Leuven 2026 (visits 2 & 3)

View west from Ibis Budget hotel towards Leuven railway and bus stations.

Previously visited briefly in January 2026 (see Leuven 2026 visit 1 post), we returned to Leuven, east of Brussels, twice more in August 2026. In each case, as Leuven was a 'stopover' to or from Brussels by train, Ibis Budget hotel was conveniently close to the station and economical when booked in advance.

View from Ibis Budget hotel towards Kessel-Lo (Frituur Station on the corner)

There are eastern views from the hotel in the other direction with a pedestrian underpass that leads to a low-level station entrance and access to the city.

Bars and taprooms visited will be mentioned in the same order as our visits with the first on Tuesday 4 August, before university students returned from vacation. Previously visited bars have brief descriptions but there is more detail for (final visit) Brouwerij de Coureur.

De Blauwe Kater

At Mechelsestraat 51, De Blauwe Kater (blue tomcat / blue hangover) Jazz & Blues cafe has a cat dressed in blue mascot on a shelf near the bar and a blue cat playing a piano keyboard image, as part of the main external sign, above the entrance. As on several previous visits, Tim enjoyed a Saison Dupont from a bottle (€5). It's a pleasant place to linger with plenty of music related decor including old posters and there is always blues or jazz music playing.

MALZ

Arriving at 7.30pm on a Tuesday, MALZ was not busy and we were able to sit on the sofa, just inside the entrance of the award winning craft beer bar. After browsing the bound menu, we ordered a bottle of Druppel Ipanema by Brouwerij Van Druppel, a microbrewery in Aarschot and draught Vollen Bak a farmhouse ale (6.8% ABV, €5.50) from tap 5 by Brouwerij Adept based at De Smederij nearby in Winksele / Veltem. The bar and both beers are recommended.

There are shelves near the sofa with a variety of books and magazines about beer including Op Cafe in Vlaanderen by Sofie Vanrafelghem which features 200 beer bars in Flanders. A copy of Berkshire CAMRA 'Pubs & Pints' was added.

De Metafoor

Located between the river Dyle and the Oude Markt, De Metafoor at Parijsstraat 34 was another favourite bar to revisit. It was quiet at 8pm on Tuesday. From our table near the entrance we had a view of the corner bar and the bookshelf over the trompe l'oeil cabinet and real sofa.

We enjoyed a couple of bottles from the laminated beer menu. Meg's Job (6% ABV) by Brouwerij de Kroon and Tim's Wolf 7 (7.4% ABV) by Brouwerij Wolf. Music playing included 'Back in the USSR' and 'Don't fear the Reaper'. If you want to be sure of a table here, visit during university vacations!

In den Ouden Tijd

After a first late night visit in January, we returned to In den Ouden Tijd for a final beer on both nights when we visited Leuven again in August. It's near the station and Ibis Budget hotel plus the offer of a 33cl glass of Stella Artois for €2.50 is good value.

There's a smoking room behind glass walls on the left and a Belgian two pocket billiards table on the right when you enter. The games machines and bar are at the back and this is where drinks are ordered.

Stella Artois is the obvious choice here although the beer list includes other good value options including Westmalle Tripel (€4).

De Reynaert

Back in Leuven on Wednesday 12 August, after seven nights in Germany, we walked to De Reyneart after checking in at the Ibis Budget hotel.

It had been closed for some building work the previous week. Since a first visit to this 'Oldschool kroeg' in January, De Reynaert has become an essential bar to visit although its location to the south of the city centre involves a long walk or a bus journey.

Draught Cristal (25cl, €2.90) was the obvious first beer after a walk on a hot and sunny afternoon. There is a small courtyard area at the back of the premises which was still sunny at 5.30pm.

Retiring inside later we found a table near the entrance with a view of the bar and blackboard over. A Trappist Orval and a Nen Doorzetter by De Firma (brewed by Craywinckelhof near Lubbeek, 12 km east of Leuven) each cost €5.

Brewed since 2021, the fruity and floral Nen Doorzetter (6% ABV) was a great local find.

Brouwerij de Coureur

After a bus ride to Kessel-Lo, on the other side of the railway tracks, we reached the Brouwerij de Coureur taproom, Borstelsstraat 20, at 7.30pm.

The wide entrance includes bicycle parking space and decor. The poster beside the doorway inside includes the motto 'Life is Brewtiful'.

The white-painted toilet block and bar are on the right as you enter.

We found a table at the far end of the long brewery / taproom area near the large window. There are regular and high seating options including stools at the bar. Quirky features include a QR code card holder formed from a bicycle inner tube and rubber bands, oversize bottle caps with mottos eg 'Beer is cheaper than Therapy' and a counter with beer drinking ducks.

Natural light also reaches the space from rooflights. The blackboard on the wall near our table suggests 'Keep cool and drink beer'. While others were preparing to view the solar eclipse, there was sunlight on our table and we failed to notice any significant change in light although this may have been due to the gradual nature of the phenomenon?

Grinta (33cl),       Colleke (40cl),       Souplesse (33cl)

We may have missed the solar eclipse but we didn't miss the opportunity to enjoy some beers at Brouwerij de Coureur!

From the printed menu on a clipboard, we chose Grinta NEIPA (5.4% ABV, 33cl €6), Colleke 'fresh & uncomplicated' Cream Ale (4.5% ABV, 40cl €4) and Souplesse Blonde Tripel (6.9% ABV, 33cl €5).

Before leaving, an hour later, a few new customers had arrived and there was a chance to have a quick look at the brewing equipment. It was good to get around to visiting Brouwerij de Coureur and although it is some distance from the centre of Leuven it is walkable from the station (1.5km) and Hal 5 (1.2km).

Hal 9, Kessel-Lo

Unfortunately, the Hal 5 branch of Falafel Habibi had closed when we walked past but there was a view of nearby Hal 9 where redevelopment work continues to convert the former railway workshop into a youth centre.

Meals and coffee in Leuven

On Tuesday 4 August we dined on Tibetan food near De Metafoor at Intertaste, Parijsstraat 7.

On Wednesday 5 August, we had breakfast and coffee at the Leuven station branch of Madmum. 

On Wednesday 12 August, we sat outside Frituur Station, Martelarenlaan 17, for a simple meal involving frites.

Related Leuven posts

Leuven - 2026 (visit 1)

Leuven Spring 2024

Leuven (Thursday 2019)

Leuven Jazz Festival (Sunday 2019)

Travel to and from Brussels and Germany

These were brief visits to Leuven (3) in August on the way to and from Germany, after and before Eurostar train journeys between London and Brussels (2). See the posts below for details of the German cities visited.

Dusseldorf

Hannover

Köln 

Tournai and Kortrijk

With a base in Lille, it is easy to cross the border into Belgium and visit Tournai and Kortrijk.

On Thursday 12 September 2024, Tim Thomas crossed the border by train and visited both cities on anti-clockwise triangular route. See appendix for details of the trains travelled on.

Tournai

In Wallonia, Tournai (Doornik in Dutch) is situated on the river Scheldt, 50 km northwest of Mons and 25 km east of Lille.

Catching a delayed train from Lille Flandres gave an earlier arrival than planned at Tournai. The impressive railway station lies about one kilometer north of the landmark Belfry. The pedestrian route to the Belfry leads across the river Scheldt and its quaysides and around the Cathedral of Our Lady with its five towers.

Before returning to the Grand Place (above with Cathedral to the left and Belfry to the right), there was time for a visit to the Musee des Beaux-Arts, designed by Victor Horta, before the lunchtime closing. The collection includes art by Manet, Oleffe and Seurat.

After this cultural treat it was time for a liquid treat at Au Vieux Tournay, Grand Place 48.

An external blackboard lists the beers available inside - three on draught, including Stella Artois, and over 70 bottles.

A sentence in blue mentions that payment by cash is required and that cards are not accepted. There's also a bound menu inside which includes the following items:

Les Blondes - Tournay Triple - De Cazeau - 5.1 euros

Les Saison - Tremist Saison - Kazematten - 3.8 euros

Les Gueuzes - Oude Gueuze - De Troch - 6.5 euros (37.5 cl)

Rhub-Elle - Lambiek Fabriek - 20 euros (75 cl)

Barrel aged - Gouden Carolus Whiskey Infused - Het Anker - 6 euros

Les Trappistes - Orval - 5 euros, 6 euros (+6 months), 7 euros (+1 year)

Tynt Meadow - Mount Saint Bernard Abbey - 7 euros

Snacks - Portion fromage Orval - 5.7 euros

Saucisson sec - 6.6 euros

When Tim arrived there was a group at an outside table and two individuals inside on the right side, viewed from the bar. Photos taken after their departure are arranged above with the right side at the top. On the left side of the bar, Tim's glass of Boscoli fruit beer from Brouwerij Het Anker (4.7 euros) is shown.

Next to a colourful disc, a book by Sophie Vanrafelghem – Les 200 Meilleur Cafes de Wallonie et Bruxelles was balanced against the wall. A look inside revealed that Au Vieux Tournay was included. The book reveals that Audry and Elisa are the hosts here. It's obviously a good place for beer lovers to meet and it was a pleasure to enjoy the surroundings at a quiet time, if only briefly on this first occasion.

The ‘Visit Tournai’ office at Place Paul-Emile Janson 1, has some useful brochures including ‘Time 4 Beer’ (available online). Local breweries highlighted are: Cazeau, Brunehaut, Dubuisson, Dupont, Caulier, Carrieres, De Ranke and Du Grand Mir. 

A compact folding leaflet is available for anyone interested in architecture - Art Nouveau in Tournai / Doornik.

Railway station side of Art Nouveau in Tournai / Doornik brochure

With some time to spare before the train to Kortrijk, the Art Nouveau brochure was useful for finding interesting architecture near Tournai station.

Place Victor Carbonelle, 5

The other side of the brochure features the southwest part of the city including the Musee des Beaux-Arts, Boulevard Leopold and Boulevard du Roi Albert.

It was nice to ride on the top deck of a quiet train to its final destination - Kortrijk, via Herseaux and Mouscron.

Kortrijk

In West Flanders, Kortrijk (Courtrai in French) is situated on the river Leie, 42 km southwest of Ghent and 25 km northeast of Lille.

Arriving at Kortrijk by train, it's obvious that many bicycles are parked in front of the station.

Kortrijk also has a notable Belfry with a WWI memorial beside it.

There was time to wander through the historic Begijnhof / Beguinage before crossing a branch of the river Leie by the bridge at the Broel Towers to reach Buda island.

Most bars in Kortrijk don't open until late afternoon on a Thursday but at least there was an opportunity to get a photo of Brasserie ‘t Mouterijtje.

A nearby bar on Buda island, Kunstkroeg De Doedelzak, was also closed but snapped for the blog.

It would be Cafe deDingen, almost opposite, that could provide a beer on a Thursday afternoon. Inside there was a nice ‘alternative’ feel about the place and music playing included tracks by Wu-Tang Clan and 50 Cent.

At the back of the long cafe, there are glass doors giving views into Brouwerij Ruimtegist.

Sadly, no Ruimtegist beers were available at the cafe counter but a local Verzet by Brouwerij 't Verzet (2.8 euros) was refreshing.

The photos above show the length of the cafe premises, viewed from the back at slightly different angles.

At 4.30pm it was time to recross the river Leie. From this bridge, the whitewashed 't Fonteintje can be seen on a corner, on the right bank, half way to the Broel towers.

A menu blackboard outside 't Fonteintje shows the kitchen opening time as 6.30pm.

Inside, the front bar was already busy a few minutes after opening so a table in the empty back room with a view of the bar and the traditional Bieren Omer Vanderghinste (O V) stained glass window was a good compromise.

From the bar counter, a generous 25 cl serving of draught Ypra (O V) cost 4.50 euros.

The side door to the blue walled back room was wedged open so it wasn't warm inside but it was further from the noise of an excavator working on the road in front.

Several hours would pass and three further O V beers would be enjoyed. During this time, the excavations stop, the side door was closed, the 'Reserved' sign was moved to a different table and the candles were lit as diners arrived. A complimentary bowl of crisps was served with the 25cl bottle of Rouge Max (4.5 euros) but a further bowl to go with the 25cl bottle of Bellegems Wit (3 euros) was declined. The lasagne bolognaise was accompanied by a basket of bread and butter and a draught Tripel LeFort (4 euros). Lasagne and spaghetti seem to be menu staples in Flanders and Brussels bars. This lasagne bolognaise was preferable to one at Antwerp's Paters Vaetje but could not match the classic at Poechenellekelder in Brussels.

After a visit to the superior toilet facilities and paying the bill at the bar counter, once outside the dusk light made additional photos worthwhile at 8.25pm (Belgian time).

It only takes 10 minutes for a brisk walk from here to Gainsbar near Kortrijk station. 

Stadhuis (top left), Stadsschouwburg (bottom left), Belfry (centre), Sint-Maartenskerk from Grote Markt (top right)

A few stops were needed to photograph interesting architecture and street art on the route via Grote Markt (Grand Place), also passing near the Stadsschouwburg (theatre).

At Vlasmarkt 1, Gainsbar was quite a contrast to the bistro style of 't Fonteintje. Gainsbar was dimly lit with loud music playing and a younger clientele.

The track playing (e.g. by Mark Lanegan)  could be identified from a square screen surrounded by album covers near the entrance. It's necessary to literally step up to the elevated counter to order a beer. A unique feature is the 'wall of speakers' that forms the bar front. There's a mix of seating with high stools at the bar and near the entrance and low seating on the far side.

With less than half an hour to linger here before heading to the station, a 25 cl glass of Bockor Pils (2.80 euros) brewed locally by O V was the simple choice from an extensive menu and tap list.

The tap list above the bar included beers from Scotland by Holy Goat and Brewdog. The printed menu is available from a holder directly beneath the tap list and gives details of the distance from the bar of the brewery for each beer. A future visit to Kortrijk should allow longer time in this bar which, like 't Fonteintje, also has an extensive pavement area for external tables.

There was time to buy a ticket from a machine and reach platform 4A for the last train to Lille Flanders at 21.14. Confusingly, the Poperinge train directly in front of the Lille train would depart from platform 4B at 21.10. It was a relief to be on the correct train for the journey back to France!

Appendix: Train details:

front and back of non personalised pass pass plastic card

Note that an ilevia Pass Pass plastic card ('non personalised') can be purchased from ticket machines in Lille e.g. Lille Europe, Lille Flanders stations. 

When the pass includes e.g. 24 hours travel this includes bus, tram, metro and local trains.

Ilevia tram and metro plan

Extent of train routes covered by ilevia Pass Pass plastic card for Lille

Ticket passes can be purchased for an evening, or 1-7 days. For example a 96 hour / 4 day pass costs 15.10 euros + 2 euros for the card which can be reused subsequently. The card should be placed on a validator at the start of each leg of a journey. Validators are located on entrance barriers at metro stations, at the platforms for trams, at rail station entrances to platform areas or inside buses near the driver.

It's possible to save money on international journeys by using the Pass Pass card for the French part of the journey and buying an international ticket from the French border e.g. Baisieux for Lille to Tournai. The SNCB International app can be used to buy tickets between France and Belgium. These can used as e-tickets without printing. For international journeys there is a discount for age 65+ (shown within brackets)

Lille Flanders > Tournai    2nd class from 5.10 (4.60) euros   1st class from 6.10 (5.40) euros

Baisieux > Tournai                                     4.30 (3.80) euros                          5.30 (4.60) euros

                                                                   

Lille Flanders > Kortrijk    2nd class from 5.90 (5.20) euros   1st class from  7.10 (6.10) euros

Roubaix / Tourcoing > Kortrijk                  5.10 (4.40) euros                           6.30 (5.30) euros

For shorter single journeys within Belgium there is no 'Senior' discount and the 2nd class fare from Tournai to Kortrijk is 6.50 euros. Tickets can be purchased from a machine at the station or as an e-ticket using the SNCB (domestic) app.

For the journey Roubaix > Lille Flanders (Metro), Lille Flanders > Tournai; Tournai > Kortrijk, Kortrijk > Roubaix the total cost of fares in conjunction with a Pass Pass card is 15.90 (14.70) euros.

Lille Flandres station

Lille Flandres  dep   9.08  Tournai  arr  9.36  (this train was delayed by 16 minutes on 12/9/24)

                               10.08                     10.36  ( next train)

Note that at Tournai the international train changes into a domestic service from Tournai to Namur via Mons. It's possible to buy an international ticket from Lille Flandres to Namur on these services for 25.40 (12.00) euros.

An excerpt from the Tournai departures poster shows that on weekdays there are usually seven trains an hour with services to Saint-Nicholas (Flanders via Brussels), Quevy (via Mons), Mouscron (Wallonia), Brussels airport (via Brussels) and Kortrijk / Courtrai (via Mouscron) in addition to those to Lille and Namur.

Tournai station

Tournai  dep 13.53  Kortrijk / Courtrai  arr 14.22

Kortrijk / Courtrai station

Kortrijk / Courtrai  dep 21.14  Roubaix  arr 21.40 arr Lille Flandres  21.51 (last train)

                                    20.14                       20.40 arr Lille Flandres  20.51 (previous train)

Roubaix station