Liege travel guide
Liege is a Belgian city in the eastern provinces of Belgium, including Brussels, it can be reached in less than an hour by train or car.
It is therefore well suited as a starting point for a journey through Belgium, or as a base for day trips to the cities in the eastern half of Belgium, the High Fens and the West Eifel and parts of the Ardennes.
The cityscape is shaped by the Meuse river, which crosses Liege over a length of 12 km. The big concrete buildings on the banks of the Meuse, the vertically fortified banks of the Meuse, and unkempt areas also make the city less attractive for tourists.
What to see
Prince-Bishop’s Palace in Liege. The building was built in 1526 in the Gothic and Renaissance style. The left inner courtyard is open to the public and a visit is recommended
Stairway on the Montagne de Bueren
The uncompromisingly built 373 steps up the mountain impress every visitor and become a sporting challenge. At the top you are rewarded with a good view of the city.
On some days the stairs are decorated with numerous flowers or candlelights. Tip for tourists who would like to have a panoramic view of the city and the Meuse valley. You can go for a walk on a mountain above the city and in good weather you can get a view of the region in some places. It is possible to arrive by car, there are enough parking spaces
Church of St. Bartholomew in Liege
It was built at the end of the 11th century. Elaborately and beautifully renovated! Here you can admire the masterpiece of medieval goldsmithing: a brass baptismal font that was transferred here from the cathedral’s baptistery as part of the events surrounding the French Revolution.
St. Jakob Church
The Church of St. Jacob is a late Gothic church with a richly decorated interior; the magnificent star vault has more than 150 keystones. The stained glass and the organ in the Renaissance case are particularly worth seeing
St. Denis Church
The Church of St. Denis is a Roman Catholic church in Liege in Belgium. The church was founded in 987 by the Prince-Bishop of Liege Notger
St. Martin’s Basilica
The Basilica of St. Martin is a Roman Catholic church. It received because of its importance as a pilgrimage church to the Blessed Sacrament through the letter of Pope Leo XIII. May 9, 1886 the rank of a minor basilica, since 1936 it has been protected as an architectural monument
Pont de Fragnee: The 175 long bridge was built in 1901-1904. It was created on the occasion of the World Exhibition in 1905. The Paris Alexander III bridge served as a model for the bridge. [1] edit info
St. Paul’s Cathedral: A uniformly high Gothic-looking cathedral, partly neo-Gothic. Important stained glass
Municipal Opera: A neat building with a striking white facade
Museums
Museum of Ansembourg
Very worth seeing with opulent original interior design!
Musee des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Liege (Museum of Arts )
The original museum, which was housed downtown in a terrifying concrete block, has now been relocated to Boverie Park.
Curtius Palace museum
An impressive 8-storey building from the beginning of the 17th century, which served as a warehouse for a wealthy arms dealer, today forms a very interesting museum of art with a historical collection.
Grétry Museum
Museum of Composers Gretry
Musee de Tchantchès
The museum is dedicated to the most important character of the local puppet theater, Tchantchès.
Museum of Arts
The original museum, which was housed downtown in a terrifying concrete block, has now been relocated to Boverie Park.
Getting around Liege
By bus and train
Liege-Guillemins isthe main train station and transport hub. The new train station is a bit away from the city center. Liege has a S-Bahn network with four lines that connects the city with the surrounding area. Otherwise, the public transport takes place exclusively by means of buses.In addition, a city tour is offered in Liége – the central stop is the place of the French Republic, near the palace.
On foot
To explore the city, the on foot is the best choice, in order to easily reach all destinations in the inner city area. The large squares of the city, with shopping and dining options, as well as many churches and other sights, such as the palace or the Staircase, can be reached within 20 to 30 minutes. However, it should be noted that many sections of the road are not in good condition and there is a lot of cobblestone or similar, which is why a tour on foot could be a bit difficult depending on your physical condition.
By car
Exploring the city with your own car is difficult, especially in the inner city area, as not all areas can be reached and the parking situation is tense. Due to the narrow construction (both buildings and streets), non-residents are advised to park their car in a multi-storey car park and not on public land. In addition, a GPS is strongly recommended in order not to lose track in the dense traffic and road network.
By bicycle
Cycling is not widespread in Liege. Pure bike paths are rarely available. Nevertheless, the current trend is being taken more and more into account. Some footpaths are also marked as cycle paths, in one-way streets cyclists are often allowed to drive in both directions, and driving on footpaths seems to be tolerated.
Getting there
By train
The Liège main station can be reached with Eurostar fom London (change train in Brussels) directly by Thalys from the Grerman towns of Aachen and Cologne and also from Paris. It is connected with Brussels .In addition, there are IC and IR connections with Luxembourg, Lille and Maastricht as well as with all larger cities in Belgium.
By plane
Liège / Bierset Airport is one of the most important European cargo airports. It also offers charter flights to popular holiday destinations.
Brussels-Zaventem Airport is only 1¼ hours away by train,note that you have to change trains in Brussels Midi.
By boat
From the UK the best way is to get the ferry from Dover to Calais (1hr.30mns) and drive to Belgium. Liège has also an important inland port and can be reached by sea. Numerous shipyards offer services for ships of all kinds.