Hasselt
Understand
In 2004, Hasselt was the first Belgian city to receive the title "most sociable city of Flanders", and has since claimed the title of "Capital of Good Taste"; likewise, Hasselt is also considered an exemplary city regarding pedestrian facilities in the centre.
Get in
By plane
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
- Eindhoven - Eindhoven Airport
- Liege Bierset - Liege Airport
- Maastricht - Maastricht Aachen Airport
- Rotterdam - Rotterdam Airport
- Brussels - Brussels Airport
- Charleroi - Brussels South Charleroi Airport
- 1 [dead link] Kiewit Airfield, ☏ +32 11 21-25-50. Grass field landing.
By train
- 1 Hasselt station (NMBS), Stationsplein 2-3, ☏ +32 11 29-60-00. Train station with an information and ticket office.
By bus
Good connections links to Hasselt from all municipalities in Limburg and Maastricht. Bus information: De Lijn Limburg, Tel. +32 70 22-02-00. De Lijn has a shop at the Station Square.
By car
Hasselt and its car parks [dead link] are easily accessible by motorways E313 (exits 27 - 28 - 29) and E314 (exit 29).
Get around
Public transport by bus is free for under 19s, otherwise 1 euro per trip. You need to buy a Hasseltpas in advance to take advantage of these cheaper fares and both the place you get on and off the bus have to be inside the city of Hasselt.
See
The town centre of Hasselt is not large but very sociable. The centre is mostly car-free and contains a number of historical buildings. Among the oldest buildings in the town centre are the St. Quentin's Cathedral (11th to 18th C.) and the "Herkenrode Abbey refuge house" (1542).
Monuments and buildings
- 1 Herkenrode Abbey, Zolderse Kiezel 220 (Kuringen). Former Cistercian monastery founded in 1182 and Refugehuis "refuge house" (1542).
- 2 St. Quentin's Cathedral (Sint-Quintinuskathedraal), Vismarkt.
- 3 Virga Jesse Basilica (Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Virga-Jesse), Kapelstraat.
- 4 Cultural Centre, Casterstraat, ☏ +32 11 22-99-31.
Parks and public fields
Museums
- 7 National Jenever Museum, Witte Nonnenstraat 19. Dutch/Belgian version of gin
- 8 Urban Fashion museum (Modemuseum), Gasthuisstraat 11, ☏ +32 11 23 96 21.
- 9 Municipal Carillon Museum (Stedelijk Beiaardmuseum), Vismarkt.
- 10 [dead link] Museum of the 'Heilig Paterke', Schrijnwerkersstraat.
Do
- 1 Plopsa Indoor Hasselt, Gouverneur Verwilghensingel 70, ☏ +32 11 29 30 40, info@plopsa.be. Indoor theme park that is open all year round. €20 regular ticket.
Events
- Jenever Festival: 20–21 October 2018. (date needs updating)
- Ice Magic Hasselt: November – January 2018/2019. Every year from the end of Nov to Jan you can visit the Ice Magic festival on the Kolonel Dusart square in Hasselt. The festival is built by an international team of 40 professional artists from no less than 300t of crystal clear ice and 400,000kg of fresh snow in a cooled hall where the temperature remains a constant -6°C. Don't forget to wear warm clothing! Tickets cost €9. Reduced tickets for children and students. (date needs updating)
Buy
The Demerstraat and the Koning Albertstraat are the most important shopping streets. In the Kapelstraat and the Hoogstraat are expensive shops with the most famous brands. The renovation of the TT-wijk twin towers complex (now including a shopping mall and a hotel) in 2003 gave the centre a new boost.
Eat
The "Grote Markt" (large central market square) and the nearby streets are lined with pubs, restaurants and taverns. Try mussels in the restaurants on the main streets or the chocolate ice cream store in the city center.
- 1 Ogst, Ridder Portmansstraat 4, ☏ +32 11 41 38 13. Su, M closed. Belgian-French cuisine with a Scandinavian touch.
- 2 Café Latino, Zuivelmarkt 12, ☏ +32 11 22 34 82. M, Su closed. Tu-Sa: from 18:00. A Mexican restaurant where the party always is on. This is also a good place to go to for cocktails.
- 3 Taratata, Kempische Kaai 7, ☏ +32 11 23 47 67. W, Th, Su closed.
Drink
- 1 Fietsbar, Minderbroedersstraat 54, ☏ +32 484 61 96 62. M closed. Tu-F 08:00—18:00. Sa-Su 10:00—18:00. A bike repair shop with a bar inside. While drinking your coffee you can watch how your bicycle (or any other bicycle) gets repaired.
- Shanti Beans, Dorpsstraat 43. A cozy coffee bar in the center of the alternative district of Hasselt.
Sleep
- 1 Hostel H, Spoorwegstraat 80, ☏ +32 11 45 50 81, hasselt@vjh.be. Located on the rear side of the train station in a new building. From €26,10. Annual members stay for rates from €23,70.
- 2 Express by Holiday Inn Hasselt, Thonissenlaan 37. Convenient and close to all amenities. Very limited parking and a walk to next public park house. Rooms standard European HI Express style. Breakfast basic but good.
- 3 Hassotel, Sint-Jozefsstraat 2-10, ☏ +32 11 23 06 55, info@hassotel.be.
- 4 Radisson Blu Hotel Hasselt, Torenplein 8, ☏ +32 11 77 00 00. Hotel of the popular chain. On the top floor is a a bar (Sky Lounge) with a great view over the city.