Flemish Minister of Tourism Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit) approved an adjusted star classification for hotels at the end of December 2024. Toerisme Vlaanderen will continue to use the star classification of the Hotel Stars Union for this purpose.
Tag: Wallonia
2025: Overtourism overdose?
On 1 January 2024 we wrote about how rising prices affect travel. Not only the price of flights, but also the price of activities. Pricing was a topic the year before, 2023. In 2024, conventional and social media dug into the issue of overtourism. Articles about locals protesting, Instagrammers posting about big crowds in Japan…
BELGIUM | Fête du Rail at Rétrotrain, Saint-Ghislain
August 2024. Two weekends in a row, we experienced some Belgian railway heritage. On the 11th, we went to Baasrode-Noord for the Dendermonde – Puurs Steam Railway or Stoomtrein Dendermonde-Puurs over line 52. On the 17th, we travelled all the way to Saint-Ghislain for a special ride over freight railway line 100, organised by Le…
Farewell to the NMBS / SNCB AM66 ‘Klassiekje’ or ‘Classique’
On Saturday 14 December 2024, Train World is running a farewell tour for the NMBS /SNCB Classical Twin EMUs, as Wikipedia calls the AM66 or MR66. Train staff call these Klassiekjes or Classiques. Sometimes in French Doubles. The farewell tour is sold out.
The Belgian Pride declared bankrupt, but Brussels Pride 2025 will go ahead
Brussels Pride 2025 will go ahead as planned, continuing to celebrate and advocate for LGBTQIA+ rights, despite recent turbulence within the organising community. The event’s mission has remained steady even as The Belgian Pride, the non-profit organisation behind Belgium’s first pride march, recently filed for bankruptcy.
Brussels Pride officially recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage
Brussels Pride is now part of the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Brussels-Capital Region. This was announced in a press release by Ans Persoons (Vooruit), Secretary of State for Heritage of Brussels. Brussels now wants to submit the candidacy of pride as Intangible Cultural Heritage to UNESCO, together with other cities and countries.
HAINAUT | Discovering Mons
In May 2024 Thanh and I visited the Rodin exhibition at the Beaux-Arts Mons museum of fine arts. Obviously being in Mons, we explored the capital of the province of Hainaut in Wallonia.
WALLOON BRABANT | Louvain-la-Neuve
In May 2024, Jeroen and I travelled to Louvain-la-Neuve in Walloon Brabant to visit the Musée Hergé or Hergé Museum. Georges Remi (1907-1983), better known as Hergé is the author of The Adventures of Tintin, which puts Belgium on many maps.
BELGIUM | Excursion to Couvin in Namur
January 2024. Since December 2023, there’s a new intercity train service between Leuven (Louvain) and Charleroi-Central, with stops at Heverlee, Wavre (Waver), Ottignies, Court-Saint-Étienne (Sint-Stefaanshof) and Fleurus. Wanting to try this new link, we decided to first travel to Charleroi via Brussels, a classic itinerary. There we explored railway line 132 to Mariembourg and then…
CHARLEROI PRIDE | Three days of inclusivity and festivities
Today, tomorrow and Saturday Charleroi in the province of Hainaut hosts the Fête de l’Amour, the Festival of Love, aka Charleroi Pride or Pride Carolo. It’s the fifth edition of the Festival of Love and the third edition with a pride parade on Saturday.