Great Weekend Getaways in Brussels

Autumn Outing | Dog Walking | Beer Tasting 🚗 Where to go on the weekend! Head to the medieval monastery ruins of Villers Abbey! 🏰 Take a set of angsty literature photos! 📷 Walk your pooch in the grass! 🐶 Taste the abbey’s own beer! 🍺 ⛪️ Villers Abbey was founded in 1146 and has witnessed the history of the Cistercian monks’ lives. It is considered one of Wallonia’s main heritage sites and one of the most intact surviving sites in Europe because it preserves all the buildings used in daily life throughout history. In the 13th century, Villers Abbey, under the management of the Cistercian community, became a large complex covering more than 100 square kilometers, and it was home to over 100 monks. 📚 During the French Revolution, the monastery was looted. Over the following two centuries, it fell into disrepair and eventually became a dilapidated architectural relic. However, the surviving high walls and arches still show us the monastic life of the past. The towering chimneys, cloisters, and transepts hint at the old days. 🕐 Opening hours: Low season: Open daily 01/11 to 31/03: 10 AM to 5 PM High season: Open daily 01/04 to 31/10: 10 AM to 6 PM Last entry is one hour before closing. Annual closure: December 24th, 25th, 31st, and January 1st. The site may be exceptionally open to the public in case of strong winds. Practical information Visit duration: +/- 1 hour 30 minutes 🚄 By train 🚉 Station: Ottignies-Charleroi 🚗 By car 🅿️ Free parking #EuropeanTravel #Belgium #Brussels #Monastery #AbbeyBeer #WeekendGetaways #Camper #freitag #OutdoorsWithPets #AngstyLiterature