My Liège: A Two-day Walking Itinerary of Belgium’s “Fervent City”

Liège is chosen by many European students as their Erasmus exchange destination, partly because of its good universities, and partly because of its location at the heart of Europe. It is a town built by the Meuse river in the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium. The inland port of Liège has been receiving people and goods for centuries, greatly contributing to this city’s rich history and old industrial flair.

Nowadays, most of Liège’s visitors are welcomed by the grand train station Liège-Guillemins, a jaw-dropping modern architectural sight that connects the town with the rest of Belgium. It is here that my personal journey as an Erasmus student began and, thus, I found it appropriate to start this Liège itinerary from there as well.

Right out of the train station, we are taking the bus to Saint-Lambert square (Pl. Saint-Lambert). We will get off at the busy Saint Gilles road (Rue St.Gilles), whose pubs, street food, shops, and university facilities make it an ideal place for student life. Let’s grab a coffee and walk down Pont d’Avroy street.

As we’re walking on the brick street, we see restaurants, cafeterias, and the Forum Concert Hall. We arrive at Pl. de la Cathédrale with the beautiful Saint-Paul de Liège cathedral. Here you have to try waffles from Sandwicherie Pollux. I always go for takeaway gaufrettes with dark chocolate, which I enjoy best sitting by the Fontaine de la Vierge (Fontaine au lion). Alternatively, you can try the typical Liège waffles with pearl sugar.

We can spend some time shopping at rue Vinâve d'Île, or we can keep on walking down rue Charles Magnette towards the University of Liège, where I studied. It was built  in 1817, right by the edge of the river. A stop for hot chocolate and delicious pastries or sandwiches at Darius Café, opposite the university, is a must. It’s a quiet place chosen by many students as their study corner.

We’ve walked a lot, so it’s time to take a shortcut. Let’s walk up Donceel street, and the narrow St Denis street to reach the hidden Saint-Etienne square. André Charcuterie-Gérardrie is a few steps ahead, inviting us to enter and sample their different pâté flavors.

Liège’s historic center, Saint-Lambert square is just around the corner. We can take pictures in front of the Palace of the Prince-Bishops, which stands magnificent in the square. There are many options for lunch here. An affordable option would be HEMA’s mushroom soup in Les Galeries St Lambert shopping mall, which I often had for lunch as a student.

After getting some rest, it’s time to continue our Liège itinerary, walking by Place du Marché and heading straight into my favorite boulangerie-patisserie in this town, named Une Gaufrette Saperlipopette, for the most delicious fresh mélo cakes.

We will take Hors-Château street, pass by some museums and the Saint-Jean-Baptiste fountain, all to finally arrive at the most beautiful staircase in the area. It is called “Montagne de Bueren”, it has 374 steps, and every year in June thousands of flower pots are placed on them to form different images. It leads to the highest point of Liège, giving us the best views of the city.

After a long day, I reckon it’s time for a beer. Brasserie {C} is right by the staircase. It crafts the local Curtius Beer and offers guided tours of the beer-making process. We could grab a beer from any local shop, my favorite flavor being cherry-flavored ‘La Chouffe’, and drink it by the riverfront at the Saint-Leonard Quey, while watching the beautiful colors of the lights reflected in the water.

Let’s end the day here, and meet again tomorrow, just below the Saucy Bridge (Passerelle Saucy).

On Sunday mornings, the La Batte farmers/flea market takes place by the river, under Passerelle Saucy. Let’s have breakfast here and then cross the river to wander around Outremeuse. We have to visit Tchantchès et Nanesse tavern and Tchantchès museum, to discover the puppet show tradition of Liége.

Now let’s take some fresh air on the docks of Eduard Van Beneden and Churchill. It’s a long stroll that leads to La Boverie Museum in Parc de la Boverie. The scenery is so peaceful and relaxing there that you might want to lay on the grass and watch the ducks for a while. 

Now, we can either go to Médiacité shopping center, or cross the Belle Liégeoise Bridge to enjoy views of the river and of the Financial Tower of Liège.

We are only a 7-minute walk from the train station where we started. The question is, are we ready to leave, or do we want to spend some more time in town? Let’s end this Liège itinerary with two suggestions for this evening. We could either have our last beer at the famous bar “Le Pot au Lait”, or watch an opera performance at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège. What are you down for?