outside.

## Consejos

### The last day of the trip
With your suitcase in left luggage, Leuven is fifteen minutes from the airport.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does the trip to Leuven cost?
Between €40 and €65 per person with train, tower and lunch.

### Is there time in half a day?
Yes, for the square, the tower and the beguinage.