November and December 2017. During my solo trip to Taiwan – the vacation which was a catalyst to start Trip By Trip – I met Ugo. Fast forward to August 2025. Ugo is touring Europe and we decided to meet up. Showing him Antwerp was an option, but fitting the metropolis into his itinerary was…
Tag: Flanders
Antwerp-Linkeroever Railway Station reopens as temporary hub during premetro tunnel renovation works
Linkeroever Railway Station has reopened today as a temporary solution to ease disruption caused by the upcoming renovation of the Antwerp premetro tunnel. The works, set to begin on Monday, 4 May, will last until the end of March 2027, suspending tram services between the left and right banks of the Scheldt. The station is…
Antwerp Hotel Association laments disappointing 2026 Easter Holiday
Antwerp’s hotels experienced a less successful Easter Holiday than hoped, according to the Antwerp Hotel Association. While rooms were well occupied during the Tour of Flanders weekend, a poor second week dragged the average down.
BELGIUM | Infrabel to upgrade Antwerp-Berchem and add second track between Mol and Neerpelt, amongst other major projects
Belgium’s Federal Government has approved an update to the performance contract of rail infrastructure manager Infrabel, paving the way for a series of new railway investment projects aimed at improving safety, reliability and capacity, particularly in port areas.
Leuven wins silver at European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Awards
The city of Leuven (Louvain) in Flemish Brabant, Flanders, Belgium received a silver award at the fifth European Capitals of Inclusion and Diversity Awards, held in Brussels on Tuesday 21 April 2026. The awards, organised by the European Commission, recognise cities, municipalities, and regions that excel in promoting inclusion, diversity, and combating discrimination.
WEST FLANDERS | Westhoek World War I ‘Monuments & Moments’ theme year 2027-2028
From 16 June 2027 to 11 November 2028, the Province of West Flanders, together with Westtoer/Toerisme Westhoek, Toerisme Vlaanderen and local partners, will organise ‘Monuments & Moments‘, a new World War I theme year in the Westhoek region.
NETHERLANDS | Purple Friday to move to the second Friday of October from 2026
From 2026 onwards, Dutch LGBTQIA+ organisation COC Nederland, in consultation with schools, will move Purple Friday (Paarse Vrijdag) to the beginning of the school year. The annual day of solidarity with LGBTQIA+ students will now take place on the second Friday of October, instead of in December.
ANTWERP | Art in the City (Kunst in de Stad) collection now online
For the first time, the City of Antwerp‘s public art collection has been made digitally accessible. Thanks to this new online collection database, everyone can now easily access and study this unique collection of artworks.
FLANDERS | Six heritage organisations receive new official recognition mark
In September 2025, he Flemish Minister of Culture, Caroline Gennez (Vooruit), has officially recognised six collection-managing organisations: Archief Lier, the University Archives of KU Leuven, Kunstenbibliotheek & Muziekbibliotheek in Ghent, Liberation Garden in Leopoldsburg (Bourg-Léopold) HEY Museum in Knokke-Heist and Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen (Malines, Mechlin)
Flemish vacationers shift to southern Europe and Africa amid Middle East conflict
ravellers from Flanders are increasingly avoiding destinations in the Middle East due to ongoing conflict, opting instead for locations in southern Europe and parts of Africa. Countries such as Spain and Portugal are seeing a notable rise in bookings, alongside destinations including Tunisia and Senegal.