Amaryllis and Floral Festival – Belgian Ardennes – NEW TOUR

Depart the UK

Drive to Dover and take the ferry crossing to Calais or Dunkerque.  Make your way through France and into Belgium and on to your hotel in Mons for the next 3 nights.  After check-in there will be time to relax before enjoying dinner together.

City of Mons Sightseeing

After breakfast, meet up with a local guide for a walking tour of Mons, a small city with a big history.  Starting at the Grand Place, this large cobbled-stone square is dotted with a hop-scotch mix of architectural styles and continuing to the UNESCO listed 17th century baroque Belfry where a panoramic lift will take you to the top to offer extensive views of the town and the Collegiate Church St. Waltrude, a masterpiece of flamboyant Gothic architecture that houses treasures such as the Golden Coach.

The tour will finish at the Mons Memorial Museum where you will get time to reflect on life during the last two world wars with a vast permanent exhibition highlighting the military history of the Mons region – entrance has been included.  After the tour the rest of the day is a leisure to explore the city further.

Return to the hotel for dinner and an evening at leisure.

Amaryllis Festival at Belœil Castle

The Château de Belœil , a former fortress, is surrounded by moats and symmetrical French-styled gardens giving it the name ‘The Versailles of Belgium’.

Thanks to the imagination of the decorators, over 6,000 flowers (including the iconic amaryllis), will adorn and transform this regal residence for ten days.  The Amaryllis will be arranged into prestigious bouquets. From the grand staircase to the Field Marshal’s apartments, from the Ambassadors’ Room to the Epinoy Room, a real sight for senses.

The castle has remained in the same family since the 14th century and its opulent interiors display period furniture, exquisite tapestries and family portraits and the library is one of the highlights with its vast collection.  Outside, explore the gardens, reflective pools and tree-lined avenues. One notable feature is the “Rieu d’Amour,” a romantic waterway adorned with 18th-century Greek columns, adding a touch of whimsy to the formal landscape.

Return to the hotel for dinner and evening at leisure.

Return to the UK

Depart after breakfast and travel to Calais or Dunkerque and take the ferry across to the UK, and home.

Mons Military Weekend -‘ TANKS IN TOWN’  (September)

Why not coincide this tour with the Tanks in Town event in Mons in September every year.  To commemorate the liberation of Mons during WW2, the town hosts a superb collection of ‘Tanks in Town’. This event features a host of armoured vehicles. Shermans, Chaffees, Pershings, Tank Destroyers, Half Tracks and a host of jeeps and trucks parade through the streets culminating on the Sunday as they peacefully invade the city centre and take over the main square. Throughout the weekend there are events in the nearby fields surrounding Mons including a period camp, military flea market and a parade.

City of Tournai, Classic Cars and ‘Bush Beer’

Tournai was founded by the Romans, once ruled by King Henry VIII and is one of the oldest cities in Belgium.  On an excursion through the city by tourist train travel through 2000 years of history, see the impressive and unique 5-spired Cathedral of Notre-Dame with it’s rose window, the Grand Place which is lined with bars and restaurants and dominated by a UNESCO-listed 12th century belfry and marvel at the Romanes St. Quentin’s Church and the medieval, fully restored Red Fort tower.

The Mahymobiles Motor Museum run by the Mahy family have a collection of over 1000 veteran, vintage and classic vehicles of which 300 are on display over 6 galleries.  These include, cars, bikes, fire-engines, buses and much more.  For young and old alike, this is a truly fascinating experience. There is an on-site cafe, store and antique shop and free coach parking.

Before returning to the hotel, maybe make an optional stop at the **Dubuisson Brewery for a tour of the brewery and a beer tasting in the Troll and Bush Brewery Pub.  They are famous for their strong ‘Bush Beers’ which are ranked amongst the strongest in alcohol in Belgium.  Group dinners can also be arranged in their restaurant. (Group visits/tours may need to be booked in advance – please ask for details)