March 2020. The world learns the words coronavirus and COVID-19. Lockdowns, travel restrictions, restrictions of other kinds, social distancing and other new dynamics which have become more or less natural since. No foreign travel meant staying in Belgium. So in 2020 and 2021 we did quite a few domestic excursions to still our hunger for travel and adventure.

Coronavirus countermeasures changed a lot these past 22 or so months. Countries had different policies regarding foreign travel, but the Netherlands have been fairly accessible. So we’re including Dutch excursions in this overview as well. 

COVID restrictions did push us to be creative. We discovered or rediscovered nice spots to explore or to learn about. 

So, for Christmas, we are offering an overview of what we did in the vicinity. Maybe it inspires you. 

Museums

• ModeMuseum MoMu – Fashion Museum Antwerp 2021.
• Antwerp’s Letterenhuis ft. Paul van Ostaijen exhibition.
• Museum Plantin-Moretus in Antwerp.
• REVIEW | Comics Art Museum Brussels by the Belgian Comic Strips Center.
• Inside the Royal Palace of Brussels.
• REVIEW | The orange world of Design Museum Brussels.
• REVIEW | Brussels Planetarium.
• Ducal and Imperial Palace of Coudenberg in Brussels.
• DIVA, Antwerp Home of Diamonds.
• Museum Mayer van den Bergh in Antwerp and Mad Meg aka Dulle Griet.
• MIMA – Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art in Brussels.
• Villa Empain in Brussels.
• Panorama Mesdag, The Hague.
• Mauritshuis, The Hague in times of corona.
• Groninger Museum in Groningen, the Netherlands.

Walks, hikes and daytrips

• Geographic Centre of the European Union of the 15.
• Namur, its citadel and its Téléphérique or cable car.
• Brussels’ Gare Maritime.
• Brussels’ Pannenhuis Park and L28 Park.
• Brussels’ Senne Park.
• Orval Abbey near Florenville in Belgian Luxembourg.
• Bouillon Castle.
• Bouillon, more than its castle.
• ‘Napoleon, Beyond The Myth’ exhibition at Liège-Guillemins Railway Station.
• Sakura Search in Arboretum Kalmthout.
• Park Vordenstein in Schoten.
• Mercator Steendorp Trail in Rupelmonde (Kruibeke).
• Three parks in Brasschaat: Park van Brasschaat, De Mik, De Inslag.
• VIDEO | Walking the future Spoorpark between Zurenborg (Antwerp) and Borgerhout.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | Zurenborg.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | Cogels-Osylei between Berchem and Antwerp’s Zurenborg neighbourhood.
• AREAS OF ANTWERP | Scheldekaaien or Scheldt Quays.
• Green Stop: Essen – Heide Hike ft. Kalmthoutse Heide.
• ‘Amazing Boot Scrapers’ Walk in Antwerp.
• Crossing many, many lines in Baarle-Hertog / Baarle-Nassau.
• Tri-Country Point Vaalserberg, where the Netherlands meet Belgium and Germany.
• 2 hours in Valkenburg.
• VIDEO | Walking Antwerp Pride’s ‘Trail of Stories’.
• VIDEO | Antwerp Pride Trail of Stories 2021.
• An hour in Ronse.
• Belgium’s third oldest railway station: Ronse.
• Medieval Times and Mexico in Oudenaarde.
• VIDEO | Quick excursion to Lier.
• Scheldt River cruise to Hemiksem and hike back.
• Braine-le-Comte, Belgium’s oldest station?.
• VIDEO | Sunset over Antwerp’s Scheldt river.
• Skam or being shamed for going outside.
• CORONAVIRUS | Five open air areas for a walk in Antwerp to fight boredom during the COVID-19 lockdown.
• St. Martin’s Cathedral Domkerk Utrecht.

Stays and gastronomy

• REVIEW | Paping Hotel & Spa.
• REVIEW | Hotel Le Florentin at Florenville.
• REVIEW | A-stay in Antwerp.
• REVIEW | Van der Valk Hotel Verviers.
• REVIEW | A coronaproof stay at Le Sanglier des Ardennes.
• REVIEW | The Hotel. Brussels.
• REVIEW | A spa in Spa, a stay at the Radisson Blu Palace Spa.
• REVIEW | Prinsenhof Groningen.
• REVIEW | Hotel Des Indes in The Hague.
• REVIEW | Chateau St. Gerlach.
• REVIEW | Pullman Brussels Centre Midi.

These, by the way, are not all of them. I didn’t include posts about exhibitions. And some stories aren’t published yet.