Belgian Brewers & Steam Railway Experience

DAY 1

Travelling by Eurostar from London St Pancras to Brussels, then onwards to Ghent and our hotel for six nights, the Hotel Chamade, where we check in and enjoy free time to explore our new surroundings with our first evening at leisure.

DAY 2

Today, we experience an exclusive beer adventure starting at the famous Westvleteren Abbey, home of the world's most highly rated beers - Trappist beers! We begin with a gentle stroll around the abbey grounds before heading for a tasting of all three Westvleteren brews, our chance to enjoy the world's best beer right at the source, paired with local cheeses and charcuterie. We continue our day to a countryside brewery, unique in using only local hops, where we indulge in a delicious lunch surrounded by peaceful landscape alongside a tour and tasting. This afternoon, we will explore the serene Flanders Fields and visit the Passchendaele WW1 Cemetery before raising a glass at a charming beer bar in Ypres, enjoying a further tasting, before we return to the hotel for an evening at leisure.

DAY 3

After breakfast this morning, we travel by rail to Bruges - the 'Venice of the North' - with time to explore this delightful city and sample some local beers in the many bars. This afternoon, we return to Ghent for leisurely river cruise, taking in the city's stunning churches and iconic castle, enjoying delicious Ghent tapas and beer on board. Afterwards, we visit a selection of local bars including one that is centuries old for tastings of craft, traditional, Trappist, golden ale straight from the barrel, and local liqueurs.

DAY 4

This morning, we visit the nearby Cantillon Brewery, one of the last remaining lambic breweries in Belgium, an historic brewing style that dates back to the 13th-century and uses wild yeasts to produce its distinctive flavour. Here, we enjoy a guided tour to learn more of this famous brewing style before enjoying a tasting including lambic, gueuze, and fruit blend samples. This afternoon, we make our way to Thuin to visit the fascinating ASVi Tram Museum where we can explore their extensive collection of vehicles on display, stepping aboard some to get the feel of the era, before our chartered steam tram journey along the line.

DAY 5

Today, we travel by rail to Eeklo for a steam-hauled journey over the Maldegem-Eeklo Steam Railway, journeying over the 10km standard-gauge line through the Meetjesland landscape to Maldegem. Here, we will experience their fantastic Steam Train Festival with several steam locomotives in action on both the standard-gauge and narrow-gauge tracks plus exhibitions, railway markets, miniature trains, and activities alongside a station bistro and bar offering no fewer that 28 different beers to taste!

DAY 6

After a leisurely breakfast, we make our way to Mariembourg for the afternoon steam service aboard the Three Valleys Steam Railway, crossing rivers and passing through charming villages, to Treignes with time to explore the locomotive collection before our return journey. Afterwards, we visit the Brasserie des Fagnes, an historic brewery, where we enjoy a tour, tasting, and our evening meal ahead of our return to Ghent for a final evening at leisure.

DAY 7

We bid farewell to Ghent and to Belgium, returning by rail to Brussels, where we will join the Eurostar service to London St Pancras.

*Important Note: Whilst the arrangements for all described steam train travel are in place, we do reserve the right to make substitutions should it be deemed necessary for whatever reason.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner