Hasselt
Limburg'S Capital And Shopping Town, Known For Jenever (Belgian Gin) And Its Museum, A Large Japanese Garden And The Pukkelpop Festival Nearby · Hasselt, Limburg Province
Hasselt is the capital of Limburg, the Flemish province in Belgium's east, a lively mid-sized city best known in Belgium for shopping, jenever and a relaxed, well-kept centre. Jenever, the juniper spirit that is the ancestor of gin, has been distilled here for centuries, and the Jenevermuseum (often called the Nationaal Jenevermuseum - confirm the current name) in an old distillery tells that story and ends with a tasting. The city also has a large Japanese Garden, said to be among the largest in Europe, open in the warmer months; a fashion museum, the Modemuseum; the contemporary art centre Z33; and St Quintinus cathedral. The Pukkelpop festival, held in August at Kiewit on the edge of town, brings huge crowds. Visitors come for a pleasant day of shops, cafes and a museum or two. The honest verdict: Hasselt is an agreeable regional city, not a destination on its own. It suits people already in Limburg, shoppers, or those combining it with Bokrijk and Maastricht; first-time visitors to Belgium should see Bruges, Ghent or Antwerp first.
The Grote Markt and the shopping streets of central Hasselt, with the Japanese Garden on the edge of town, Hasselt, Limburg Province, Belgium
The city centre is open at all hours; shops usually open about 10:00-18:00 Monday to Saturday, and many close on Sundays except on occasional shopping Sundays - confirm. The Jenevermuseum, the Modemuseum and Z33 typically close on Mondays (and the Modemuseum and Z33 close between exhibitions - confirm it is open), with shorter hours in winter. The Japanese Garden opens seasonally, roughly April to October, and is usually closed on Mondays - check the current schedule. St Quintinus cathedral is open for visitors on most days outside services. Getting there: trains from Brussels take roughly 1 hour 15 minutes, with direct trains from Leuven, Antwerp and Liege; the station is about 10-15 minutes' walk from the Grote Markt. De Lijn buses serve the city. By car, park in a garage near the green ring road. Book ahead only for Pukkelpop, guided jenever tastings for groups, and hotels during festival weekends.