Diest

• Tourist Office

  phone: +32 13 35 32 73
  address: Koning Albertstraat 16
  Here you can get information about what the town has to offer.

By train

The Diest Railway Station is just outside of the city center. There are direct connections to Brussels, Leuven, Antwerp and Liège.

By bus

The Flemish national bus company, De Lijn, has lines to Diest from for example Leuven, Aarschot and Tienen. There are also connections to Brussels and Hasselt, but in these cases the trains are a quicker alternative. For more information regarding different timetables (unfortunately only available in Dutch): https://www.delijn.be.

By bicycle

There are several very well maintained bicycle networks leading you to the city center without the need of using the regular roads. It will let you discover the beauty of the region.

By car

You can exit the E314 highway at Bekkevoort or Halen, from there on it's only a few minutes to the city center. If you don't like highways you can perfectly follow the N2 national road also leading to the city center of Diest.

By plane

Brussels Airport (BRU) is relatively close and has a direct train connection to Diest.

The city center and ramparts are easily navigated on foot. Twenty minutes takes you straight across town.
If you want to see the nearby sights and see the nearby Flemish countryside it is best to rent a bike when the weather allows to. Bikes can be rented in two places in Diest.

• Fietspunt Diest

  phone: +32 13 66 51 47
  address: Turnhoutsebaan
  This place also rent out electrical bikes and mountainbikes, but they are more expensive.
• The Halve Maan recreational area also rents out bikes for €6 days. Tandems and electrical bikes are also available.

• BeguinageBeautifully restored, now with some art shops open in summer.

• Church of St. Sulpitius

  address: Grote Markt
  Main church, a beautiful example of "Demer Gothic", the "Demer" being the local small river.

• Church of Our Lady

  address: Bruidstraat 347
  This church dates back to the 13th century and lost its tower in the 17th century but it never got rebuilt.

• Holle GrietA medieval cannon made in 1465. Out of this cannon round balls of limestone or granite were shot. Nowadays the cannon is displayed publicly on the little square in front of the Cloth Hall.

• Lindenmolen Mill

  address: Omer Vanaudenhovelaan
  This mill was built in 1742 and stands on the city ramparts. The mill is since 2005 again in use. It is operating on every first Sunday of the month.

Near Diest

• Averbode Abbey

  phone: +32 13 78 04 40
  address: Abdijstraat 1, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem
  Founded in 1134 and reestablished in 1834. It is situated about 6 kilometers northwest of Diest in the municipality of Scherpenheuvel-Zichem.

• "Halve Maan" provincial open air swimming pool

  phone: +32 13 31 15 28
  address: Halve Maanstraat
  A wonderful place to while away a sunny afternoon in this lazy town.

Walk the old city ramparts, a very green belt around the city. It easily connects into the surrounding countryside.

• Parachuting class

  phone: +32 498 50 94 68
  address: Nieuwe Dijkstraat 44
  Take a parachuting class in the nearby (4 km) Schaffen airport, which doubles as training grounds for the Belgian paratroop regiment.

Events

• Every first Sunday of the month a book fair in the beguinage area takes place.

• Teastation

  phone: +32 13 33 33 03
  address: Grote Markt 3
  More than 150 kinds of tea.

There are several restaurants and other eateries in the town centre.

• Immigrand

  phone: +32 13 77 64 00
  address: Commissaris Neyskenslaan 5
  Mediterranean fusion restaurant, inspired by the Turkish and Indian cuisine.

• Wannes Raps

  phone: +32 13 30 58 05
  address: Schaffensestraat 17
  Typical Belgian dishes served in a modern way.

• IJskafee Diest

  phone: +32 13 32 32 35
  address: Felix Moonsstraat 26
  For ice creams on a hot summer day, or even when it is raining outside.

• The Lodge

  phone: +32 13 35 09 35
  address: Refugiestraat 23
  This 3 star hotel is conveniently located in the town center. The hotel is housed in the former gatekeepers house of a convent.

• B&B Guesthouse @ Home

  phone: +32 13 31 22 82
  address: Heilige Geeststraat 3
  Cozy bed and breakfast in the beguinage with private garden. It is possible to store your bike here overnight.

• Leuven — this thriving student city is very close.
• Scherpenheuvel — a famous local Christian pilgrimage site that is only a few kilometers away.