Top 10 Fun Things To Do In Leuven Belgium

Leuven Belgium is the perfect mini escape from the big city hustle of Brussels. Despite its small size, there are so many things to do in Leuven for everyone to enjoy.

Learn about the chilling history of the Leuven University Library, see historical landmarks, enjoy some local beers, go on a unique shopping, and more!

Here are the top fun things to do in Leuven Belgium!

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A Bit About Leuven?

Leuven is a University town (home to KU) in the Flanders region of Belgium. With the University, Leuven has a very young and lively vibe to the city. And because it’s in the Flanders region, the official language in Leuven is Flemish.

If you’ve ever visited Ghent, both cities are very similar as they’re both in the Flanders region of Belgium with Universities.

How To Get From Brussels To Leuven

Getting to Leuven is a no brainer, especially if you’re coming from Brussels. This is a very low-stress trip.

The trains from Brussels to Leuven run every 10-15 minutes (and vice versa). This way, you never have to worry about missing your train back. And, it’s only a 20-minute train!

And the train station in Leuven Belgium is so central, so it’ll only take you 10 minutes to walk from there to the city centre.

Top 10 Things To Do In Leuven Belgium

If you’re visiting for the first time, here’s what to do in Leuven Belgium.

1. Learn about & Visit KU University Library

Leuven’s biggest attraction is KU University’s library. It burned down during each World War, but nowadays after two reconstructions it’s a fully operational library and offers visits.

They provide an audio guide that takes you on a historical tour of the library. It describes the architecture of the building and the devastating fires that occured.

Included in your admission ticket, is access to the bell tower with beautiful panoramic views. Although I have to warn you, if you have a fear of heights and/or small spaces (like narrow winding staircases!), this exhibit isn’t for you. Perhaps instead, take out a book in the charming library hall and read about the history that way!

Keep in mind, this is still a working bell tower, so it still rings every hour… on the hour. If you’re at the top when they go off, it’s LOUD and it shakes the entire tower. For some, this might not be the most pleasant experience when you’re 80 meters high.

So, if you don’t want to be there when the bells go off, wait downstairs until the hour mark passes – trust me, you’ll be happy you did!

The cost of the tour is ‎€7 (card accepted, see updated prices), and that includes the audio guide and panoramic view.

2. Visit Gothic Buildings In The Grote Markt

While in Leuven Belgium, head to Grote Markt to see the 15th century Gothic-style Town Hall and St. Peter’s Church.

Take some time to admire the lace-like detail of the Town Hall. Also, pay close attention to the towers of St. Peter’s Church. In typical Belgian fashion, they were never finished because the soil underneath was unstable.

You can also go inside the church to see ‘The Last Supper’ masterpiece, painted by Dieric Bouts between 1464 and 1468.

3. Discover Old Roman Ruins

Leuven is also home to some 13th Century relics right in the middle of the city! Literally, there’s an old Roman gate and fortification walls built into the city.

The Roman Gate is now the entrance to a church (called De Romaanse Poort). And not too far, hidden in an alleyway, are the old town walls (Ruins of oldest Leuven city walls). They’re a part of the Handbogenhof park just off of Brusselsestraat.

There are even more historical ruins at Sint-Donatus Park, like toren oude stadsomwalling sint donatuspark (old towers).

4. Shop Local Fashion

There are a lot of unique local boutique shops in Leuven that you won’t find anywhere else in Belgium. So, once you’re in Leuven, best to take advantage of the unique shopping scene!

The shopping in Leuven is even better because for the most part, it’s along a pedestrian-only street. So feel free to shop at your own pace, without worrying about any cars.

The main shopping street is Diestestraat, but you’ll find shops all around Grote Markt that you can check out.

5. Relax In The Botanical Gardens (Kruidtuin)

At the edge of town, you’ll find the Leuven Botanical Gardens. The Botanical Gardens are really the ultimate place to go if you need an escape from city life. Here, you’re completely surrounded by greenery without a car or traffic in sight! I didn’t even tell you the best part yet! It’s completely free!

The Leuven Botanical Gardens are even more interesting because they’re actually the oldest in Belgium – dating back to 1738. They began as a simple herb garden planted by medical students at the University and then blossomed in to the beautiful beast it is today.

You can get lost in the jungle, find different types of plants, admire an array of flowers, or go say hi to the fish in the koi pond. The fish will be very happy to see you, especially if you have food for them!

On the map, the garden looks like it’s pretty far all the way on the other side of town, but it’s really not. I thought for sure we wouldn’t end up going but I didn’t realize how small this town actually is. It’s only a 15-minute walk from the Leuven train station!

6. Go On A Statue Scavenger Hunt Around Leuven Belgium

It seemed like every time we turned a corner there was another statue with no explanation for why it was there. But by the end of the day, it was so exciting when we spotted a new one!

I’ll list the ones we saw below, including some of the lesser known ones! We had so much fun coming up with silly origin stories for every statue we came across, I swear this is one of the best things to do in Leuven, so try it out!

Balloon of Friendship

You can’t miss this 8 metre high structure when you leave the train station. It’s supposed to represent the idea that with friends you can conquer anything that comes your way.

De Fonske

The most famous, and in my opinion the scariest statue in Leuven Belgium, is the Fonske Statue. I don’t know how it ended up looking so scary, but it’s meant to represent the city’s educational heritage.

It’s believed that it’s a student reading a book. We thought the water he’s pouring into his head is knowledge, but locals like to say that it’s beer!

The best part about finding Fonske is the great vantage point you get of the Town Hall and St. Peter’s Church.

Some other honourable mention creepy statues can be found in Sint-Donatus Park. You have Mercurius statue just before the park, but even creepier is The Men of the Year ‘Kamerood Sesteg’ in the park (read about the statue here).

De Kotmadam

In the Oude Markt (more on that in a bit!), you’ll stumble upon a woman sitting on a bench. She’s slouching, holding an old coffee can, and wearing what looks like a nightgown.

As it turns out, she’s an unrealistic depiction of a Kotmadam – a school landlady. A Kotmadam is meant to be a surrogate mother for the students while away at school. So it isn’t exactly what comes to locals minds when they think of a Kotmadam.

Dorre the Baker

Amidst all the shoppers and fashion stores on Diestestraat, stands Dorre, a statue of a baker carrying 4 loaves of bread on a wood plank. 

Back in the day, Diestestraat was filled with bakeries and pastry shops, even though there isn’t one in sight today. Now, only Dorre remains from that baking era.

Totem

One of the newest additions to the Leuven statue scavenger hunt is Totem. It was placed in Ladeuzeplein square to celebrate the 575th anniversary of the University library.

We missed this gem because of a fair in the square at the time. But I’d imagine it’s quite a sight when you see this 75-foot needle with a shiny beetle impaled on it.

I’m still not really sure how a bug is connected to a library, but there are a few theories going around. For example, people think the bug symbolizes the fragility of life (and books).

7. Leuven Beer Scene: The Longest Bar In The World – The Oude Markt

The Oude Markt is Leuven’s pride and joy! They have earned the title of the longest bar in the world. I guess with all those Belgian students in the city, supply has to meet demand…right!?

So lucky for you, there are a lot of Leuven beer options to choose from and it’s a must-do if you’re looking for what to do in Leuven.

8. More Leuven Beer: Visit The Stella Artois Brewery

Stella Artois is one of the oldest beers in the world, and it originates from none other than Leuven Belgium. The brewery still operates there today and offers guided visits. I mean, you can’t call yourself a real Belgian city if you don’t have at least one brewery tour.

The brewery is only a 15 minute walk from the train station. Double check they have tours running when you’re planning on visiting. They only offer English tours on Friday at 5:00 P.M., and Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 P.M.

9. Take In Art At The M Museum In Leuven Belgium

The M Museum in Leuven has modern art exhibits from past and present artists. The exhibits are constantly changing so check before to see if any of them interest you.

Even if you’re not interested in the art, they have a rooftop terrace with great city views that you can visit.

They’re closed on Wednesdays, which was a shock coming from Brussels, where museums are normally closed on Mondays.

10. Go For Delicious Eats In Leuven

With every University town comes a good coffee scene and even better local eats! Leuven Belgium is no exception…

The Best Coffee/ Tea Spot In Leuven Belgium

This is a student run town after all, so there’s no shortage of good coffee spots here.

We found Café Noir right next to the University. It’s a large coffee shop with couches to relax on, desks to work at, and a back patio to soak up the sun if it’s nice out.

But my favourite part was that you can choose between two coffee beans. Their OG bean is from Nicaragua but they also have a weekly bean to try. Don’t be afraid to ask what it is!

More into tea? Don’t worry! They also had a wide selection of different herbal and caffeinated teas to choose from.

Leuven Lunch Spots To Enjoy

I did some research beforehand and found a few spots for lunch. The recommendations that caught my eye were Balls & Glory and DeWerf.

Balls & Glory is a good option if you’re looking to try typical Flanders meatballs. DeWerf (The Werf) is the place to go for cheap eats with reasonable portion sizes. It was clearly the student lunch spot of the city.

What’s nice about DeWerf is that it’s off the beaten path with a huge outdoor patio. But it’s cash only.

So we ended up at Vietnamese restaurant, Ah Quy, also just off the main street away from everyone. It’s cheap, and out of this world delicious! If you want local, this is definitely the spot. We just beat the crowds because at 12:00 there’s a line out the door with hungry Belgians waiting to be fed!

Cash Only Warning Around Leuven Belgium

When we visited Leuven Belgium we made sure to bring cash to this small town as we were warned that most places don’t accept card. This has now changed and card (debit or credit) is now widely accepted (of course along with cash too!).

You can also download the app Payconiq that let’s you pay through your bank account.

Need A Place To Stay In Leuven?

When I visited Leuven I visited for the day from Brussels, so I didn’t stay overnight in Leuven. If you’re planning on staying in Leuven, here are some hotels I found in the city for each type of stay.

For larger groups stay at The Heart of Leuven apartment, literally, in the heart of Leuven. It can sleep up to 8 guests in this two bedroom (two bathroom) apartment. See room rates & availability.

If you’re looking for an apartment for longer stays, Boutique Leuven is the hotel for you. It has a quick self check-in and a fully equipped apartment. See room rates & availability.

Interested in a bed and breakfast stay in Leuven? Check out the Hotel De Pastorij with a delicious breakfast included in your stay. See room rates & availability.

Click here for more hotel options in Leuven.

Map it Out

Need help finding everywhere you want to go in Leuven? Check out my map for all the main spots you don’t miss something while you’re there!

Leuven is such an easy day trip to make from Brussels because of the short train ride. But if you’re willing to go a bit further there are some other great Belgian cities to check out. 

If you want to stay in the Flanders region, make a trip to Ghent, Antwerp, Brugge, or if it’s nice out head to the coast.

But don’t disregard the Wallonia region too. Cities like Namur and Dinant are also worthwhile trips to make. 

My Belgium Day Trip Essentials

More Belgium Guides Please!

• The Complete Guide To Brussels
• The Complete Guide to Belgium
• Travel Guide: Dinant
•  The Perfect Belgian Souvenir
• The Ultimate Guide To Belgian Beer

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Last update on 2024-05-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API