Discover Vilvoorde: Churches, Industrial History and Parks

Vilvoorde combines striking architecture with an industrial past and green spaces along the Zenne. If you are planning a trip with cultural discoveries, exercise and relaxing time outdoors, the city offers various themes for a varied itinerary. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether you mainly want to discover historic sites, go on a bike ride, or include parks and riverside paths in your plans.

Culture and History in Vilvoorde

A prominent cultural landmark is the Basilica of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Troost. The church dates from 1663 to 1665 and is known for its neo-Gothic architecture. Those interested in ecclesiastical architecture will find a specific reason here to regard Vilvoorde not merely as a place to stay, but as a destination in its own right.

The former Onze-Lieve-Vrouwegasthuis also tells part of the city's history. It originally provided pilgrims, travellers and the sick with accommodation and care. The Gasthuiskapel is the oldest surviving evidence of this former guesthouse. At the Tuchthuis, visitors can now learn more about the history of the Belgian prison system and the development of criminal law. The renovated section of the Tuchthuis also houses the William Tyndale Museum. This allows different historical interests to be combined without having to focus your day's itinerary on a single theme.

Industrial History on Two Wheels

The Industrieel straatmuseum offers a special way to discover Vilvoorde's industrial past. The twelve machines together form a 14 km cycling route along Vilvoorde's rich industrial past. The exact route length is therefore a useful factor when planning your day. If you enjoy being active and want to experience history not only indoors but also along a route, this cycling tour gives your stay a clear focus.

Parks, the Zenne and Green Escapes

For quieter parts of your trip, Vilvoorde offers several green spaces. Hanssenspark covers 6.2 hectares and is Vilvoorde's largest green lung. The park has a playground, so families with children can consider it as a possible part of their day's itinerary.

Drie Fonteinen Park covers 50 hectares. It was created by merging three former castle estates and includes an orangery with a French garden. Hanssenspark and Drie Fonteinen therefore offer different highlights: one is an urban park with a playground, while the other is an extensive estate with a historic park layout, orangery and French garden.

Along the banks of the Zenne, there are pleasant walking paths and green parks. The river is an important part of Vilvoorde's natural habitat. Various plants and animals thrive along its banks; bird lovers can observe different waterbirds that use the Zenne as their habitat. Those who want to deliberately include time outdoors between visits can regard this riverside landscape as a focus of their trip in its own right.

The Right Accommodation for Planning Your Trip

Guided tours can be booked in Vilvoorde all year round, both during the week and at weekends. This is another option for travellers who do not want to explore the city entirely on their own. When looking for accommodation, it helps to determine your preferred pace of travel: a trip featuring the basilica, Tuchthuis and museum has different priorities from a stay with a cycling tour, parks and walking paths. A holiday apartment in Vilvoorde can thus provide the setting for a trip in which you combine culture and nature according to your interests.

For further trip planning, you can also view Beersel, Waterloo, Gooik, Braine-L'alleud, Herent, Zoutleeuw, Aarschot and Glabbeek.

For the overview of the wider region: Brabant.