Sint-Pieters-Leeuw is a fairly rural city in western part of Flanders, close to Brussels.

Understand

• Tourism Bureau, Joseph Depauwstreet 25 (in the castle), ☏ +32 2 371 22 62, toerisme@sint-pieters-leeuw.be. M-F 10AM-12:30PM, 1:30PM-5PM; and Sa Su 1:30PM-5PM (May 15-Oct 15 only). More info on nature reserves can be obtained by e-mailing to leeuwse_natuur@yahoo.com. 

Get in

By bus

Take the bus number 170, which terminates at Pastorijstreet in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw and run by De Lijn from Brussels-South railway station.

See

• Zuunvallei - Volsembroek. Discover the nature reserve. It is protected by the RD 30/7/96 with a surface of around 3 ha. It is a meadow and swampland that for about six months during the winter is largely underwater and a stop or wintering area for migratory water birds (observation post available). In summer the area is extensively grazed by a small herd of galloway cattle. Information panels in Dutch at the entrances. It is located on the left bank of the brook Zuunbeek (access via Hoogstraat (street) at number 35). 

• Zuunvallei - Oude Zuun —Discover the restored orchard and one of the botanically most valuable wet meadow and pasture of the Pajottenland area. A lot of flowers in spring of course. It is protected by the RD 30/7/96 with a surface of around 5 ha. Also it is a spot where you can here in the evening the little owl [1] and with some chance see him. There are several nest boxes where he lives. It is located near the C. Leunenstraat (street) upstream at both sides of the brook Zuunbeek. You have to follow the red gravel path along the brook.

• Coloma castle and park with roses from all over the world in the centre of the town (Depauwstreet)

• Typical old town (landscape protected by RD) with the houses in a circle around the church, which dates back to sixteenth century.

• Television tower of 300 m high. A birdbox on the tower is occupied by a peregrine (Falco peregrinus) since 2005 and produced four chicks each year. (Victor Maloustreet and not far from the pub "Oude Smis van Mekingen")

Do

Take a bicycle tour. As in most parts of Flanders, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw also has signposts with numbers guiding along routes that are very suitable for cycling.

The following tour is 18 km and goes along not far from the nature reserves and the most beautiful routes of the town. You start at the church in the centre and look for the signpost with direction number 70. Once you arrive at the point number 70, you go further with the numbers as follows: 72 -71 - 23 - 22 - 21 - 20 - 68 - 69 - 70.

On the following website [2], you can visualize the tour on a map. First you have to search for the town Sint-Pieters-Leeuw. Then you have to click on the red bullet with the numbers.

Buy

Belgium is known for its chocolate. The factory of a famous brand Neuhaus [3] is in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw. There is a small outlet shop (address Postweg 2, Vlezenbeek) where you can taste and buy second class chocolate. Honestly, the taste is not different but the price is a real bargain. One kilo for €14. Normally a kilo costs €54.

Eat

• You can eat cheap at Makro Bergense steenweg 427
• A good and not expensive Japanese restaurant Hi-no-tori is situated at Bergense steenweg 121
• A good Chinese Wok restaurant De Kraanvogel at Bergense steenweg 212

Attention: Bergense steenweg is a long street, so these restaurants are not close to each other. A car is needed.

Drink

• Moriau. Is a very typical local pub where own bottled Geuze is served. It is a very typical drink of the region. Address: Rink 30, in front of the entrance of the church. 

• Oude Smis Van Mekingen. Is another very charming pub. Address: J-B Cardijnstraat 10 

Sleep

• high class Greenpark Hotel address: Viktor Nonnenmanstraat 15 (near the centre of the town)
• budget hotel Etap address: Vorstse steenweg 100 (Ruisbroek)

Connect

Free internet at the local library. The library [4] is situated near the church in the centre of the town. Address: Rink 2

Go next

From Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, you can visit the following sites, all within 10 km drive or bus from town.

• Halle (not to be confused with Halle, Germany) — with a beautiful church and a grand place [5].
• Lennik — better known by its beautiful castle and the park of Gaasbeek[6].
• Beersel — with its beautiful castle and also old paper mill Herisem [7]in Alsemberg.