Top Things to do in Flanders
10 Nature & Parks in Flanders That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Flanders, Belgium including Minnewater Lake, ZOO Planckendael, Cabour Dunes, Domein Kiewit, Hoge Kempen National Park, Blotevoetenpad, Botanical Garden Kruidtuin, De Panne Beach, Provinciaal Groendomein Vrijbroekpark, Hallerbos – ‘'The Blue Forest’'.
Restaurants in Flanders
1. Minnewater Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,567 reviews
Looking for a scenic place to take a romantic daytime or evening stroll? Minnewater Lake offers urban nature lovers a perfect setting regardless of the season or time of year.
Reviewed By 721mariand - Dublin, Ireland
Very pretty lake set in well laid out and beautiful park close to the city centre in Bruges. A place to enjoy a very pleasant stroll away from the hustle and bustle
2. ZOO Planckendael
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,084 reviews
3. Cabour Dunes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16 reviews
4. Domein Kiewit
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 18 reviews
5. Hoge Kempen National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 176 reviews
The Hoge Kempen National Park in a nutshell.The Hoge Kempen National Park covers 5700 ha and stretches across the municipalities Dilsen-Stokkem, Maasmechelen, Zutendaal, Lanaken, Genk and As. The Hoge Kempen is the largest woodland and nature reserve in Flanders. Extensive pine woods alternate with purple flowering heathland. Large lakes were left behind where sand and gravel were extracted. The highest ‘peaks’, 100 meters high, offer magnificent views. It is home to many rare and exceptional animals. Encountering a roe is not exceptional and butterflies like the swallowtail butterfly brighten up the summer. Special inhabitants are the slippery snake, the antlion and the European beewolf. Large stones and small boulders attest to the last ice age and lend it all a magical feeling.The Hoge Kempen National Park welcomes people with a ‘heart for nature’. That is why five locations have been selected as ‘Gateway to the Hoge Kempen National Park’: Stations As in As, Pietersheim in Lanaken, Mechelse Heide in Maasmechelen, Kattevennen in Genk and Lieteberg in Zutendaal. The gateways have car parks, information kiosks, cafeterias and additional attractions. It is your starting point for walking, cycling and horseriding. Admission to the gateways and the National Park is free. The National Park is not fenced off.
Reviewed By peggy265g - Geraardsbergen, Belgium
Very nice to visite especially with children. It was a visit with a lot of interactions and things to explore
6. Blotevoetenpad
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 267 reviews
7. Botanical Garden Kruidtuin
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 676 reviews
Reviewed By TheAbbas - Leuven, Belgium
It is really beautiful park with so many different flowers and plants. Its nice to take a romantic walk in it and enjoy it in a calm afternoon.
8. De Panne Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 747 reviews
Reviewed By GDlikes - Basingstoke, United Kingdom
Miles of clean sand running all the way up this coast. We tour in a motorhome so can't comment on parking as we walked to the beach from our camp site but there seems to be lots of parking available though. The beach is huge and has clearly marked out areas for different activities (sun bathing, kite surfing etc). We used the end with the (modern) statue of King Leopald. This section is dog-friendly all year (we visited in July). Popular with families as it has plenty of Life Guards, beach huts, free toilets and ice cream trollies! There's a good selection of restaurants and bars on the prom - all well-prepared for the prevailing winds with glass shelters and wind breaks. Likewise for the sun-worshippers amongst you, there are plenty of areas you can hire in the middle section of the beach that have built-in wind breaks. Not sure of the pricing as we didn't use them. Kids will love it here as there's a mad selection of quirky bikes, scooters and mini-quads for hire on the wide prom. There's a big wheel at the other end of the beach, a bouncy castle at the King Leopald end together with an old carousel. All in all, something for everyone and literally miles and miles of sand!
9. Provinciaal Groendomein Vrijbroekpark
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 183 reviews
Reviewed By marcusaurelius2015 - Mechelen, Belgium
Has recently been enlarged. Lot of variety. Two nice restaurants with a terrace if you want to relax after a walk. Playground for children as well.
10. Hallerbos – ‘'The Blue Forest’'
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 313 reviews
Reviewed By SmitaUpadhyay - Antwerp, Belgium
We had heard of this bluebell forest from my daughter last year.We somehow couldn't go last year during the blooming season . This year it was on top of my list. It is about an hour's drive from Antwerp. Must see in April. The website has all the details of the blooming season and other attractions in the forest e.g; The Hyacinth trail. Its absolutely magical. Imagine a forest with tall trees and large carpets of blue scattered throughout the forest floor.Spectacular. Great place to walk or cycle.
