'In unity is the way of peace. Without it, we might as well not exist.
Charlemagne, also referred to as Charles the Great, is said to have addressed his troops in a pre-war pep talk in the words quoted above. The reason to quote the King of Franks here is that the city we are about discuss in this articles “ Liege “ happens to be the place of birth of Charlemagne.
Much like that, Liege has birthed many epoch altering personalities in historical, artsy and cultural way of life of Europe. Situated in the eponymous province of Belgium, Liege is often counted as one of the most famous and important cities of the Walloon region of the country “ a region that is usually characterized because of its closer ties with French culture than Belgian culture.
That holds true 100% in Liege, as you can easily notice when you visit here that the brands of French spoken here straight out of conventional France, much unlike the mellower version we get to hear in mainland Belgium or Switzerland.
Liege of the 21st century is a fast paced city that is bustling with a number of businesses, corporations and industries. Add to this a sizeable population of students coming from all over Belgium (and other country, too) and you have a vibrant city that knows how to keep itself running. A splendid touch is provided to the whole scene by the free flowing Meuse River that makes Liege a true city of bliss and happiness.
If you are planning on visiting Liege anytime soon, you couldn't have been more correct in your destination choices. To applaud this, we are presenting a short and nifty articles detailing Liege hotels and what you can expect from them, sightseeing tips for travellers planning on visiting Liege and much more! Keep on reading!
Affordable Inns, Lodges and Hotels in Liege
Belgium is a country that is moderately expensive “ definitely not as much as France or Switzerland, but certainly a whole lot more than Eastern European countries. So, even though you may not come across too many problems while searching for cheap hotels here, you might find that cheap hotels around here are slightly more expensive than what you might have expected.
For example, in France, it is believed that nightly hotel prices for budget lodging hover around $90 to $120. The same number goes as low as $40 to $60 in a country like Poland or Czech Republic. In comparison, Belgium is located somewhere in the middle, with average nightly prices for budget lodging staying in the region of $60 to $100.
Two Ibis Properties (Hotel Ibis Liege Opera and Ibis Budget Liege) can be found here that can easily save you money, while making sure that you do get to experience a good, comfortable and cosy brand of reception.
Hotel Neuvice can give Ibis properties a run for their money, if only it weren't for its higher prices. But the prices are still not high enough to count this in the luxury category.
Finding Luxury in Liege
Being the capital of the province, Liege surely has its luxury resorts and lavish spas sorted out in style. If you have a taste for posh lifestyle and a penchant for the theatrics, you can already start looking forward to staying at one of these luxury hotels in Liege.
Ranking various available luxury options upon numerous criteria that we employ, two best choices among luxury Liege hotels are Hotel Crowne Plaza and Hotel Pentahotel. Both of these are quite safe bets, especially if you want a good blend of convenience and lavishness. While Hotel Pentahotel is just a touch more affordable than Hotel Crowne Plaza, in no obvious way are these two much different in terms of hospitality extended to their guests.
Independent and Boutique Hotels in Liege
Liege has unusually large number of boutique and independent lodging options. This probably stems from the fact that the development of Liege as a tourist hub (of sorts) has been more of a modern phenomenon. So, many of the available lodging options bear that scrawny look of boutique establishments.
This is, in no way, is meant to imply that you cannot have the best of hospitality with these options “ quite to the contrary. With boutique and independent establishments, you can get the best of both worlds “ flexibility of accommodation and reasonably low prices!
Sightseeing in Liege: What Not to Miss Out on
If you are visiting Liege, there are some obviously important attractions that you just cannot afford to miss out on. These attraction define the city and its tourism, and are rounded up below for the benefit of our readers who are interested in visiting Liege.
Liege Aquarium can very well top this list, as far as popularity is concerned. It is the most visited place in the city, and quite rightly so “ because it houses some exquisite and exotic species of marine life “ even a man-eater shark!
The Museum of Religious Art is another such unique site in the city. This is a must visit place for those who are interested in Christianity (among other religions) and its mutually beneficial relationship with the world of art.
If you want to explore the local culture and way of life, there is no better place to hope to do so at than the Museum of Walloon Life. It celebrates the rich Walloon culture through exhibitions and seminars.
Local Transportation in Liege
Liege has one of the most artfully decorated city centers in Europe. Since the city is developed along the banks of Meuse, the streets are often narrower than what car/vehicle transport would require, meaning that overall traffic “ at least in the center of the city “ is considerably low.
So, the best way to explore city center is on foot or on bicycles. To get to places on the outskirts of the city, you can use public transport buses or private taxis.
Many hotels in Liege have discounted city tours available for their guests. Availing them can help you save a few hundred bucks.