Liege, the Ardent City is mostly overlooked by foreign visitors who prefer to visit Flanders and its Venice of the North, Bruges.However, Liege has many attractions to interest the visitors. It has a buzzing nightlife, cheap pubs (much cheaper than in the more touristic Belgian cities), great restaurants at a decent price and many hidden treasures which are only accessible by walk, a short distance from the city centre. Liege inhabitants are the warmest people you will meet in Belgium, the city having a strong reputation for its hospitality, inherited from the time when Liege was still an independent principauty proud of its privileges. People speak French mixed
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Liege, the Ardent City is mostly overlooked by foreign visitors who prefer to visit Flanders and its Venice of the North, Bruges.
However, Liege has many attractions to interest the visitors. It has a buzzing nightlife, cheap pubs (much cheaper than in the more touristic Belgian cities), great restaurants at a decent price and many hidden treasures which are only accessible by walk, a short distance from the city centre.
Liege inhabitants are the warmest people you will meet in Belgium, the city having a strong reputation for its hospitality, inherited from the time when Liege was still an independent principauty proud of its privileges.
People speak French mixed with many Walloon words and have a specific accent (extended vowels on the last syllable) which is typical of the city and not found anywhere else in Belgium.
Must see while in Liege:
- Place Saint-Lambert, where Saint-Lambert was assassinated and where the city was founded a few years later with a cathedral (now destroyed). Many shops on that square.
- Montagne de Bueren (built in memory of the 600 Franchimontois who fought for the independence of Liege against Charles V.
- Eglise Saint-Barthelemy, with the most stunning baptismals you will ever see.
- Eglise Saint-Jacques.
- Coteaux de la Citadelle, a walk in the hidden gardens of Liege, crossing the most popular area of the city, Rue Pierreuse.
- Various museums (Musee d'Art Mosan, Musée de la Vie Wallonne, etc), which will show you how people used to live when Liege was still a principauty.
Quick Tips:
Go to the Office de Tourisme (en Féronstrée, near the city centre and next to the administrative quarters of the city - a big Stalinian-type grey building which cannot be missed) and ask for someone to show you on a map the walks not to be missed near Hors Château.
Meals not to be missed while in Liege:
- Salade liégeoise (Liege Salad), with green beans, found in most cafetarias.
- Potée liégeoise (green beans, bacon and hot potatoes with sausage), only found in local restaurants.
- If you happen to cross by a 'friterie', do not forget to taste the 'boulettes sauce lapin' (Meatballs with rabbit sauce). It is not rabbit meat or sauce but pork/beef meatballs in a special sauce with dry raisins. Must be eaten with french fries (they should be called Belgian fries as they taste much better in Belgium).
Liege has been claiming the paternity of the fries for a long time and many people agree that the fries taste best in Liege.
English and Dutch are sometimes understood by younger people but do not expect miracles. The best way to get around Wallonia and Liege is to know some French.
Also you can find a free newspaper "04" in many snacks in the city. In it, you have a full list of the events that are happening in the city in the following days/weeks (music, nightlife, restaurants not to be missed, etc.).Best Way To Get Around:
The main sites of the city can be visited by foot, but the city has a good transportation system.
To reach the city centre from Liege-Guillemins train station, take the bus 1 or 4 to Place Saint-Lambert (Palais de Justice) or bus 48 to the Opera/Place de la République Française (near Ibis Hotel). They are all just outside the train station.
If you want to go to the Youth Hostel, take the bus 1 or 4 (every 6 to 10 minutes) to Place Saint-Lambert (a 10 minute ride) then walk for a hundred yards until Place Saint-Leopold where you can take bus 18 (every 10 minutes) which will drop you three minutes later in front of the youth hostel (Auberge de Jeunesse Simenon).
A one-way ticket costs 1.40 euros and is valid for one hour no matter how many buses you take, provided you do not return on your steps.
Taxis are very expensive and should only be taken when there are no buses to go where you want (usually at nights) Read Less