Hasselt

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.

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

• Kiewit Airfield

  phone: +32 11 21-25-50
  Grass field landing.

By train

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  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 are easily accessible by motorways E313 (exits 27 - 28 - 29) and E314 (exit 29).
  

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.

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

• Herkenrode Abbey

  address: Zolderse Kiezel 220
  Former Cistercian monastery founded in 1182 and Refugehuis "refuge house" (1542).

• St. Quentin's Cathedral

  address: Vismarkt

• Virga Jesse Basilica

  address: Kapelstraat

• Cultural Centre

  phone: +32 11 22-99-31
  address: Casterstraat

Parks and public fields

• Japanese garden

  address: Gouverneur Verwilghensingel 23

• Kapermolenpark

  address: Koning Boudewijnlaan

• Kiewit nature field

• town park

Museums

• National Jenever Museum

  address: Witte Nonnenstraat 19
  Dutch/Belgian version of gin

• Urban Fashion museum

  phone: +32 11 23 96 21
  address: Gasthuisstraat 11

• Municipal Carillon Museum

  address: Vismarkt

• Museum of the 'Heilig Paterke'

  address: Schrijnwerkersstraat

• Plopsa Indoor Hasselt

  phone: +32 11 29 30 40
  address: Gouverneur Verwilghensingel 70
  Indoor theme park that is open all year round.

Events

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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.

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.

• Ogst

  phone: +32 11 41 38 13
  address: Ridder Portmansstraat 4
  Belgian-French cuisine with a Scandinavian touch.

• Café Latino

  phone: +32 11 22 34 82
  address: Zuivelmarkt 12
  A Mexican restaurant where the party always is on. This is also a good place to go to for cocktails.

• Taratata

  phone: +32 11 23 47 67
  address: Kempische Kaai 7

• Fietsbar

  phone: +32 484 61 96 62
  address: Minderbroedersstraat 54
  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

  address: Dorpsstraat 43
  A cozy coffee bar in the center of the alternative district of Hasselt.

• Hostel H

  phone: +32 11 45 50 81
  address: Spoorwegstraat 80
  Located on the rear side of the train station in a new building.

• Express by Holiday Inn Hasselt

  address: 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.

• Hassotel

  phone: +32 11 23 06 55
  address: Sint-Jozefsstraat 2-10

• Radisson Blu Hotel Hasselt

  phone: +32 11 77 00 00
  address: Torenplein 8
  Hotel of the popular chain. On the top floor is a a bar (Sky Lounge) with a great view over the city.