An immersion into Belgian gastronomy

The former Bosch Brewery is a national industrial monument and something of an institution in Maastricht. Though no longer functioning, it operated between 1758 and 1970 and was the pride of the entire city. Today, the site offers guided tours through its five-story malting house, brewery, bottling room and the opulent rooms of the master brewer's manor house, before concluding with a tasting of two specialty beers.

Undoubtedly one of the most exciting Christmas markets in Belgium, the small Hasselt market, originally created in the 2000s, has established itself as the quintessential place for all lovers of Christmas spirit, complete with wooden chalets, mulled wine and other tasty treats. On the menu: sausages, fries, hot soup and Liège waffles. With its beautiful covered ice rink, a Ferris wheel, roller coasters and some eighty concessions, the market has delightfully remained on a human scale.

Wilderen was once a gigantic distillery, built in 1890, but which was abandoned for a long time. Reopening in 2011 after more than 70 years of inactivity, it is today both a prime example of the region's dynamic industrial heritage and also the ideal place to taste a Tripel Kanunnik (brewed with four kinds of cereals) or a Cuvée Clarisse, a beautiful ruby red beer with an alcohol content of more than nine per cent.

Twinned with the town of Itami, near Osaka, Japan, Hasselt is home to an unexpected and delightful Japanese garden, called Japanse Tuin. In the heart of this haven of tranquility, a pretty tea house regularly hosts tasting ceremonies, where tea master, Staf Daems, explains the principles behind the practice and offers a demonstration of Urasenke tea-tasting style. Best discovered between March-April, during cherry blossom season.