Tournai Between UNESCO World Heritage, Art and Family Experiences

Tournai combines impressive medieval buildings with art, puppet theatre, natural history and active experiences. If you are planning a trip that brings together different interests, the city offers many specific points of interest: historic landmarks for culture enthusiasts, museums and exhibitions for curious explorers, as well as activities that children and adults can enjoy together. When looking for a holiday apartment in Tournai, it is therefore worth deciding first what you want the main focus of your trip to be.

UNESCO World Heritage and Significant Buildings

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai is a medieval building and has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. Another prominent point of interest is the Belfry of Tournai. It was built in the 12th century, is the oldest belfry in Belgium and is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its history extends beyond the function of a bell tower: the belfry symbolises civic freedoms and historically served as a watchtower, prison, bell tower and town hall.

The Museum of Fine Arts also makes a distinctive contribution. It houses the collection of modern art belonging to Brussels patron Henri Van Cutsem, including the only two works by Manet exhibited in Belgium. The museum building was designed by Victor Horta; the period from 1907 to 1928 illustrates the transition from Art Nouveau to modernism with Art Deco influences. Those interested in architecture and art will therefore find two levels of discovery here: the collection and the building itself.

Museums and Experiences for Different Age Groups

The Maison de la Marionnette in Tournai’s historic centre presents European as well as African and Asian puppet theatre traditions. The Centre de la Marionnette also offers temporary exhibitions, educational activities on request, creative workshops, performances, courses and further training for children and adults. This makes it possible to plan a varied day of culture without limiting yourself to a single form of art.

The Tournai Natural History Museum’s collection includes a 19th-century cabinet of curiosities and a gallery with rare preserved animals. This is complemented by a vivarium where live fish, tarantulas, amphibians and reptiles are kept in recreated habitats. Such varied museum experiences can play a role in travel planning if you want to combine points of interest suitable for different age groups.

Active Days Between Climbing Courses and a Cycle Route

For active excursions, Ecopark Adventures offers 16 climbing courses suitable for children aged five and over. The park also has four zip lines measuring more than 333 metres in length, which are considered the longest in Belgium. These details can help you take the interests and ages of the children travelling with you into account when planning, without restricting your stay to a single theme.

The region can also be explored from a special perspective by bicycle. The “Bike & Beer” cycle route introduces visitors to Belgian brewing culture and leads from the de l'Orient site, among other places, to the orchards of Barry, the Grand Large de Péronnes, historic Fontenoy and through the Tournaisis landscape to the Dubuisson brewery. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether cultural sightseeing in the city, family activities or a cycling tour should be the main focus of your trip.

Getting There and Further Orientation

Tournai railway station is served regularly from Mouscron, Lille, Kortrijk, Brussels, Mons, Charleroi, Namur and Liège. The rail connections are therefore a specific factor to consider when planning your journey.

For further orientation, you can also visit the pages on Mont-Saint-Aubert, Kain, Blandain and Marquain. This allows you to continue your search in a targeted way for suitable accommodation and experiences that match your travel group.

For the higher-level travel overview: Hainaut.

More Destinations

More places in the same destination:

Bernissart, Ath, Fleurus, Courcelles.