Brustem, Borgloon and Boekhout

Castles, religious monuments, marl caves: Haspengouw breathes history. Here lies Tongeren, the oldest city in Belgium. But also the count's town of Borgloon and Sint-Truiden, the sixth monument city in Flanders. More than 100 castles pepper the landscape, including the Alden Biesen land commandery, one of the largest castle estates in the Euregion. Some of these castles are open to visitors - at the lovely Chateau de la Motte you can even have a bite to eat and stay overnight. A completely different way to experience a castle than with a guided tour, life is lived here! The freely accessible 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 lets you enjoy the silence and the scents of the countryside. Or have a bite to eat on the terrace by the castle moat, the ideal setting for a romantic lunch. Another historic address on the route is Rijkel Castle, with a rich history dating back to the 13th century. In the 16th century, the castle was a manor house and the residence of this farm has been preserved in the high, stepped gabled south-eastern part of the castle - the oldest part of the castle. The rest of the castle has more of a 17th century appearance. You go even further back in time when you cycle over the Roman cobblestones. 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 excellently preserved. In addition to being a real castle region, Haspengouw is also the largest orchard in Western Europe. In April, the landscape changes into a colourful sea of blossoms, in the autumn millions of ripe apples, pears, strawberries, cherries, blackberries and currants stimulate your senses. During the blossom and harvest festivals, auctions and fruit farms open their doors wide and fruit-related activities take place everywhere.