The Montagne de Bueren, 374 steps above Liège
30 minFit teenagers and adults; not suitable for pushchairsDog-friendlyAll year, free access
Staircase · 374 steps · 30 min · free · always open · view over the city and the Meuse
From BrusselsTrain · 1 h · car 1 h 15
Montagne de Bueren374 steps · free
La BatteSundays 8:00–14:30
MuseumsFree for under-26s
Best timeAll year, best on a Sunday
What to do
What to do in Liège
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
The La Batte market, on Sundays beside the Meuse
1 h 30All ages; with a pushchair, very crowded in mid-morningEvery Sunday of the year, from 8:00 to 14:30
Market · 1 h 30 · free · Sundays from 8:00 to 14:30 · the largest and oldest market in Belgium
The Coteaux de la Citadelle, the green lung above the old town
1 h 30Families and walkers; slopes and stepsDog-friendlyAll year; the Minimes terraces open from 9:00 to 17:00 in winter and until 18:00 from late March to late October
Walk · 1 h 30 · free · five signposted routes between terraces, ramparts and viewpoints
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Liège, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Liège
It can be visited all year; the best day is Sunday, for the La Batte market. In August, the 15 August festival fills the Outremeuse district, and in December the Christmas market is one of the largest in Belgium.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Liège your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Flight to Brussels or Charleroi and train to Liège
Liège has its own airport, but it is mainly for cargo; to arrive from Spain you fly to Brussels-Zaventem (BRU), with direct flights from Madrid, Barcelona and other cities, or to Charleroi (CRL), with low-cost airlines. From Zaventem, the train to Liège takes a little over an hour; from Charleroi, about an hour and a quarter by car.
- Getting thereBrussels-Zaventem (BRU): train to Liège-Guillemins…
- Getting aroundOn foot around the old…
- Where to sleepVan der Valk Sélys, in…
- ServicesLiège-Guillemins station
Getting there
- Brussels-Zaventem (BRU): train to Liège-Guillemins, with a change or direct, a little over an hour
- Charleroi (CRL): hire car, about an hour and a quarter by motorway
- Maastricht (MST) and Cologne (CGN), across the border, are also less than an hour away
Getting around
- On foot around the old town
- Tram and bus between Guillemins and the centre
Where to sleep
- Van der Valk Sélys, in the old town
- Youth Hostel, in Outremeuse
Services
- Liège-Guillemins station
Liège by train and on foot
Liège can be done without a car: the train reaches Guillemins in an hour from Brussels, and everything important, the old town, La Batte, the Montagne de Bueren and the museums, is on foot or one tram stop away. It is a city of slopes and steps: wear comfortable footwear.
70–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepYouth Hostel, with breakfast included
- Getting aroundTram or bus from Guillemins…
- Where to eatLe Bistrot d'en Face, also…
- ServicesGuillemins station
Where to sleep
- Youth Hostel, with breakfast included
- Van der Valk Sélys, with a spa
Getting around
- Tram or bus from Guillemins to the centre
- On foot: from La Batte to the Montagne de Bueren is ten minutes
Where to eat
- Le Bistrot d'en Face, also on Sunday at lunchtime
- Caudalie, for dinner Wednesday to Sunday
Services
- Guillemins station
- Tourist office
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Liège for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Liège with children
With children, Liège works best on a Sunday morning: the bustle of La Batte, a hot waffle and then the puppets at the Museum of Walloon Life. The Montagne de Bueren is a challenge for those who can walk.
- What works bestThe La Batte market, on…
- Where to sleepThe youth hostel, with family…
- Where to eatLe Bistrot d'en Face, with…
- Bear in mindLa Batte fills up in…
What works best
- The La Batte market, on Sundays
- The Museum of Walloon Life, with a puppet theatre, free under 3
- The Montagne de Bueren, 374 steps, for children who walk
- Guillemins station, which impresses at any age
- La Boverie, free for under-26s
Where to sleep
- The youth hostel, with family rooms and breakfast
Where to eat
- Le Bistrot d'en Face, with boulets and compote
Bear in mind
- La Batte fills up in mid-morning: with a pushchair, go early
- Many streets in the old town are slopes and steps
What to do as a family
The Montagne de Bueren, 374 steps above Liège
The La Batte market, on Sundays beside the Meuse
The Coteaux de la Citadelle, the green lung above the old town
Liège-Guillemins station, by Santiago Calatrava
La Boverie, the fine arts museum in the park
The Museum of Walloon Life and its puppet theatre
The Prince-Bishops' Palace and the Place Saint-Lambert
Liège with teenagers
Liège has something of a rebel city about it that teenagers like: impossible staircases, viewpoints, Calatrava architecture and museums free for under-26s.
- What works bestThe Montagne de Bueren and…
- Where to sleepThe youth hostel, in Outremeuse
- Where to eatA Liège waffle in the…
- Bear in mindThe Grand Curtius is closed…
What works best
- The Montagne de Bueren and the Coteaux, with views
- Guillemins station
- The Grand Curtius and La Boverie, free up to age 26
Where to sleep
- The youth hostel, in Outremeuse
Where to eat
- A Liège waffle in the street and boulets at Le Bistrot d'en Face
Bear in mind
- The Grand Curtius is closed on Tuesdays and La Boverie on Mondays
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Van der Valk Hotel Liège Sélys
Why we like it: Four-star hotel on the Mont Saint-Martin, in the old town, with 127 rooms, a spa with a pool and two restaurants.
Liège Youth Hostel
Why we like it: Hostel in the former Récollets convent, in Outremeuse, ten minutes from the Place du Marché, with breakfast included and private rooms.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Liège
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Le Bistrot d'en Face
What to order: the boulets à la liégeoise in a black casserole with home-made compote, or the €38 Bib Gourmand lunchtime menu
Open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday evening · closed Monday and Tuesday
Caudalie
What to order: the tasting menu with wine pairing
Open Wednesday to Sunday evenings and Friday lunchtime · dogs not allowed
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Liège
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
50.49° N · 5.87° E
Spa
By carBy plane
50.35° N · 5.46° E
Durbuy and La Roche-en-Ardenne
By carBy plane
50.46° N · 4.87° E
Namur
By planeCar-freeBy car
50.26° N · 4.91° E
Dinant
By planeCar-freeBy car
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go on a Sunday
It is the day of La Batte and of the free collections on the first of each month.
- 2Comfortable footwear
Liège is slopes and steps: Bueren, the Coteaux and the alleys.
- 3Buy syrup
Liège syrup, made from pear and apple, travels well in a suitcase.
Monday and Tuesday
La Boverie, the Museum of Walloon Life and Le Bistrot d'en Face (Monday), and the Grand Curtius (Tuesday) are closed.
Liège is the great city of eastern Belgium, French-speaking, working-class and proud, the one Belgians call the Cité ardente. For eight centuries it was the capital of a principality ruled by bishops, then the heart of Walloon coal and steel, and today it is a city of slopes, steps and quays on the Meuse, with an old town full of alleyways, a Calatrava station and one of the most recognisable cuisines in the country: boulets, waffles and syrup. It is an hour from Brussels and the perfect Sunday day trip.
How do you get there from Brussels?
By train, about an hour on an intercity to Liège-Guillemins, Santiago Calatrava's station, about 2 km from the old town. To get to the centre, continue by tram or bus, or on foot along the quays.
By car, about an hour and a quarter, some 100 km on the E40. The old town has narrow streets: if you are staying overnight, choose a hotel with parking.
What to see in a day?
If you can, go on a Sunday. In the morning, the La Batte market, the largest and oldest in Belgium, fills the Meuse quays from 8:00 to 14:30. From there you climb to the old town: the Prince-Bishops' Palace on the Place Saint-Lambert, the alleys of Hors-Château and the Montagne de Bueren, 374 straight steps up to a viewpoint above the rooftops. At the top are the Coteaux de la Citadelle, vegetable gardens and terraces with the best views of the city.
Have lunch at Le Bistrot d'en Face, behind La Batte, with a Bib Gourmand: boulets à la liégeoise for €19.50. In the afternoon, a museum: the Museum of Walloon Life, with its puppet theatre; the Grand Curtius, with weapons and Mosan art, or La Boverie, the fine arts museum in a park by the river. La Boverie and the Grand Curtius are free for under-26s, and on the first Sunday of the month the permanent collection of La Boverie and the Museum of Walloon Life is free for everyone. Return via Guillemins station: it is worth a few minutes even if you are not catching a train.
What do you eat in Liège?
Boulets à la liégeoise are large pork and beef meatballs in a sweet-and-sour sauce made with Liège syrup, served with chips and apple compote. The Liège waffle is made with yeast dough and pearl sugar, and is eaten hot in the street. The syrup, a pear and apple molasses, can be bought in any shop to take home.
Where to eat and sleep?
For a Sunday, Le Bistrot d'en Face is open at lunchtime and in the evening. For a special dinner, Caudalie, in the Michelin selection, Wednesday to Sunday. To sleep, the Van der Valk Sélys, a four-star with a pool in the old town, or the youth hostel, in a former convent in Outremeuse, with breakfast included.
Liège and the rest of the trip
Liège is at the end of the Meuse valley that begins at Dinant and passes through Namur, 40 minutes away by train. To the south, by car, the Caves of Han are 75 km away. From Brussels, Liège is a long day, and it is worth staying overnight if you go in December, for the Christmas market, or in August, for the 15 August festival in Outremeuse.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Brussels to Liège?
About an hour by train and an hour and a quarter by car.
What day is the La Batte market?
Every Sunday, from 8:00 to 14:30.
How many steps does the Montagne de Bueren have?
374.
What should you eat in Liège?
Boulets à la liégeoise with chips and a Liège waffle.
Are the museums in Liège free?
La Boverie and the Grand Curtius are free for under-26s; La Boverie and the Museum of Walloon Life are free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.