Brustem, Borgloon and Boekhout

Castles, religious monuments, marl caves: Haspengouw breathes history. Here lies Tongeren, the oldest city in Belgium. But also the town of Borgloon and Sint-Truiden, the sixth monumental city of Flanders. More than 100 castles spice up the landscape, including Grand Commandery Alden Biesen, one of the largest castle estates in the Euregio. Some of those castles are open to visitors - at the nice Chateau de la Motte you can even have a bite to eat and spend the night too. A completely different way to experience a castle than with a guided tour, people live here! The free castle park is worth a stroll through. Specially constructed walking paths and wild herb gardens lead you around the castle to the Mottebron. The terrace under the beautiful trees of the park allows you to enjoy the silence and the scents of the country. Or have a snack on the terrace on the moat, the ideal setting for a romantic lunch. Another historic address on the route is Rijkel Castle, with its rich history dating back to the 13th century. In the 16th century the castle was a manor farm and the house of this farm has been preserved in the high southeastern part of the castle, flanked by stepped gables - the oldest part of the castle. The rest of the castle has more of a 17th century look. You go even further back in time when you cycle over the Roman cobblestone. This road led from Boulogne-Sur-Mer to Cologne, a very important route in Roman times. More than 2000 years after its construction, this route, which connected the North Sea coast with the Roman army camps on the Rhine, is still well preserved. In addition to a real castle region, Haspengouw is also the largest fruit garden in Western Europe. In April the landscape changes into a colorful sea of blossoms, in the autumn millions of ripe apples, pears, strawberries, cherries, blackberries and berries stimulate your senses. During the blossom and harvest festivals, auctions and fruit companies open their doors wide; fruity activities take place everywhere.