Climate KIC is working with the city of Leuven on Vorm 3010, an initiative that invites citizens to participate in the design of safer and more sustainable spaces for the borough of Kessel-Lo. Leuven is one of 15 cities participating in the Climate KIC Deep Demonstration of Healthy, Clean Cities a programme that aims to accelerate the transition of European cities towards carbon neutrality by 2030 the city is building more schools and houses climate change is already making the summers hotter and drier which brings a lot of challenges when it comes to mobility and climate resilience Climate KIC and the city of Leuven will work with the residents to shape the future of Kessel-Lo transforming it into a more pleasant and sustainable place in which to live The city authorities recognise the importance of creating more green spaces and meeting places for the population’s wellbeing and have decided to engage in a two-year participation process that will allow residents to determine what their public spaces should look like The strategic objective of the Kessel-Lo District Greening experiment is to surface insights and intelligence about how to build a green community and mobility strategy building ownership amongst its citizens and improving quality of life while meeting the broader transport needs of the city “No one [but residents] can better indicate how the streets squares and parks are experienced and where untapped opportunities lie,” says Mayor Mohamed Ridouani who wants to shape the future of Kessel-Lo together with the citizens hoping this will give them responsibility for and trust in the transformation a panel of selected citizens will work with experts on the findings from the survey residents will be invited to test the results in public spaces Leuven is part of a cohort of 15 European cities including Copenhagen Milan and Madrid that are working with the Climate KIC Healthy Clean Cities Deep Demonstration to develop and test new ways to transform cities towards a climate-neutral future The programme has been designed with the cities and borrows from the world of system innovation to help them solve their most pressing challenges while developing climate resilience Vorm 3010 is only one of the seven pilot experiments that Leuven is running in 2021 with Climate KIC and its performance will inspire and inform the other cities’ pathways to a more sustainable future Web design TWK ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishCLIMATE, HEALTHTiger mosquito sighted at nine locations in Belgium26 August 2024 Since the beginning of the year the tiger mosquito has been sighted 13 times in nine locations in Belgium The number of reported sightings so far in 2024 is 800 which can transmit viruses that cause diseases such as dengue Verviers in Wallonia and Saint-Josse in Brussels New research shows that the tiger mosquito is overwintering in more places It was already known that eggs were surviving in Wilrijk and Lebbeke but now the mosquito appears to be overwintering in Ath we collected larvae from different gardens in each of these locations indicating a growing tiger mosquito population,” says entomologist Isra Deblauwe of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp "The unusually warm winter further stimulated the survival of overwintering eggs." The tiger mosquito arrived in southern Europe in the first decade of this century and has been advancing north ever since Experts say it is thriving on the continent in part because of climate change conditions become more favourable for invasive mosquitoes to survive on the continent Sciensano and the ITM are urging citizens to continue reporting the tiger mosquito through the citizen science platform mosquito-surveillance.be “Their contribution has made it possible to discover new locations with tiger mosquito activity in a timely manner,” said Sciensano epidemiologist Javiera Rebolledo Romero No cases of illness following a tiger mosquito bite have yet been recorded in Belgium Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu Thanks to the active contribution of citizens tiger mosquitoes have been encountered at nine different locations since 21 May 2024 Verviers in Wallonia and Sint-Joost-ten-Node in Brussels tiger mosquitoes have been spotted again in Wilrijk Reports of tiger mosquitoes in four of the six new locations were made during the first three months of the season which is remarkable as most reports are normally made in August and September Besides the reports at the new locations, research was conducted on tiger mosquito survival in the winter, at the beginning of the mosquito season. This year, it was confirmed that they overwintered in three new locations: Ath, Puurs-Sint-Amands and Kessel-Lo. Together with last year's confirmations in Wilrijk and Lebbeke there are now five locations in Belgium where the tiger mosquito can survive This understanding of overwintering behaviour is essential for risk assessment and adapting control strategies against this invasive species we collected larvae from gardens in each of these locations indicating a growing tiger mosquito population The unusually warm winter further stimulated the survival of eggs." Isra Deblauwe stresses the importance of citizen reports: "Although tiger mosquitoes probably overwintered in more places we could only actively monitor a few selected locations due to limited resources we urge citizens to continue submitting reports in known locations as well This will help us evaluate the survival of the tiger mosquito in the winter and map its spread." it is essential to avoid stagnant water - an ideal breeding spot for mosquitoes - in one's own environment to prevent the survival and further spread of the tiger mosquito says: "The involvement of citizens in tiger mosquito monitoring is very important Their contribution has enabled timely detection of new locations with tiger mosquito activity The large number of reports and sightings clearly show the important role of citizens in monitoring this invasive species in Belgium We encourage everyone to remain vigilant and keep reporting sightings of tiger mosquitoes we can strengthen our efforts to slow down their settlement in Belgium as much as possible." The MEMO+ project is a collaboration between Sciensano the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) and Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo) on the molecular identification of collected exotic mosquitoes It was funded by the federal and regional governments through the National Environmental Health Action Plan (NEHAP) ITM launched a citizen platform to investigate the presence of the tiger mosquito in Belgium Do you think you have spotted a tiger mosquito Follow us on our socials and join the conversation The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students The plan will focus on deprioritising cars in traffic while boosting low-speed zones and more cycling options authorities in the Belgian city of Leuven announced a new mobility plan for Kassel-Lo revamped public transport and measures to calm traffic wants to centre the whole plan around pedestrians as all citizens are first and foremost pedestrians The city will start implementing the plan as soon as autumn 2022 the Kessel-Lo plan was created using proposals by citizens of Kessel-Lo in an attempt to address their specific issues it features measures that are part of Leuven’s wider mobility strategy A major feature of the plan is measures aimed at deprioritising cars in the flow of people and traffic the area sees a lot of cut-through traffic from rural areas or people who live far away from the heart of Leuven the streets in Kessel-Lo can be quite dangerous at times The borough is effectively split in two by Diestsesteenweg a boulevard functioning as the main eastern entrance to the city to at least limit the thoroughfare by creating a lot of one-way streets and outright ban cars from a lot of residential streets This would have a noise-reducing effect and it will also improve air quality while opening up more space for the community and pedestrians the area will feature a low-speed zone as well as a revamped pass priority system This means that traffic lights will allow pedestrians to cross first then public transport and finally – passenger cars This is a system in use in many places around the low countries: Belgium and the Netherlands It involves smart traffic lights that detect the presence of pedestrians and regulate traffic accordingly The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital Celebrity manager jailed over Gezi Park protests to appear in court on July 7 Turkish ministries block investigation into bureaucrats over deadly hotel fire PKK to soon convene to formalize laying down of arms without Öcalan at the helm: report Turkish main opposition leader attacked after attending politician’s funeral in İstanbul Whistleblower murdered in Netherlands repeatedly told authorities he feared for his life: report 2 executives from Turkey’s top business group face new charges over gov’t criticism Turkey’s annual inflation eases to 37.9 percent Turkey detains 12 in stock market manipulation probe Turkish Airlines posts $47 million first-quarter loss despite revenue growth Turkey starts importing Russian anchovies despite being major global exporter SUPPORT OUR JOURNALISM: Please consider donating to keep our website running and free for all - thank you The Belgian Royal Palace has released three new photos of Prince Emmanuel as he celebrates his 18th birthday Each of the images was taken by Royal Palace photographer Bas Bogaerts at the Palace of Laeken – his family’s official residence in Brussels The royal is seen by himself in two of the photographs but poses with his father Prince Emmanuel Leopold Guillaume François Marie was born on 4 October 2005 to the then Duke and Duchess of Brabant Emmanuel is the second son and third child of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde Duchess of Brabant (21) and Prince Gabriel (20) who is third in line to the Belgian throne counts Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and his maternal aunt Countess Elisabeth d’Udekem d’Acoz The Prince currently attends the International School of Brussels He previously attended the Eureka school in Kessel-Lo Prince Emmanuel is a polyglot and is able to speak Dutch Located only 25 kilometres east of Brussels, Leuven is growing rapidly. It is a university city with Belgium’s largest—and one of Europe’s most innovative—universities. Leuven is also home to a number of industries leading to an increase in car and pedestrian traffic making rush hour a very difficult time of day for its residents the city government is taking various measures There are two arterial roads coming from two other cities that are totally congested This means that people try to find other ways and they use very local residential streets to take shortcuts,” says Nora Deschryver Community Engagement Manager at Leuven City Hall “The number of inhabitants is still rising and if we don’t do anything then Kessel-Lo will become completely congested during rush hour we really need to go through a modal shift to make sure that we can have a good quality of life and everyone can get to the right place with the appropriate means of transportation or by bike and where necessary by car.” – adds Deschryver The shape of the new mobility plan for Kessel-Lo comes from Leuven’s participation in the Climate KIC Deep Demonstration of Healthy, Clean Cities a project that aims to accelerate the transition of European cities towards carbon neutrality by 2030 the city put together a portfolio of strategic experiments that aims to achieve systemic holistic change and deep decarbonisation of neighbourhoods like Kessel-Lo Mobility was one of the key areas of the programme The goal of this experiment was to enable a far-reaching modal shift in Kessel-Lo by tying the mobility challenge to the inhabitants’ quality of life as well as the transformation of public space The key to the programme success was to involve citizens in this transformation from the very start “The city already had a concept to create a new mobility plan for Kessel-Lo and the idea was to draw on the Climate KIC Deep Demonstration programme to deepen the work we were going to do there The programme enabled us to expand the ambition and scope of our participation programme and to adopt a more wide-ranging holistic approach to the mobility challenge in Kessel-Lo.” – said Luca Lia an organisation working closely with Leuven’s City Hall Citizens are at the heart of Leuven’s mobility plan The Municipality of Leuven has strongly involved citizens in the design process and the final plan draws on the ideas and experiences of Kessel-Lo residents “We experimented with an intertwined process of broad consultation for all inhabitants and a citizens assembly to work in depth.” – Nora Deschryver adds The city carried out a broad survey to ask residents their opinion on concepts in the areas of mobility Many people also participated in inspirational walks to see streets that are greener Based on these results the Citizen’s Assembly has drawn up 10 priorities for the public domain of Kessel-lo we organised online ideation where we collected ideas about opportunities and traffic-problematic situations in Kessel-lo linked with the 10 priorities of the Citizen’s Assembly And then the Citizen’s Assembly had developed a vision on how we want Kessel-Lo to be in 2030 with mobility as one focal point” – Deschryver continues The city even organised discussion tables to elaborate on specific proposals for some neighbourhoods citizen engagement is the baseline for the Leuven municipality: “In every project we do consult them and sometimes we have to co-create together with them And Climate KIC gave us the opportunity to go further Moving from siloed solutions to a systemic approach is not easy You have to involve more and more colleagues and the core group is getting bigger and bigger We always wanted to have a place for citizens in it we don’t have to build a mobility plan for them The overarching goal of the new mobility plan is to give pedestrians priority over general traffic in Kessel-Lo This includes calming the cut-through traffic through various measures such as the introduction of low-speed zones banning non-residential cars from residential areas the conversion of traffic lights to prioritise pedestrians and adding more green spaces This will result in reducing and slowing down the number of cars reduce noise and create more public spaces for the community asking someone to help you unload your luggage when it’s too heavy for you – that’s our vision choices are being made to make sure that’s possible again.”– Deschryver continues The plan also includes finding missing connections in the pedestrian and cycling network and rebuilding sidewalks investing in routes with more greenery and rest areas and eliminating conflicts with cars or cyclists Cycling is an important part of Leuven’s mobility map The municipality is planning an extensive bicycle network with direct bicycle connections between facilities recreational bicycle paths and bicycle highways There is also a long-term vision to connect Kessel-Lo cycling routes with the neighbouring municipalities Public transportation is another challenge for Kessel-Lo “There is a bus service on the major arteries and through the boroughs but even that one queues up in the traffic jam during the rush hour.” – Deschryver adds The municipality is working on a new bus plan for the whole of Leuven so that taking the bus is a genuinely attractive alternative for the residents provide more comfortable buses and expand the service with more frequent buses Leuven’s new mobility plan will be implemented starting this autumn but zone 30 is already in place in the residential areas of Kessel-Lo and Nora Deschryver confirms that this was the first important step in improving the quality of life and road safety: “Citizens are getting back to us with their feedback and they already see the result in the fact that cars no longer use shortcuts as you have to drive 30km/h instead of 50 km/h Residents feel that they can use their streets again” Measurements already show that speed is decreasing and that car traffic is shifting from residential streets to access roads The uniqueness of the process carried out in Leuven was a systemic approach but also about other elements of the urban space and involving all urban actors in the design process It was also about learning by doing and long-term thinking to achieve innovative and transformative change “I think for me it’s important to learn that you have to develop a shared vision of where you want to go with your project with everyone with your colleagues and with the citizens and with all the stakeholders as well”– Deschryver acknowledges She also underlines the importance of admitting to mistakes and taking a few steps back in the process to improve it when necessary: “It’s “learning by doing” for everybody You also have to give the chance to citizens to the education world to learn by doing as well To give citizens the chance to experiment and fail and try over one of the biggest challenges with long term visions is that they require long-term funding and sustained effort He also stresses the importance of bottom-up initiatives “The fact that we try to do everything together but to really try to have more horizontal governance and it’s something we try to do in every domain I think this comes from the recognition that the challenges we face today are too big and too complicated for any single actor to solve on their own if we want to be able to be climate neutral by 2030 it’s not enough for just the city to take ambitious action just each and every single actor capable of pushing the transition forward.” This will set up how we intend to become climate neutral by 2030 and this will include commitments from the city but also from other stakeholders,” said Lia Leuven will receive extensive support from Climate KIC’s NetZeroCities platform, which enables participating cities to learn from one another and support each other in their transition to net zero. The other selected cities include Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Madrid, Malmo, Lisbon, Frankfurt and Kraków. The full list of cities is available here bpost’s Lueven Ecozone has been expanded to include Kessel-Lo meaning all territories in the City of Leuven now received sustainable deliveries – a total of 103,000 inhabitants which has been offering a network of 52 pickup points with zero-emission letter and parcel deliveries in Leuven city center and Heverlee since April 2022 will now use electric vehicles and bikes for all delivery rounds in the region Within just a few months of the launch of the Ecozone in 2022, the number of home deliveries had decreased by 6% and that figure continues to fall The number of home deliveries in Leuven is currently 9% lower than the pre-Ecozone figure and an in-house bpost study shows that Leuven performs well in terms of sustainable deliveries at Belgium level with almost one in four parcels delivered to pickup points Jos Donvil, CEO bpost Belgium, commented, “Sustainable urban logistics is an important driver of accessibility and quality of life in cities That’s why bpost is investing heavily in zero-emission mail deliveries and a dense network of pickup points which depend on a dense network of pickup points and zero-emission deliveries allow us to substantially reduce the ecological impact of our activities What began as a pilot project in 2020 has grown into one of our most impressive achievements on our way to net-zero emissions by 2040.” The expanded Leuven Ecozone will see all mail delivered from the Philipssite Mailcenter using 12 electric bikes with trailers and 65 electric cars bpost and the City of Leuven are also investigating the feasibility of new parcel locker locations in these suburbs We are hoping for the same outcome in the three suburbs.” bpost has now launched its Ecozone model in 15 cities and 36 postcode (ZIP) zones Would you like to escape the busy shopping streets of Leuven in a place where sustainability and hostility are important Then Hal 5 is definitely something for you Everyone is welcome there to have a bite to eat 21bis-reporters Jill Apers and Zoë Elmhaned went to talk to coordinator Hanne Vanhaverbeke She has been working on this temporarily project since its inception and knows better than anyone what this place has to offer Hall 5 is a former industrial workshop that you can find behind Leuven Station If you walk to the end of the Locomotievenpad you will find yourself directly in sight of the building Hal 5 VZW was allowed to reallocate the building with a temporarily dynamic project that transformed the location into a lively meeting place.With its project various organisations and initiatives are given the opportunity to spread their wings and take part in sustainable entrepreneurship for a five-year long term Their project was organised together with 14 partners around three themes: food The hall is an important and protected monument in the neighbourhood It has a rich history that goes back to 1860’s the period of the Belgian Industrial Revolution.The establishment provided more employment opportunities in that time and subsequently a significant increase in population of its area It had a major role in Leuven’s commerce For this historic reason it was important for the city of Leuven to transform this railway site into a multifunctional place By carrying out intensive restoration work it is impossible to imagine Kessel-Lo without Hal 5 Text and report: Jill Apers & Zoë Elmhaned What’s News Bijna Klaar King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium have decided to send their oldest son international private school close to Brussels the Prince will continue his education in a new environment parents and children are preparing for the new school year This is also the case for Prince Gabriël of Belgium who will continue his education at a new school from the 2nd of September The Belgian press has revealed that the 16-year old will attend the International School of Brussels The oldest son of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of the Belgians will be entering a multicultural environment next week as the International School of Brussels educates around 1500 students from 62 different countries The private school is not available for everyone as the annual tuition fee is quite high King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will be paying 39,515 euros for this school year The King and Queen of the Belgians are determined to make sure their children are open-minded citizens who are able to live in a multicultural and international environment It is also a way to make sure that Prince Gabriël can improve his English as all courses will be given in the language John Berchmans College to attend an international school the Duchess of Brabant now studies abroad at the Atlantic College in Wales Princess Eléonore will continue to attend the St Prince Emmanuel will stay at the Eureka-school in Kessel-Lo Emmanuel has some learning difficulties and is attending a school specialised in learning disabilities Earlier this week, it was revealed that Prince Gabriël had quit playing hockey. It had become impossible for the Prince to combine his hobby with his school commitments It’s the end of an era for the Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in the centre of Brussels For the first time in a quarter of a century no member of the Belgian Royal Family will be among its pupils King Filip and Queen Mathilde's youngest child Princes Eléonore failed to get a place in Sint-Jans Berchmans’ secondary school The school has an excellent reputation and is perceived by many to be the best Dutch-medium Catholic secondary school in Brussels demand for places there far exceeds the number of places available Next week Princess Eléonore will start secondary school at the Heilig Hartcollege in Wezembeek-Oppem a Flemish Brabant municipality just east of Brussels her brother Prince Emmanuel  (14) will be leaving current school at Kessel-Lo in Flemish Brabant to join his brother Prince Gabriël at the International School of Brussels in Watermaal-Bosvoorde Princess Eléonore was not given any preferential treatment when it came to being given a place at Sint-Jan-Berchmans as she doesn’t have any older siblings that are pupils at its secondary school As she wasn’t given a place she will now attend what was her second-choice school Prince Emmanuel (14) attended the Eureka School in Kessel-Lo This is a school for children with learning difficulties and structural issues such as dyslexia dyscalculia…Children between the ages of 7 and 14 are intensively coached to help them overcome their learning issues Afterwards they are able to return to a mainstream school Prince Emmanuel as spent 5 years as pupil at the Eureka School and will now go to the International School of Brussels an English-medium private school with extensive sport facilities The Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp and Sciensano announce the start of the mosquito season They are calling on the public to join the search for the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) tiger mosquitoes were detected in 18 places in Belgium last year The MEMO+ project (Monitoring of Exotic Mosquitoes in Belgium) of ITM and Sciensano closely monitors the introduction and presence of exotic mosquitoes citizen reports and field surveys revealed the tiger mosquito in 25 locations including 7 car parks and 18 private gardens It is crucial to involve citizens in tiger mosquito monitoring Their reports help researchers identify new locations which is then important for taking management measures to slow down the establishment of the tiger mosquito in Belgium Anyone who spots the tiny black-and-white striped tiger mosquito can take a photo and upload it at www.muggensurveillance.be Sciensano has developed a user-friendly app of the same name that allows citizens to report tiger mosquitoes directly with their smartphones “The reports of tiger mosquitoes by citizens are valuable They have shown that the tiger mosquito is present in a greater number of places every year These places are often not really accessible to surveillance because they are private properties in residential areas Citizens are often the first to discover tiger mosquitoes because they experience nuisance during the day when they spend time in their gardens we would like to ask all citizens to pay attention: if you experience mosquito nuisance during the day and see a small black mosquito with white stripes take a photo and report the mosquito on MosquitoSurveillance.” Isra Deblauwe “Tiger mosquitoes not only cause a lot of nuisance but also pose a health risk because they can transmit viruses such as dengue it is vital that we keep a close eye on the tiger mosquito so that we can act quickly and limit its spread We have already observed this year that the tiger mosquito is wintering in Aat and Kessel-Lo we are keeping a close eye on the situation.” The tiger mosquito is established in several places in our neighbouring countries and southern Europe. Travellers going by car or motorhome should be alert not to bring home tiger mosquitoes or their eggs, which can stick in flower pots, for example. If travellers do spot a tiger mosquito after returning, they can report it via www.muggensurveillance.be or the app of the same name MEMO+ is a project in collaboration between Sciensano the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) and Barcoding Facility for Organisms and Tissues of Policy Concern (BopCo) for the molecular identification of collected exotic mosquitoes Do you think you may have spotted a tiger mosquito Leuven is a vibrant city with plenty of activities for adults as well as children Want to explore the city's most beautiful spots Are you thinking of planning a family weekend in Leuven soon This blog offers you a few tips on how to make your visit a real adventure for your children Do you find walking boring? You wont in Leuven! A number of fun routes were created especially keeping the youngest visitors in mind. Choose a walk tailor-made for your children (4-14 years) and discover the most beautiful spots in the city The audio walks provide an immersive adventure in which your kids will eagerly look forward to hearing the sequel So don't forget to bring your walking shoes along Children don’t usually look forward to museum visits with enthusiasm. Totally false! Leuven's museums offer plenty of activities for the youngest visitors. At the M Leuven museum and St Peter's Church you will not be strolling from one work of art to the next in a bored fashion Ever visited a church with a Hololens in front of your eyes Family iteneraries and activities make the museum visit a fun family outing Norrie the abbey mouse will take your children (aged 6-10) on a tour of some mouse houses at Park Abbey. Your children will get to know Belgium's best-preserved abbey site through a variety of ‘look and do’ tasks. Older children can take the interactive audio tour ‘Bert tells’ Time for bed then. Discover the best family hotels and plan your weekend in Leuven right away Leuven is a wonderful city for families to visit with plenty of things to do To make things easier for you in planning your trip to the city we’ve put together some places we think you and the family will love there’s just so many fun activities to do and so much to discover Take a walk in Leuven and discover the beautiful street art Blogger Ann Vandenbergh of the website wANNderful selected her favourites for you The city is home to around 100,000 students which means Leuven has plenty of cheap eateries to chose from Is Leuven only interesting to people over 45 In this list you will find 10 tips for a great time in Leuven Jozef Vounckplein 23000 LeuvenT +32 16 20 30 20visit@leuven.be Have fun with the whole family and/or friend(s) enjoying a picnic in and around Leuven a mother of two who loves spending time with her family in nature It offers a wide range of organic fruit & vegetables and products from the abbey farm which is a project where social economy and farming meet Only organic (and sometimes all but forgotten) vegetables are grown there by people who have difficulties integrating into the regular labour market it’s a great place to enjoy nature and spend time together sit down by the water for your picnic or simply follow the walking path and enjoy the countryside for a little while Want to enjoy the summer breeze well into the night Book a room and spend the night in or around Leuven you’re within walking distance of one of the local markets the next morning where you can stock up on fresh ingredients for your next picnic Book your overnight stay In a lively city like Leuven this can mean only one thing: time to head outside and explore the city’s many terraces trying Belgian chocolate is a must do activity there are plenty of incredible chocolate shops in Leuven for you to choose from Taste the most delicious home-made classics with locally grown ingredients we recommend visiting one (or multiple) coffee shops when you visit Leuven Where can you find the stars of Belgian cuisine in Leuven each one close to Leuven’s top 10 attractions