Ruins presented in a park setting. A photographer's dream. More

Villers is a beautiful cultural experience. I work with an archaeological site not far from there and we make a point to take our students every year. The site is easy to navigate and all of the informational signs are in multiple languages. It's not easy to get to by train, but if you have car-- definitely add it to... More

This is a huge, ruined abbey set in beautiful countryside. There is plenty to see and explore, including the hostellerie, cloisters, cellars and of course the huge abbey church. There is enough of the buildings left to give a very good idea of what the site must have looked like when it was in use. There's even a garden and... More

We stumbled onto this place while trying to plan out a few places to visit in the Belgian countryside, not really knowing what to expect. Well, expect absolute beauty! This abbey is still very well preserved, and unlike many palces, you can walk around almost all of it (some parts were being restored). The stories of the monks and families... More

The Villers-la-Ville abbey is truly a hidden gem. This place is almost 900 years old... The visit (with an audio-guide) is pretty interesting but if you're not a history fan you'll simply enjoy the fabulous settings. You can also walk around the abbey as there are several hiking trails in the area. More

Only about a 20 minute drive from Waterloo, the still impressive ruins of the Villers Abbey are worth a visit. The size of the place and the ruins is totally unexpected and definitely off the beaten path. See their website (www.villers.be), which has an English language link, for photos and details. A visit to the ruins can be a quick... More