Search flights to Tongeren

Located in the Flemish region of Limburg, Tongeren is the oldest city of Belgium. In the city lying along Geer River in the northwest of Liege, the walls remaining from the 1st century and an archeological site from the 4th century are the evidence of how deep the past of the city is. Moerenpoort, one of the four gates of the city remaining from the Middle Age, is one of the best spots where you can observe the splendid view of Tongeren. The ruins of the walls are now used as a walking track to discover the city.

One of the most significant stops of the sublime city history is the Basilica of Our Lady with its 64-meter high bell tower, which was accepted into the UNESCO World Heritage List. Remaining from the 13th century and completed in 300 years, this structure is among the most important religious structures of the country. The artifacts in the basilica are from the richest church art collection of the country and the descriptions of Saint Mary and Jesus are quite impressive. Also with the religious structures almost dating back to the 5th century, the city is therefore known as the Christianity cradle of the Northern Europe as well.

One of the most beautiful corners of Tongeren is the Béguinage Region, which looks like a village inside the city and is comprised of stone houses and narrow roads with cobblestone pavements. Founded in the 13th century, this village has been in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1998. The Gallo-Roman Museum, which was selected as the most beautiful museum of Europe in 2011, is also an important place to visit. You may come across temporary exhibitions in the museum, which tells the striking story of Tongeren’s Roman past. The Antique Market that is set up in the city every Sunday is the biggest market of the Benelux Region and attracts the attention of the other neighboring countries; many antique-lovers come here to visit this market.

The city is small enough to visit by walking or cycling and one of the best roads for discovery is the Milestone Route, which takes you to all the significant spots. When you follow this road, whose route is drawn with three different tables, you can witness the Roman and Middle Age artifacts and wonderful natural corners.  

The city, which is situated in the Hesbaye Region, a fertile plain of Belgium, is also known as the fruit market. Hundreds of types of fruit, which constitute the aroma of the Belgium beer, are mostly grown here; especially cherries.

The airport closest to this historical and natural city of Belgium is the Liege Airport and it is 31 kilometers far from the city center. You can reach the city from Liege in 40 minutes by the hourly trains.