• The market "marché de la Batte" is one of Europe's longest, extending several kilometers along the quays. It takes place every Sunday morning, attracting many visitors.

• Flea Markets at Saint Gilles and Saint Pholien (Friday morning on the Boulevard de la Constitution) also attract many visitors.

• The celebrations of 15 August in Outremeuse welcome more than 300,000 people each year.

• The fair, held since the city was established, has become a fun-fair. It takes place from the first weekend in October to the second weekend in November (6 weeks).

• The Christmas Village, one of the biggest and oldest in the country, has more than one million visitors each year.

• The celebrations of Wallonia (2nd weekend in September), the nuit des Coteaux (night events in the historic center), the Secret Gardens and Corners Day (la journée Jardins et Coins secrets - 3rd Sunday in June), and the heritage days (les journées du patrimoine - end September) are other key dates in Liège.

• Visit the Carré district, where you can celebrate or party on any day, at any time. It's the preferred district of students, alternating shops and cafés, many of which allow dancing (sometimes on the tables!).

• The Festival of Walking, in the second half of August, offers urban walks.

• The Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera, and Theater de la Place head up the cultural life in Liège.

• Liège is the European city with the most theaters per person. Liège has an international reputation especially for its marionnette theaters, whose performances often involve the traditionnal folklore character Tchantchès in an unbelievably wide range of situations. The most-known marionnette theaters can be found at:
  • Museum of Wallonian Life (Wednesdays and school holidays at 1430 and Sundays at 1030, Cour des Mineurs, +32 (0)4 237 9040, open even when the museum is closed.)
  • Museum of Tchantchès (Oct to end Apr, Sundays at 1030 and Wednesdays at 1430, rue Surlet 56, +32 (0)4 342 7575)
  • Theater Al Botroule - literally, "in the belly-button" - (Rue Hocheporte 3, +32 (0)4 223 0576)
  • Theater Denis (Rue Sainte Marguerite 302, +32 (0)4 224 3154)
  • Theater Mabotte (Rue Mabotte 125, Seraing +32 (0)4 233 8861)

• Movie theaters include Le Parc and Le Churchill for European films; Le Palace and Kinepolis for big-name blockbusters; and soon UGC Longdoz in the future "media city".

• Le Forum (rue Pont d’Avroy 45), a small but exceptionally-decorated venue, offers concerts, comedy performances, etc. The Soundstation (rue Pouplin 6-8) hosts rock and alternative music concerts. Country Hall (in the outskirts) is a relatively new venue for huge shows and sporting events.

• Le Trocadéro is the most Liégeois of Parisian cabarets, or the most Parisian of Liège cabarets, depending on how you look at it, while two other venues (La Bouch’rit and le Comiqu'Art) offer dinner-show combinations.

• There are numerous sports clubs including, oddly enough, three different rowing clubs. RCAE, a university club but open to everyone, offers a range of sports from parachuting to spelunking. The sports fields at Xhovémont, Cointe or Sart Tilman are ideal for practice, while the soccer stadium of Standard (the Liège team) is the place to show your enthusiasm as a fan. The ice rink, dating from the water exposition of 1939, is in its last seasons before being moved, while a new swimming pool with modern facilities including a diving tower will soon be constructed in the center. (The previous one is being converted to a museum.) Other pools are spread throughout the city, notably in Outremeuse.

• For those who prefer a calmer sport, cycling or jogging is perfect along the quays of the Meuse. The woods at Coteaux de la Citadelle, Chartreuse, and Sart Tilman are all close, as are the magnificent countrysides of the Ardennes (with Condroz, Hesbaye, and Herve lending themselves particularly well to hiking and mountain-biking).

• Place St. Lambert (Saint Lambert's square)
• The Outremeuse district, notably the Rue Roture.

Historic Center

• The Palace of the Prince-Bishops - Composed of the Palace of Justice (classic façade at Place Saint Lambert 18) and the Provincial Palace (lateral neo-gothic façade at place Notger 2). This palace is the heart of the city, and represents the political power of the old Prince-Bishops of Liège.
• The representation of their religious power was the large Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame and Saint Lambert, torn down at the start of the 19th century after the revolution of Liège and today memorialized by metal columns and a design traced on the ground.
• There's also an underground archéoforum, an archeological site with the remains of the three (successive) cathedrals on the site, as well as a building from Roman times. (Open 10AM-6PM except Monday, 4€, +32 (0)4 250 9370.)
• At Place Saint Lambert 9-17, you can admire the neo-classic façades, dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• The Town Hall, Perron, and houses along the market square. The town hall (place du Marché, 2), also called "La Violette", is an elegant classic building. It was built in 1714, during reconstruction after the French attacks in 1691. It can be visited on rare occasions only, except for the "salle des pas perdus" - "room of lost steps" which is freely accessible. The houses on the square, with their charming blue stone and brick faces, date from the same period. The Perron, symbol of the city's freedom, is at the center of the square above the fountain that acts as its support. The perron is one of the symbols of the city and was used to render justice.
• The streets Hors Château and En Feronstrée are worth a visit for the architecture of the large villas and more modest houses, most dating to the 18th century. In particular, the Hôtel d’Ansembourg at Feronstrée 114, now a museum, is worth visiting for the well-preserved original interior (1-6PM except Mondays, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 9402).
• The Museum of Walloon Art (en Féronstrée 86), a bit further along in a modern building, has a panorama of works by regional painters since the Roman times. (Open 1-6PM Tu-Sa, 11AM-4:30PM Su, closed Mo, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 9231).
• The Curtius Palace, quai de Maestricht 13. This imposing 8-story building from the start of the 17th century was the store of a rich arms merchant. The nearby Hôtel de Hayme de Bomal (quai de Maestricht 8 and rue Feronstrée 122) was an official building under French rule and twice welcomed Napoleon. These two buildings and several other historic buildings provide the backdrop for the Museum Grand Curtius with its art and history collections (reopening early 2008).
• Saint Barthélémy Church (rue Saint Barthélémy 2) was the last of 7 "collégiales liégeoises" to be built, near the end of the 11th century. Recently renovated, it is home to the masterwork of the Liège goldsmiths from the Middle Ages: the baptismal fonts from the old parish church of the cathedral. (Open 10-12AM and 2-5PM from Monday to Saturday, 2-5PM Sundays, 1,25€, +32 (0)4 223 4998).
• The Museum of Wallonian Life is an ethnological mueseum hosted in an old convent. (Cour des Mineurs, closed for renovation until spring 2008, +32 (0)4 237 9040).
• The Museum of Religious Art (rue Mère Dieu 1) will be integrated into the future Museum Grand Curtius, but can now be visited separately. (Open 11AM-6PM Tu-Sa, 11AM-4PM Su, closed Mo, 3,80€, +32 (0)4 221 4225).
• The Mountain of Bueren and the slopes of the Citadel. Climb the imposing staircase of 373 steps, or opt for the smaller streets and stairways leading up to the Citadel's slopes. From the top, you'll have a lovely view of the city, from the Palace rooves to the ancient watchtower.
• The streets Fond Saint Servais, Pierreuse and du Péry are typically quaint and lead up to the remains of the old citadel, with an ancient well, a monument commemorating the Second World War, and in particular a superb view over the city.

Outremeuse

On the opposite bank of the river, the Outremeuse district has few memorable buildings, but a welcoming atmosphere.

• The Feast of the Assumption (15 August) is celebrated here by the entire city and countless visitors.
• A circuit is dedicated to Simenon (author of the Maigret stories), and a museum will be opening shortly.
• The main buildings of interest in the district are:
  • Convent "des Récollets" (rue Georges Simenon 2, 4, 9-13)
  • Saint Nicolas Church (rue Fosse-aux-raines 7, open everyday 8AM to 12AM)
  • "Sainte Barbe" hospice (place Ste Barbe)
  • The stable of the Fonck barracks and Bavière hospital (boulevard de la Constitution)
  • Destenay school (boulevard Saucy 16)
  • The Physiology Institute (place Delcourt 17).
• Two interesting museums: Grétry Museum (Rue des Récollets 34, 2PM-4PM Tu&Fr, 10AM-12PM Su, +32 (0)4 343 1610) and the Museum of Tchantchès, dedicated to the city mascot who is also the main character for the local marrionnette theaters (rue Surlet 56, 2-4 PM Su except July, Tu&Th, +32 (0)4 342 7575).
• The most-visited museum complex in Liège and Wallonia is here, comprised of the Aquarium, the House of Science, and the Zoology Museum, all housed in a neo-classic University building, quai Van Beneden (aquarium and museum : 9AM-5PM Mo-Fr, 10AM - 6PM during school vacations, 1030AM-6PM on holidays, 5€, +32 (0)4 366 5021 ; House of Science: restricted hours, 3€ ; +32 (0)4 366 5015).
• Departing from the amphitheater along the quay, a bateau-mouche (covered boat) offers river tours, from 1 Apr to 30 Oct (11AM, 1PM, 3PM and 5PM, 6€, +32 (0)4 221 9221 et +32 (0)4 366 5021).

By plane

• Aéroport de Liège-Bierset [2] Specialising in freight, the airport is nevertheless home to charter flights and a few regular lines, with routes to/from Djerba, Las Palmas, Bodrum, Agadir, Alicante, Catania, Ibiza, Malaga, Hurghada, Corfu, Izmir, Monastir, Rhodes, Heraklion, Tenerife and Palma de Mallorca. Reaching the city centre with public transportation is a bit tricky.

• Brussels National is your most likely point of entry into Belgium. To reach Liège, take the train to Louvain/Leuven and change for Liège.

• Charleroi Airport, sometimes referred to as 'Brussels South', is an alternative for low-cost flights such as Ryanair and WizzAir. From the airport, take a shuttle bus to Charleroi train station, then the train to Liège-Guillemins.

By train

Liège-Guillemins Station is the primary station, located on the southwest part of the city. A Thalys [3] line serves Paris, Brussels Midi, Liège-Guillemins, Aachen, and Cologne.

From Brussels, intercity service runs at least hourly and takes about 60 minutes from Brussels Nord. From Brussels Airport, take the airport shuttle to Leuven and take intercity service from there. From the north, connect in Maastricht. Trains run at least hourly and take about 30 minutes.

Once you're at Liège-Guillemins station, you can get to city centre by changing to a train heading for Gare du Palais, or by taking the number 1 or number 4 bus just outside the station to Place St. Lambert.

By car

Liège is the crossroads for several major motorways. Its "ring" has 6 branches. In clockwise order:

• the E25, to the south, towards Luxembourg and into France via Metz, Nancy, Lyon, ...
• the E42, to the west, crosses Cambrai, Paris, ...
• the E40, to the west, leading to the Belgian coast via Brussels
• the E313, leading to Antwerp and on to the large coastal cities of the Netherlands
• the E25, to the north, with Maastricht a stone's throw away (30 km) and the rest of the Netherlands beyond
• the E40, to the east, entering Verviers, heading to Trier.

Being a fairly large city, many motorway exits are signposted for "Liège". When coming from Germany or Netherlands, it's best to follow the E25 to its end, then follow the road signs to the center. Coming from Luxembourg, it's best to exit at "Angleur" and follow signs to the center, or to continue on to the exit marked "Liège-centre". Finally, coming from Paris, Lille, Brussels, or Antwerp, follow signs to Luxembourg until you reach the exit marked "Liège-centre".

By bus

Liège is well-connected by bus, notably in the Eurolines [4] network. Eurolines arrivals/departures are on rue des Guillemins, near the train station.

By boat

Individuals arriving with their own boat are welcome at the port des Yachts.

Many organised cruises departing from Maastricht stop in the center of Liège, on the right bank (quai Marcatchou to quai Van Beneden).

By car

Unlike most Belgian cities, Liège doesn't have an inner ring built along the path of the old city walls. Instead, the main streets were laid out along the old branches of the river, which makes their organisation a bit obscure for a non-native.

It's best to leave your car in one of the city-center parking garages, especially if you don't have a map of where exactly you're trying to get to.

The main routes for cars are:

• the motorway E40-E25 that crosses parts of the city
• the Boulevards "d'Avroy" and "de la Sauvenière", the main route between the center and the train station
• the Quais "de la Meuse" and "de la Dérivation", which link to/from the two branches of the E25

By bus

TEC [5] is the main bus company. Most lines converge towards one of the city-center bus "terminals". These terminals are located at Place Lèopold, Place Saint Lambert, Place République Française, and around the Opéra/Theater (all four very close to each other), plus at Place de la Cathédrale (about 5 minutes' walk away). The names of these 5 sites are used to indicate the direction of the bus, according to the line taken.

Several other lines leave from the train station Liège-Guillemins. Among them, two lines link the station with city center: the #4, a circuler line (direction "Bavière" to go from the station to the center, direction "d'Harscamp" for the reverse trip), and the #1 which runs train station to city center and on to Coronmeuse.

More and more bus stops now show the waiting time for the next bus on each line, and many busses are equipped to display the next stop and adapted for people with reduced mobility.

Unfortunately, however, most lines don't run after midnight.

By bike

Travelling by bike in the city center is easy, but the hillsides can be a bit steep (between 5 and 15%). Reaching the higher neighborhoods will require a bit of training and a multi-speed bike!

Cycling paths are regularly added and improved, though the main roads remain a bit dangerous. Most one-way streets can be travelled in the opposite direction by cyclists. A map of cycling paths is available at the tourist information office. In addition, there's a "Ravel" (a path for walkers and cyclists) along the right bank of the river Meuse.

• La Masion des Cyclistes [6]

By foot

Most of the areas in city center are easily accessible on foot, and walking provides an interesting perspective on the city itself. The trip from the train station at Guillemins to the city center requires a bit more time - about 30 minutes.

• Sunday morning market at la rive gauche

Typical purchases

• Val Saint Lambert crystal, now sold throughout the world, makes an exceptionnal gift in the "splurge" category.
• The tourist information office sells local artists' products including scarfs with medieval motifs and ties with contemporary artistic designs.
• Marionnettes of "Tchantchès", a character from local folklore embodying the Liégeois attitude, are available in the 6 marionette theaters in the city.

Other typical purchases are food and drink products:

• As elsewhere in Belgium, pralines (filled chocolates) and the numerous cheeses and beers are a must.
• Local products include "Herve" cheese (with a strong smell!), "Sirop de Liège" (made from a mix of apples and pears and typically used for cooking/baking), and cider (the alcoholic kind).
• "Péquet" (genièvre) is an alcoholic beverage available in countless varieties.
• For sweets, you can't go far without encountering the famous Liège waffles, smelling of cinnamon and sugar. They're best when freshly-cooked, though the pre-packaged variety also exists and has spread to many other countries.
• Other sweets are available depending on the season: bouquètes (dark crêpes with raisins, eaten with brown sugar) are mainly available for 15 August and at Christmas, while lacquemants/lackmans (dry waffles filled with a mix of sugar and other sweets) are found at the fairs.

• If you find them, try "cutè peures", a sort of cooked pear which unfortunately seems to have disappeared from the street vendors.
• Liège coffee (café liégeois) is originally from Vienna but was rebaptised by the Parisiens to show their support for the heroic resistance in Liège at the start of the first world war.

Shopping in city center

The best options for shopping are around Place Cathédrale and Place Saint Lambert, and in particular at Vinâve d'Ile (Celio...), Saint-Michel (Van den Borre, Delhaize, C&A), the Opera Galleries (Zara, Springfield) and the Saint Lambert Galleries (FNAC, Média Markt, Inno, Champion), as well as along the roads towards the center (rues Féronstrée, Saint-Gilles, Puits-en-Sock in Outremeuse, Grétry in Longdoz...)

Shopping outside city center

Several large commercial centers are located on the outskirts of the city: Belle-Ile (Angleur), Rocourt, Boncelles, Herstal...

In addition to the local foods mentioned above, regional specialities include:

• boulets sauce-lapin, meatballs in a sauce made from dark beer, Sirop de Liège, and prunes, accompanied of course by frites - french fries. The boulet even has its own critics and reviews - see the "Guide du Boulet frites sauce liègoise" [10] (in French).
• la potée liégeoise, a country dish made from beans, potatoes, and bacon bits cooked together and drenched in vinegar.
• les bouquètes, dark crêpes served at New Years' Eve or other festive occasions
• le matoufait, a cross between a crêpe and an omelette, made from flour, eggs, milk and bacon bits, and served either salty or sweet.
• la tarte au riz, originally from the neighboring city of Verviers or the area of Tancrémont

Other local recipes are available online here [11].

Prices unfortunately are fairly high, as in most other Belgian cities. Budget restaurants will cost about 15 euros per person, drinks included, mid-range restaurants between 25 and 50 euros, and splurge restaurants well over that!

Budget

• Au Tchantchès, Restaurant/Brasserie with traditional decor, located on rue Grande Bèche in the Outremeuse district.
• Café Lequet, 17 Quai sur Meuse. Local cuisine and ambiance. Try the boulet-frites.
• Le Venetto, rue de la Madeleine. One of the best Italian restaurants in Liège, limited menu but great atmosphere and unbeatable prices.
• Touch and Go, rue des Carmes. Specialising in pitas and do-it-yourself salads. Especially popular with students.
• Aux pâtes fraîches, 17 rue Saint-Gilles
• L'Amarante, rue des Carmes
• La Cigalière, 29 rue de la Régence. Sandwiches, salads, breakfasts, and crêpes - all top quality.
• Amour, Maracas et Salami (français), 78 rue Sur-la-Fontaine

Midrange

• Amon Nanesse, behind the town hall
• As Ouhès (aux oiseaux - for the birds), place du Marché.
• Le Sway, "fusion" restaurant linked to the concert hall Soundstation (rue Pouplin)
• L'industrie, rue Saint Gilles (at the start, on the right), nice brasserie specialising in mussels
• The Kitchen, 139 bd de la Sauvenière, concept restaurant but friendly and warm
• Table à Thé, 15 rue des Carmes, at the magnificent urban terrace
• Les Saintes Chéries, place Lambert-le-Bègue, a small place that's particularly nice in summer.
• La Parmentière, 10 place Cockerill. French cuisine for 40 euros.
• Le Vaudrée, 109 rue Val Benoit 4031 Angleur: 40 Beers on tap and 1200 Bottles, Fantastic food as well.

Splurge

• L'Héliport, with a Michelin star. Boulevard Frère Orban, on the lawn facing the Palais des Congrès, between the Meuse and the fast lanes/tracks (access in the direction outskirts -> center)

The area known as "Le Carré" offers numerous options to drink and party 365 days per year, with a young, vibrant, student atmosphere. Also worth a visit: the Place du Marché, more "connected", and the area around Place Cathédrale, to see and be seen.

• Le Vaudrée 2, in Rue Saint-Gilles, where you can taste a good thousand or so Belgian and foreign beers. Santé!
• La Masion du Péquet, behind the town hall, mainly serves fruit-flavored versions of genièvre, known locally as péquet.
• The Pot au Lait [12], rue Souers de Hasque, is a café popular with exchange students living in the region.
• Les Olivettes, rue Pied du Pont des Arches, offers an ambience from an entirely different time.
• Millennium, about 10km outside the center in the commercial area "Boncelles", is a recently constructed nightclub.
• Chapelle, on Place Sainte Etienne, is a club for "electro" style music.
• Soundstation, on rue Pouplin, has concerts and other night events.
• Le Sabor Latino is a club opening onto the boulevard de la Sauvenière.

In addition, many of the cafés in the Le Carré area are a good alternative, with plenty of dancing and typically no entrance fee.