zephyradventures DETAILED TRIP DESCRIPTION
A TASTE VACATION IN BELGIUM: Great Beers
Belgium is a world of scenic landscapes, castles, stone-built villages, multiple languages and cultures, gourmet restaurants, breweries and beer cafes, and really nice people. After a day in the capital city of Brussels and a clear appreciation for the beer world we have entered, we first travel to southwest Belgium, a region known as Wallonia where French is the primary language.
Here rivers carve deep canyons through rolling countryside and hills are capped with castles and citadels. Here we will visit the historic Abbayes of Orval and Chimay, whose beers are served around the world, along with a few other breweries including Caracole and Millevertus. From the south we travel north into a region known as Flanders where the language is Dutch. The landscape changes into one rich with agriculture including hops. We’ll visit breweries and abbayes such as Rodenbach, Westvletren , Het Anker and Gruut to name a few and there will be beer museums, hops museums and historical sites to visit as well.
Our evenings are spent in accommodations that range from quaint family-owned hotels to a 15th century brewery and an old convent overlooking the ancient city of Dinant. Throughout the week we’ll visit over ten different breweries and beer cafes while your guides take care of all the details and share information about the region, culture, and beers they love so much.
DAILY ITINERARY
DAY 1 in BRUSSELS: Welcome to Brussels, Belgium! Our adventure starts after lunch, allowing you to arrive in Brussels this morning or the evening before. This afternoon we will walk from our hotel around the beautiful city of Belgium, visiting ancient sites including Europe’s most impressive plaza, The Grand Place. We’ll taste arguably the world’s best chocolate along with Belgian Beer at Laurent Gerbaud. We will walk to Brasserie Cantillon for a tour and tasting of this most impressive and unique brewery. Cantillon uses natural yeasts that are present in the air around us for fermentation. From there we will walk to have a conversation, craft beers and craft cheeses with our friend Jean Hummler at Moeder Lambic. This evening we’ll enjoy Belgium’s typical food specialties and beer cuisine at Restobières not far from The Grand Place. After dinner, if you are not tired from jetlag or our walk, we’ll stop into some of Brussels famous beer cafes, one of which has 3000 beers from which to choose! Accommodation: Hotel Welcome
DAY 2 in BOULLION: Today we travel to southwestern Belgium, a special region known as Wallonia. En route, you’ll have the option to stop into Le Chameleux, a small café seemingly in the middle of nowhere serving local foods and beverages. After lunch we continue to our destination, Abbaye Orval. After a tour of the impressive abbey we will then taste Orval beers from the tap at Orval L’ange gardien. This is the only place in the world with Orval on tap. Santi! From Orval we will travel to the historic town of Boullion and our accommodation, Hotel Cosy, on the bluff overlooking town. The owner of the hotel, Wouter Liekens, is also a renowned chef and tonight we’ll enjoy a special four-course Beer Degustation dinner prepared by Wouter just for us. Accommodation: Hotel Cosy
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A TASTE VACATION IN BELGIUM: Great Beers
DAY 3 in DINANT: The Cistercian Monks don’t allow visitors at Abbaye Chimay but it’s still worth a visit to see and tour the Chimay Castle and to taste the Belgian Beers and cheeses. You’ll be on your own for lunch while visiting this scenic region of Belgium. After lunch we’ll travel to Brasserie Caracole for a tour and tasting. Caracole produces traditional Belgian Beers in a brewery dating back to the 18th century. They still use wood to heat their water for brewing! After visiting the brewery we’ll travel a short distance to the scenic river town of Dinant, which is where the saxophone was invented. Tonight we will spend the evening high on the banks of the river in an old convent now known as La Merveilleuse. You will have some free time to explore this scenic village and the towering Citadelle de Dinant before returning to the convent for a tour of the Leffe Beer Museum (Maison Leffe) and a special beer and food pairing dinner. Accommodation: Hotel La Merveilleuse
DAY 4 in MECHELEN: We start our day by visiting the Oud Beersel lambic brewery where we learn all about lambic beers - tastes formed from spontaneous fermentation from contact with the local air. Then we travel to the small city of Mechelen, our home for the evening. Here you will have some time on your own to explore the city, walking along the historic streets and waterways. We will meet you at to the Het Anker Brewery, which started brewing beer in 1471 with the permission of Charles the Bold! The brewery happens to also be our accommodation for the evening. Accommodation: Het Anker
DAY 5 in GENT: Our day starts with Champagne! Champagne Beer that is. Today we visit the village of Buggenhout, where we’ll visit Bosteels Deus Landtsheer Malheur, known for their traditional Champagne style beers. Then it is on to the historic city of Gent, where you will have some time on your own to explore the city, find a nice place for lunch, maybe do some shopping, Here you will have some time on your own to explore the city, find a nice place for lunch, and perhaps do some shopping. We’ll then meet at one of our favorite breweries, Gruut. Their beers are unique because they use special spices (gruit) instead of hops to flavor and preserve their beers. One of the best ways to taste the wide variety of beers available in Belgium is the Beer Cafes (bars) and there are several outstanding beer cafes for us to explore in Gent either before or after dinner, including the historic Herberg De Dullie Griet just off one of the oldest squares in the city. When you order a beer here, they take one of your shoes and hoist it in a basket to the ceiling! You’ll get your shoe back when you return the glass. Accommodation: Hotel Harmony
DAY 6 in BRUGGE: Today we will explore Watou, known as the Hoppeland region between Poperinge and Vleteren. We will visit the hops museum in Poperinge and the St. Sixtus Abbey where we will taste the world famous Westvletren Belgian style beers. This is one of the only places in the world you can buy these highly sought-after brews. You are your own for lunch in Watou. We suggest asking for a light lunch at the Hommelhof, widely known for its dishes based on heavenly brews. After lunch, we travel to Roeselare to visit and taste at the impressive Rodenbach Brewery before traveling to Brugge (Bruges) and our wonderful accommodation in the center of the old city. Before our final dinner together in Belgium we need to stop in for a beer and conversation with Daisy (the owner) at Brugs Beertje. Daisy has more than 300 beers on tap and she knows them better than anyone else. Dinner this evening is an absolute must when in Bruges, at Den Dijver. Accommodation: Hotel Prinsenhof
DAY 7 in BRUGGE: On our final morning we’ll have breakfast in the hotel and then take an historical walk of the city of Brugge. You are then free to continue on your travels – take a return train to Brussels, stay in Brugge for another day, or perhaps take the high-speed train to Paris, London or even Amsterdam! Life’s Short... Prioritize Adventure!
www.zephyradventures.com : : 888-758-8687 : : [email protected] zephyradventures DETAILED TRIP DESCRIPTION
A TASTE VACATION IN BELGIUM: Great Beers
TRIP DETAILS
DATE July 27 – August 2, 2014 COST $2950 USD per person Optional single supplement of $900 (Single supplement is always optional and we will find you a roommate of the same gender if you do not select the single supplement.)
HIGHLIGHTS • Spending time in Belgium with our local guide Sacha Seggai who knows his homeland’s history, culture, languages, food and beers and thoroughly shares it all. • Exploring and enjoying unique experiences in cities and villages across Belgium like Brussels, Boullion, Mechelen, Ghent, Bougenhaut, Watou and Bruges and not having to drive to each or figure out the train schedule. • Tasting and learning about so many different styles of beers including Lambic, Gruit, Champagne, Abbaye style, as well as experiencing the incredible food in Belgium including the cheese and chocolate. • Visiting breweries and abbayes you have always heard about like Chimay, Orval, Wesvelteren, Rodenbach and Cantillon as well as smaller, unique breweries like Caracole, Gruut, Millevertus, Het Anker and Bosteels Deus Landtsheer Malheur. • Staying in unique accommodations that include a convent overlooking the city of Dinant, a brewery that started in the 15th century, and smaller family owned and operated treasures elsewhere.
ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE You are free to arrive in Brussels anytime you like prior to our early afternoon meeting on Day 1. This allows you to travel the day before and arrive even that morning. Getting to the Hotel Welcome in Brussels from the airport or train station is easy and we will provide complete information in your Pre-Departure Packet. Our adventure ends in Bruges late morning on our final day. You can easily take a return train to Brussels or wherever your next adventure lies!
WHAT’S INCLUDED • Local Belgian guide plus another Zephyr guide or two, depending on group size. • Double occupancy lodging. If you are traveling solo, we will match you with another traveler of the same gender. However, you may pay a single supplement to have your own room. • All of your dinners and breakfasts. Gratuity for these meals is also included. We leave most lunches open so you have time to explore and enjoy the local flavors en route. • All your transportation is included once you meet your guides on the first day. • Beer tours and special beer tastings. All drinks at meals or in taprooms are on your own.
NOT INCLUDED Beverages, desserts, lunches, gratuities to your guides, personal expenses and travel to and from the destination.
www.zephyradventures.com : : 888-758-8687 : : [email protected] zephyradventures DETAILED TRIP DESCRIPTION
A TASTE VACATION IN BELGIUM: Great Beers
BREWERIES & BEER HIGHLIGHTS
• Cantillon – Brussels • Bosteels Deus Landtsheer Malheur – Buggenhaut • Moeder Lambic – Brussels • Gruut - Gent • Orval – Villers-devant-Orval near Boullion • St. Sixtus Abbey (Westvelteren) – Watou • Millevertus – Breuvanne • Hommelhof – Watou • Chimay – Chimay • Hop Museum – Poperinge • Brasserie Caracole – Dinant • Rodenbach Brewery – Roselare • Leffe Beer Museum (Maison Leffe) – Dinant • Het Anker Brewery – Mechelen
ACCOMMODATIONS
Night 1: Hotel Welcome In the heart of Brussels, Hotel Welcome is a unique and well-situated hotel that allows us to walk everywhere we need to go in Brussels. Each room is decorated as a different country. The market is located in the plaza in front of the hotel.
Night 2: Hotel Cosy The hotel sits high on a bluff above the city of Boullion. The owner is also a trained chef who will prepare our four-course beer dinner.
Night 3: Hotel La MerveilleusseThe impressive old convent offers a panoramic view over the center of Dinant like no other. The hotel also hosts the Maison Leffe Beer Museum and boasts an impressive dining room where we will enjoy a fine beer and food pairing dinner.
Night 4: Het Anker Het Anker is one of the oldest breweries in Belgium (1471). Preserving the authenticity of far-off days, the inner courtyard is complete with cobblestones, a tympanum in grey stone from 1625, and three copper kettles in the brew room dating from right after World War II.
Night 5: Hotel Harmony 2013 Travelers Choice and Certificate of Excellence Trip Advisor Award Winner, Harmony is a family hotel that sits in the oldest neighborhood in Ghent with a garden and a view of the city and canals.
Night 6: Hotel Prinsenhof Awarded 2013 Best Service and Best Small Hotel in Bruges by Trip Advisor, The Prinsenhof is located in the center of the old city of Bruges and is the perfect location for staying in and exploring this wonderful place.
www.zephyradventures.com : : 888-758-8687 : : [email protected] zephyradventures DETAILED TRIP DESCRIPTION
A TASTE VACATION IN BELGIUM: Great Beers
BOOKING DETAILS
INTERESTED IN JOINING US? Call us at 888.758.8687 or email us to check availability, or to ask any questions you may have regarding this trip or any other travel ideas you may be considering.
TO BOOK YOUR ADVENTURE You can book online or by calling us at 888.758.8687. Zephyr Adventures requires a $500 deposit (payable by check or credit card) at the time of booking. The remaining balance is payable by check or credit card no later than 60 days prior to the start of the trip.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? We will send you a confirmation email after we receive your booking, as well as a link to detailed printer-friendly pre-departure documents: arrival and departure information, suggestions for making travel arrangements, a packing list, an invoice, information about your trip location and guides. It will also include a link to an information form and liability waiver. We will also provide you with a link to information about travel insurance. We highly recommend you purchase travel insurance because it protects you if you have an unexpected change in travel plans.
www.zephyradventures.com : : 888-758-8687 : : [email protected]