Page 311 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Belgium & Luxembourg

SPOR TING AND A C TIVIT Y HOLID A Y S  309

Castles and War DIRECTORY
Setting alive the
imagination with Theme Parks
tales of sieges and Boudewijn Seapark
derring-do are the A. De Baeckestraat 12, Bruges.
region’s many castles Tel (050) 383838.
(see pp34–5). ∑ boudewijnseapark.be
Bouillon is the most
impressive medieval Plopsaland
castle, while Beersel De Pannelaan 68.
(see p168), Jehay Tel (058) 420202.
(see p224) and Plopsa Coo 4, 4970 Coo-Stavelot.
Lavaux-Ste-Anne Tel (080) 684265.
(see p215) could be ∑ plopsa.be
the backdrops for Zoos and Aquariums
fairytales. With its
thick walls, turrets Antwerp Zoo
and cren ellations, Kongingin Astridplein 26,
Gravensteen (see Antwerp.
An old steam powered train at Fond-des-Gras p138) in Ghent also Tel (03) 2248910.
looks the part; it ∑ zooantwerpen.be
Steam Trains and even has an exhibition of
Tram Rides instruments of torture. Children Monde Sauvage Safari
Rue de Louveigné 3,
Railway engines and tracks have will also enjoy tunnelling Remouchamps.
been preserved in many places in around the casemates of Tel (04) 3609070.
Luxembourg and Belgium, and Luxembourg City. On a more ∑ mondesauvage.be
visitors can now enjoy gentle sombre note, older children
rides into quiet cor ners of the may find the museum of the National Sealife Marine
Park
countryside and into the past. former concentration camp
Maldegem’s Stoomcentrum at Fort Breendonk (see p160) Koning Albert I Laan 116,
Blankenberge.
(see p141) runs historic steam impressively chilling. Equally, Tel (050) 424300.
and diesel trains. Likewise, many older children are moved ∑ visitsealife.com
Mariembourg is the starting point and amazed by the museums,
for train trips on the Chemin de monuments and exhibits Serpentarium
Fer des Trois Vallées (see p214). marking World War I (see Zeedijk 147, Blankenberge.
Visitors can also head off down the p130–31), especially the Tel (050) 423162.
tracks under their own steam with museum called In Flanders ∑ serpentarium.be
a railbike (see p306). The Musée du Fields at Ieper (see pp128). Museums and Galleries
Transport Urbain Bruxellois (see
p89) has rides in a historic tram Museum of Natural Sciences
complete with a hooter-blowing Belfries and Towers Rue Vautier 29, 1000 BRU.
conductor, all the way to Offering the chance to see Tel (02) 6274234.
Tervuren and the Musée Royale towns and cities from a new ∑ naturalsciences.be
de l’Afrique Centrale, which angle, Belgium’s many belfries
children also enjoy. The industrial are more than just historic
museum of Fond-de-Gras monuments. Narrow spiral many others, each with their own
(see p252), in south ern staircases climb to the parapet, magical landscapes of glittering
Luxembourg, operates steam from where there are fine, and stalactites and still pools
trains along normal-gauge sometimes scary, views over (see pp212–13).
and narrow-gauge rails. the rooftops and of the ant-like
activities below. Visitors may
hear the carillon tinkle out a Chips and Waffles
Canal Boats tune, or be deafened by the In Belgium, deep-fried food is
Bruges and Ghent are great colossal racket of a big bell as the basis of traditional snacks.
places in which to take children the clock strikes the hour. The outdoor frietkoten offer
on a canal boat trip. This offers cornets of crispy, double-fried
a completely different view of chips with some mayonnaise to
the cities, as visitors glide gently Caves dunk them into. There are also
along in the company of ducks The Ardennes region is riddled sweetened waffles from streetside
and moorhens, passing under with caves, which fascinate vendors – the traditional snack of
bridges and encountering new children. The most famous fairs and festivals and of summer
aromas. The ever-changing of these, at Han-sur-Lesse holidays on the coast. This is the
scenery is captivating, for adults (see p215), can be explored kind of cultural treat that children
and children alike. on foot and by boat. There are the world over really relish.

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