The airport operator promised in a press release that the four-star hotel, located directly opposite the terminal, will remain open while the renovation is carried out in phases. Initial façade works began this summer, while the main structural programme is expected to start in mid-2027 and be completed by the end of 2028.

This was the Sheraton #BrusselsAirport Hotel back in 1989. Nearly 40 years later, it’s getting ready for its next chapter. From mid-2027, the hotel will undergo a major #renovation, from its façade to the guest rooms. Here’s a sneak peek at what’s coming! Read more in our… pic.twitter.com/IruyOcrKKd

— Brussels Airport (@BrusselsAirport) September 9, 2026

The investment comes after a turbulent period for the airport hotel. In August 2025, the local mayor ordered the Sheraton to close temporarily after advice from the Flemish Brabant West fire brigade, following tests that found fire-safety systems no longer met applicable standards. Guests were required to leave the hotel by midnight, although Brussels Airport said at the time that the measure was precautionary and that no incident had endangered guests or staff.

The hotel later reopened after corrective steps and inspection clearance, but fire safety returned to the spotlight on Christmas Eve 2025, when 175 guests were temporarily evacuated to the airport departure hall after a blaze broke out in a technical room in the underground car park. Firefighters brought the flames under control; no injuries were reported, and guests returned after the building was ventilated and carbon monoxide checks were completed.

Although the latest airport announcement on the hotel focuses on guest experience, capacity, and sustainability, the planned upgrades to electrical and ventilation systems, as well as the roof and broader technical infrastructure, will be watched closely in light of those incidents. The project also includes a new glass gallery in the reception and restaurant area, designed to bring in more natural light and expand the lobby into multiple hospitality zones.

Guest rooms are due to be fully refurbished, the restaurant will undergo a complete renovation, and the current meeting-room space on the top floor will be converted into additional executive rooms. Brussels Airport said the added rooms are intended to help address high occupancy levels and prepare for future demand for accommodation at the airport.

Arnaud Feist, CEO of Brussels Airport, said the hotel has been part of the airport since its launch three and a half decades ago, and remains an important first or last stop for travellers, business guests, and visitors. The renovation, he said, is intended to deliver “fully refurbished, comfortable and modern rooms” and an enhanced dining and meeting environment.

Sheraton Brussels Airport Hotel opened in 1989 under Starwood Hotels & Resorts, with Marriott International taking over in 2017. Brussels Airport Company has, however, owned the building since 2019 and continues to pursue a diversification strategy through operationally relevant real estate investments. That includes the acquisition of neighbouring Novotel buildings and land, as the hub enjoys ongoing growth in passenger numbers.

L’article Brussels Airport plans major Sheraton hotel renovation after fire-safety scrutiny est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Running from 7 to 10 September at Bump, on Place du Luxembourg opposite the European Parliament, the event is organised by spiritsEUROPE, the European association representing the spirits sector.

The four-day programme combines political discussions, networking and interactive experiences, addressing agriculture, trade, responsible consumption, hospitality and tourism, while Belgium will take centre stage as host of the inaugural edition.

The event also comes amid a change of leadership at spiritsEUROPE. In June, Patrick Piana, Managing Director Europe at Campari Group, was elected President for a two-year term, succeeding Rémy Cointreau executive Ian McLernon.

Piana has placed competitiveness, sustainability, international market access, digital consumer information and responsible drinking among the priorities for his mandate, while also calling for greater recognition of the industry’s contribution to agriculture, local communities, hospitality and tourism.

The association’s Director General, Mark Titterington, is also relatively new to the organisation, having taken office in September 2025 following a career largely focused on the agri-food sector, public policy and sustainability.

Trade high on political agenda

Spirit of Life Week takes place against a complicated international trade environment for European distillers.

Much of spiritsEUROPE’s political activity in recent months has focused on transatlantic trade and its campaign for a return to reciprocal zero tariffs on spirits between the European Union and United States.

The association has been pushing for EU spirits to receive equivalent treatment in the US market, arguing that restoring the previous “zero-for-zero” arrangement would support producers, investment and hospitality businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. In May, following a European Parliament vote on the EU-US trade deal, spiritsEUROPE called for swift implementation.

At the same time, the organisation has strongly backed the EU’s broader push to diversify international trade, welcoming agreements with India, Mercosur and Australia. The EU-India agreement is particularly significant for the industry, with spiritsEUROPE describing it as a “game changer”. Under the deal, tariffs on EU spirits, previously as high as 150%, will be halved upon entry into force before gradually falling to 40%.

Public health represents another politically sensitive area. The organisation says the industry’s future should be based on quality and responsible appreciation rather than increasing alcohol consumption. It has promoted education, awareness and targeted interventions to tackle harmful drinking, while opposing broader measures such as advertising bans and tax increases.

Those debates will feature prominently during Spirit of Life Week. A Tuesday session entitled “All in Moderation” will examine responsible consumption, while further discussions will address agriculture and the industry’s place in European society.

European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen is among the political figures expected to participate, delivering a keynote address on Wednesday during a discussion about the relationship between spirits, European farming and the wider agri-food economy.

Belgium in the spotlight

As host country of the inaugural edition, Belgium will be showcased during Monday evening’s opening reception. Visitors will be able to meet Belgian distillers and discover local products, family traditions and craftsmanship.

Participating Belgian producers include Filliers, FX de Beukelaer, known for Elixir d’Anvers, and the Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean distillery in Waterloo.

Monday’s programme will also look at the role of conviviality in European society and the importance of cafés, bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues as places for social interaction.

From distilleries to tourism experiences

Tourism will receive a dedicated place on the programme on Thursday, highlighting another dimension of the industry’s economic footprint.

Distilleries, spirits museums, tasting routes, cocktail culture and other drinks-related experiences increasingly form part of Europe’s tourism offer, connecting local products with destinations, heritage and hospitality.

The discussion will bring together Eduardo Santander, Executive Director of the European Travel Commission; Serge Guillou, Vice-President of the International Bartenders Association; Camille Delpoux of Maison Ferrand; and Edward Martin, Master Distiller and Brewer at Ferme de Mont-Saint-Jean.

Spirit of Life Week therefore arrives in Brussels as more than an industry showcase. By locating the event next to the European Parliament and combining tastings and craftsmanship with discussions on trade, agriculture, public health and tourism, Europe’s spirits producers are also making their case about the sector’s place in European economic and social life.

L’article Spirit of Life Week brings Europe’s spirits industry and policy debates to Brussels est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Since 1 September 2026, tourists visiting the Belgian city of Ghent will be able to stay at a newly opened boutique hotel. Hospitality brand 1898, which previously renovated the listed Neo-Gothic post office building by architect Louis Cloquet and turned it into a hotel called The Post, has now turned the former porter’s lodges into the Porter’s House.

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“Once the porter’s lodge of this historic building, Porter’s House was a place of arrival, watchfulness, and welcome where guests were received, and the rhythm of the house was quietly guarded. Today, it carries that same spirit of hospitality, reimagined with refined comfort and understated elegance. Set in the heart of Ghent, heritage and contemporary design come together to create a calm and inviting retreat. A place to slow down, feel at home and become part of the city’s story,” 1898 writes.

Just like The Post, Porter’s House is a great example of the Belgian Neo-Gothic movement. Its stone façade and tall arched windows are reminiscent of medieval buildings, even though the building only dates back to 1898 when it was built on the ruins of a former storehouse.

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Inside Porter’s House, Ghent-based architects Vertongen and Jan Van Loock and interior architect Geraldine Dohogne have managed to maintain the historical charm of the listed building while ensuring guests can benefit from all mod cons. High ceilings, beautifully carved wooden doors, and stunning fireplaces now shine next to marble bathrooms, cosy lounges, and even an outdoor copper bathtub. A mix of artisanal modern furniture and antiques gives each room its own personal identity, making sure no two stays will be the same.

Upon booking, guests can choose between a variety of rooms. From the Porter’s Room to the Porter’s Junior Suite and from the Porter’s Graslei Suite to the Porter’s Family Suite, the hotel has something to offer all kinds of travellers. And those looking for more can always book a room at The Post next door.

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The Post and Porter’s House also feature two culinary options: The Kitchen and The Cobbler. At The Kitchen, both guests and those simply passing by can indulge in a homemade breakfast. An open kitchen concept guarantees the best views and smells.

At the in-house cocktail bar The Cobbler, everyone is welcome to unwind after a long day visiting the city. The cocktail team was trained by Ruben Patoor, whose bar, Fugazi, was named Cocktail Bar of the Year 2025 by Gault&Millau.

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“Our bartender reinvented traditional cocktails with a touch of ancestral alchemy to create a whole new range of tastes and subtle flavours, mixing top-quality spirits with fruit juices, spices and other secret ingredients. Choose from our signature Cobbler cocktails, aperitifs, classic cocktails, after-dinner cocktails and mocktails. You name it, we shake it…”, 1898 explains.

Rates for the Porter’s Room start from approximately €250 per night for a double room, while rates for the Porter’s Family Suite with Terrace start from €550.

L’article Ghent welcomes new Porter’s House boutique hotel est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

At more than 500 metres above sea level, the Domaine de Bérizenne and neighbouring Fagne de Malchamps reveal another side of the region. Peat bogs, wet and dry heathlands, acidic marshes and forests replace the architecture of the thermal town below, while water remains almost as important here as it is in Spa itself.

I explored the area with guide Philippe Calonne, starting from the Domaine de Bérizenne before heading into the Fagne de Malchamps. The protected area covers around 365 hectares and forms part of the Natura 2000 network. Despite its relatively compact size, it contains an unusually diverse collection of habitats, including peatlands, wet heath, dry heath and acidic forests, supporting plants and wildlife that are increasingly difficult to find elsewhere. 

What makes the excursion particularly attractive for visitors to Spa is its proximity. The town sits at a little over 300 metres above sea level, while within just four kilometres the landscape climbs by almost 200 metres to the plateau. 

It is close enough for a morning excursion, yet sufficiently different to feel like another destination.

A landscape built centimetre by centimetre

The word fagne itself gives a clue to the landscape underfoot. These are wet, marshy environments, and the Fagne de Malchamps has developed on highly acidic soils where conventional agriculture was historically difficult.

Its name, Malchamps, literally evokes a “bad field”, an appropriate description of land that proved poorly suited to intensive cultivation. What was once a disadvantage has ultimately helped preserve an ecosystem that is now extremely valuable.

As we walked, the landscape changed constantly. Open heathland gave way to patches of forest, boggy ground and expanses of heather. Philippe pointed out blueberries, sedges, birches and different varieties of heather, as well as the habitats of carnivorous sundews, small plants that compensate for the nutrient-poor soil by trapping insects.

At one point, he bent down and picked up what looked, at first sight, like an unremarkable handful of bright green moss.

“This is sphagnum,” he explained, holding it up against the surrounding fagne.

Unlike most plants, sphagnum has no roots or vascular system. It thrives in this wet environment and grows extraordinarily slowly, Philippe explained, at a maximum of around one centimetre per year. When it dies, rather than decomposing completely, it accumulates beneath new growth. Layer after layer, over very long periods of time, this process creates peat. 

It is difficult to reconcile something so small and delicate in your hand with the enormous ecological role it plays. Sphagnum helps retain water and creates the acidic conditions characteristic of the fagne, while peatlands are also important carbon stores.

And here, that handful of moss is part of an even bigger story.

Protecting the landscape means protecting Spa’s water

The Domaine de Bérizenne belongs to Spadel, the Belgian family-owned group behind Spa mineral water. Philippe explained that the company acquired the estate in 1972 for a very particular reason: to protect the water.

“It’s simply to make sure that the water they collect for bottling remains pure,” he explained during our walk. Preventing potentially polluting industrial activity in and around the catchment area is therefore essential to safeguarding the resource. 

This protection goes far beyond the 365 hectares of the Fagne de Malchamps. The protected Spa aquifer area has expanded over generations and today covers 13,177 hectares, making it one of the largest areas of its kind in Europe. Agriculture and industry are prohibited in the protected catchment zone, as is the use of pesticides, fertilisers and chemical soil improvers. 

Walking across the fagne makes the reason for that protection much easier to understand.

Rain falling on the plateau does not simply run immediately into streams. Water moves slowly through layers of vegetation, peat and soil. Sphagnum plays an important role in this environment, while beneath the peat lie geological layers including clay and ancient rock.

Philippe described how some of that rainwater is naturally filtered through the upper layers before eventually re-emerging at springs with very low mineralisation. Other water penetrates much deeper through geological faults, interacting with mineral-rich layers before returning towards the surface. That deeper journey produces the more heavily mineralised and naturally carbonated waters associated with springs such as Marie-Henriette. 

The connection between the wild landscape above and Spa’s famous waters below suddenly becomes tangible. Protecting this landscape is not separate from protecting the water. It is part of the same process.

Three ways to discover the fagne

You do not need to be an experienced hiker to explore the Fagne de Malchamps. At the Maison de la Nature, a large map presents three marked walks starting from the Domaine de Bérizenne, allowing visitors to choose according to how much time and energy they have.

The easiest is SPA 15 – Les Caillebotis de Malchamps, a 4.1-km route indicated as taking around one hour. That is the route I chose. Walking with Philippe and stopping regularly to understand the plants, peat, geology and history around us extended the experience to approximately an hour and a half.

For those wanting to go further, SPA 11 – Petite boucle de Malchamps covers 5.1 km and takes approximately 1h15, while SPA 17 – La Fagne de Malchamps par la Vecquée extends to 9.5 km and around 2h30. All three are currently listed as open by the Domaine de Bérizenne. 

The routes also make it possible to explore this fragile environment without walking directly across the peatland. Boardwalks and designated paths cross sections where the ground can be extremely wet and unstable, while keeping visitors away from sensitive vegetation. The boardwalk sections are not accessible to wheelchairs or pushchairs. 

For me, the advantage of taking a guide quickly became obvious. A 4.1-km walk becomes something entirely different when someone can explain why the ground beneath your feet is acidic, pick up sphagnum and show you how peat begins, identify the heather or point out a carnivorous plant that you would otherwise walk straight past.

Climbing above the fagne

One of the highlights of the Domaine de Bérizenne is its wooden observation tower. Built in the 1990s from larch, the structure rises 22 metres above the landscape and requires 88 steps to reach the top. It is worth the climb.

From above, the fragmented landscape seen at ground level suddenly comes together. Heathland stretches towards the forests; wetlands interrupt the vegetation and, on a clear day, the horizon continues eastwards towards the wider Hautes Fagnes and eventually Germany.

The tower also makes the vulnerability of the landscape easier to understand. What looks like an expanse of hardy vegetation is dependent on a delicate balance of water, temperature and soil conditions.

Philippe has been guiding in the area for more than ten years, long enough to notice the changes himself. “In recent years, I have noticed considerable drought,” he told me, explaining its impact on the peatlands, ponds, fauna and flora. During our walk, one small pond that he would normally expect to contain water was completely dry. 

After the fires, a territory that still needs visitors

That vulnerability acquired a much more dramatic dimension this summer.

The devastating wildfires in the Hautes Fagnes provided a stark reminder that landscapes associated with water and wetlands can become extraordinarily combustible after prolonged periods of heat and drought. Peat is particularly problematic because fire can continue beneath the surface, making it extremely difficult to extinguish.

The ecological consequences extend far beyond the vegetation visible above ground. Peat accumulates extraordinarily slowly, while rare plants and wildlife depend on habitats that cannot simply be recreated once destroyed.

But the fires should not give travellers the impression that the wider region is inaccessible or that nature tourism around Spa should be avoided. The Fagne de Malchamps is a reminder that there are still extraordinary landscapes to discover, provided visitors respect restrictions, remain on designated paths and follow local guidance.

Continuing to visit responsibly can also help the territory recover. Spa and its surrounding communities depend on tourism, and supporting local guides, accommodation, restaurants and visitor attractions matters particularly after an environmental disaster has placed the region in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

The answer is not to stay away, but to visit responsibly.

More than a hike

Back at the Domaine de Bérizenne, the experience does not necessarily end with the walk. The Musée de la Forêt et des Eaux explores the forests, water and ecosystems of the region, while the site also serves as an educational centre for schools and families. 

There are traces of human history across the landscape too. An old route crossing the fagne follows the path of an ancient Roman road, later used during the Middle Ages to connect territories under the influence of the Prince-Bishops of Liège. Elsewhere, an old elm linked to the history of the Bérizenne estate has survived for centuries, while the remains of a Second World War aircraft crash add another, darker layer to the walk.

Yet what stayed with me most was not a historical monument or even the panoramic view. Towards the end of our walk, surrounded by heather and the open landscape of the plateau, Philippe summed up his attachment to the place very simply: “When I come here, I am happy.” It is easy to understand why.

Just a few kilometres away, Spa is defined by the water that emerges from its springs, fills its thermal baths and leaves the town in millions of familiar bottles. Up here, at the Fagne de Malchamps, you begin to understand the landscape behind that water: the rain, moss, peat, rock and decades-long underground journey that precedes what eventually reaches the surface.

A hike that began as a 4.1-km walk through one of Wallonia’s most unusual natural landscapes ended up explaining another side of Spa altogether.

L’article Hiking the Fagne de Malchamps, where the famous Spa water begins est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The dispute centres on services between Brussels and Israel, which the Belgian flag carrier resumed this summer. During the initial weeks following the restart, the flights were staffed by employees who volunteered for the route. However, Brussels Airlines has since returned to its standard crew rostering procedures.

According to The Brussels Times, Belgian trade union ACV Puls argues that this violates previous agreements under which only volunteers would be used to staff the flights.

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“Staff have serious concerns about both their physical safety and the mental and ethical impact of these flights,” said Jolinde Defieuw of ACV Puls. “Nevertheless, Brussels Airlines refuses to give employees the option to refuse such assignments.”

The union issued a strike notice that took effect on 1 September and warned that industrial action could follow if the airline does not reverse its decision. However, ACV Puls stressed that any disruption would be limited to Tel Aviv services.

“Any disruption will be limited exclusively to flights to and from Tel Aviv. ACV Puls will protect any employee who does not wish to fly to a war zone,” Defieuw said.

The union also pointed to Belgian government travel advice, which warns against all non-essential travel to Israel and Jerusalem, arguing that Brussels Airlines “cannot act as though Tel Aviv is a normal business destination”.

Airline returns to standard rostering

Brussels Airlines has defended the decision to return to normal crew scheduling, saying the voluntary system was introduced during the initial phase of the route’s resumption.

“Brussels Airlines resumed operations to Tel Aviv this summer. During the first few weeks, these flights were operated by volunteers. Now that these flights have been successfully resumed, we can return to the standard procedure for drawing up duty rosters,” the airline said.

The carrier added that it would continue monitoring developments alongside other Lufthansa Group airlines and could adjust its procedures if necessary.

The dispute illustrates the operational challenges airlines continue to face when restoring connectivity to Israel. Other European carriers have also reportedly encountered reluctance among crew members to operate Tel Aviv services amid regional security concerns.

International airlines gradually return to Tel Aviv

The controversy comes as international connectivity to Israel is gradually being rebuilt following years of disruption caused by conflict and airspace closures in the region.

As reported by Travel Tomorrow, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are preparing to resume services to Tel Aviv ahead of the Jewish High Holidays. Delta is scheduled to restart its daily New York–Tel Aviv service on 6 September, while United plans to resume twice-daily flights between Newark and Tel Aviv on 8 September.

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United is also planning to restore connections from Chicago and Washington, D.C., in October, while Delta is expected to restart its Atlanta service in December. American Airlines, meanwhile, has postponed the return of its US–Israel services until spring 2027.

The contrasting developments highlight the complexity facing airlines as they rebuild schedules to Israel. While carriers are gradually restoring capacity, decisions over when and how to return continue to depend not only on passenger demand and security assessments, but also on the willingness of airline employees to operate the routes.

L’article Brussels Airlines faces strike threat over Tel Aviv flights est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Visiting Spa means repeatedly coming back to water. It flows beneath the streets, emerges from springs in the surrounding forests, fills the pools of the Thermes de Spa, appears in treatments whose origins stretch back more than 150 years, and leaves the region by the bottle from Spa Monopole. It is impossible to separate the destination from its springs.

That heritage has international significance too. Since 2021, Spa has formed part of UNESCO’s Great Spa Towns of Europe, alongside ten other historic thermal destinations including Bath, Vichy, Baden-Baden and Montecatini Terme. Together, they represent the European spa culture that developed around natural mineral springs and flourished particularly between the early 18^th century and the 1930s.

But in Spa, this heritage is anything but frozen in time.

When Europe came to take the waters

Walking through the centre with local guide Johny Lejeune quickly reveals how profoundly the arrival of visitors seeking the benefits of Spa’s waters transformed what had once been a modest settlement.

The town experienced two particularly prosperous periods: the second half of the 18^th century and, later, the decades stretching from around 1870 until the First World War. Wealthy visitors arriving to “take the waters” became known locally as Bobelins. Aristocrats, monarchs, writers, composers and political figures came not only for treatments but also to socialise, promenade and be entertained.

Spa consequently accumulated an extraordinary collection of visitors over the centuries. Peter the Great, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, Giacomo Meyerbeer and the Duke of Wellington are among the names connected with the town. Queen Marie-Henriette of Belgium developed an especially strong relationship with Spa, spending the final seven years of her life here. Her name survives today in perhaps the town’s most important thermal source.

The wealth brought by the Bobelins also produced an architecture intended as much for entertainment as for treatment. Spa’s gaming tradition dates to 1763 with the establishment of La Redoute, the predecessor of today’s Casino de Spa, regarded as the world’s oldest casino still in operation. The competition must have been intense: as Lejeune tells it, by 1787 disputes between Spa’s rival casinos had become so serious that the Prince-Bishop of Liège sent 200 soldiers and two cannons to restore order.

Nearby, the 130-metre Galerie Léopold provided fashionable visitors with a sheltered place to promenade, while the surrounding Parc de Sept Heures takes its name from the hour at which spa guests traditionally came out for their evening walk. Taking the waters was not simply a treatment. It was a social ritual, and water effectively created an entire urban lifestyle.

The waters beneath Spa

Leave Spa’s grand buildings behind, and the original reason for all this prosperity becomes much clearer. The wooded landscape surrounding the town is scattered with springs, or pouhons, whose waters vary considerably in mineral composition and taste.

At one of them, the presence of iron was immediately visible in the reddish deposits surrounding the water. And, naturally, I had to taste it. Slightly sparkling, intensely metallic and with an unmistakable iron aftertaste, it is certainly different from the Spa water most of us know from the familiar bottles on supermarket shelves.

That diversity is fundamental to Spa’s thermal system because different springs have different purposes. Three in particular are closely connected to today’s Thermes de Spa. The naturally carbonated, iron-rich Marie-Henriette spring is used for traditional treatments, including carbonated baths and peat treatments, while water from the Clémentine spring supplies the swimming pools and several balneotherapy treatments.

In Spa, water is therefore not simply a backdrop to the destination or a generic wellness ingredient. Each source has its own characteristics, history and use.

Pierrots hiding in plain sight

Water even appears in one of the most colourful symbols scattered around the city.

Spa Monopole dates back more than a century, and in 1923 a competition was organised to create a symbol for the company. The winning design was the Pierrot, a small figure attempting with both hands to hold back the stream of water bursting from a bottle. More than 100 years later, that same little character can still be found on Spa water labels.

I had barely noticed him before.

Once you know the story, however, the Pierrot suddenly seems to appear everywhere in Spa. Twelve larger Pierrots are scattered around the city, each decorated differently, bringing unexpected splashes of colour to the streets and creating a small discovery trail of their own. I came across several during my visit, each with its own personality.

It is a playful symbol, but an appropriate one. Even here, in the city’s public art, everything comes back to water.

A hotel with a direct line to wellness

Accommodation is naturally part of the experience of staying in Spa, and during my visit I stayed at the Van der Valk Hotel Spa, in the heart of the town and within walking distance of many of its main sights.

The hotel itself has recently undergone a significant transformation. According to Adrien Nys, Business Development Manager at Van der Valk Liège, the ground floor was completely redesigned ahead of its inauguration in April 2025, while a gradual renovation of the bathrooms is still underway.

Its most distinctive feature, however, is its connection with the Thermes de Spa. Although the hotel and the thermal complex are independently managed, a private funicular can be accessed directly from the hotel’s first floor, taking guests up the wooded hillside to the Thermes.

It changes the experience considerably. Rather than driving to the thermal complex and changing there, guests can get ready in their room, put on a bathrobe and head directly to the funicular. As Nys put it during our conversation, you can change “in your own oasis” before making your way up to the Thermes.

As the funicular climbs the wooded hillside, Spa gradually drops away beneath you. Within minutes, you have moved from the architecture and streets of the historic town to a contemporary thermal complex overlooking the valley. It is an extraordinary arrival and, rather than simply being a practical means of reaching the Thermes, the journey feels like part of the experience.

Opened in 2004, the Thermes de Spa sit high above the town, surrounded by greenery, rather than in the historic centre where the former thermal establishment once stood. Yet at the top, the connection with Spa below remains very tangible.

Christel Pire, Reception Manager at the Thermes de Spa, explained that the facility’s philosophy has changed considerably from the days when thermal treatments were more medicalised and could be reimbursed through Belgium’s social security system. Today, the emphasis is primarily on relaxation and wellbeing, while preserving several treatments directly linked to Spa’s thermal tradition.

The Thermes welcome around 170,000 visitors annually, according to Pire, of whom approximately 35,000 book treatments. The majority come for the thermoludic facilities: indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, hammams and relaxation areas. The pools, filled with water from the Clémentine spring and heated to around 33°C, extend outdoors, allowing visitors to float in warm spring water while looking across the surrounding landscape.

1868, still alive in a copper bath

Some of the most fascinating experiences at the Thermes are found away from the pools. In the treatment area, Spa’s past and present come remarkably close together.

The carbonated bath is perhaps the best example. Large copper bathtubs of the type used in Spa since the 19th century are filled with naturally carbonated and ferruginous water from the Marie-Henriette spring, heated to around 36°C. There are no mechanical jets. Instead, tiny naturally occurring bubbles settle over the skin as the body rests in the water.

Pire describes it as one of the Thermes’ traditional treatments, a direct continuation of practices once offered in the old thermal establishment. The water and the copper are not incidental details but part of the treatment itself.

Another survivor is the peat bath. Peat is mixed with carbonated, iron-rich Marie-Henriette water and heated to around 40°C. Unlike most of today’s offer, which is centred on relaxation, Pire says the peat bath retains a stronger therapeutic dimension, with regular clients returning for treatments aimed at relieving rheumatic and joint discomfort.

This is where Spa becomes more than another European wellness destination. Modern pools, relaxation rooms and massages coexist with practices that connect today’s visitor with the generations who travelled here to take the waters.

Spa water meets Sothys

That historical identity has not prevented the Thermes from embracing contemporary wellness. Its treatment institute combines the traditional water-based treatments with a broader beauty and massage offer developed with French professional skincare brand Sothys.

The partnership is particularly interesting because Spa’s own water has also found its way into the collaboration. The relationship between Sothys and the Thermes dates back more than two decades and has included the development of products incorporating water from the Marie-Henriette spring.

It is a good illustration of the balance Spa is trying to maintain. The destination does not need to choose between thermal heritage and contemporary wellness. The two can complement one another, with the springs providing the identity that distinguishes the offer from a wellness centre that could exist almost anywhere else.

Belgian water in Belgian hands

The same water story continues beyond tourism and wellness. Spa Monopole has been bottling water here for more than a century and today belongs to Spadel, a Belgian family-owned group.

That ownership has become increasingly distinctive in Belgium. Chaudfontaine, the country’s other internationally recognised mineral-water name, was acquired by Coca-Cola in 2003, while Spa has remained in Belgian hands through Spadel.

The group is also investing in the future of the site. Around €40 million is being invested in Spa Monopole between 2025 and 2027, including improvements to production lines and the plant’s environmental and energy performance.

There is something particularly striking about seeing how one resource operates at so many different levels. The same landscape that attracted aristocratic Bobelins centuries ago today sustains a major Belgian beverage company, a contemporary wellness destination and a tourism identity recognised around the world.

And that little Pierrot trying to contain the water escaping from his bottle suddenly makes a lot more sense.

Spa at the heart of Europe’s thermal future in 2027

Spa’s position within European thermal culture will come into focus again in June 2027, when the city is set to welcome a major joint event of the European Spas Association (ESPA) and the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA), bringing European thermal heritage and the health tourism sector to the Belgian destination.

The choice of Spa feels particularly appropriate. Across Europe, thermal destinations are increasingly looking towards prevention, wellbeing, healthier lifestyles and longevity while asking how centuries of therapeutic tradition can remain relevant to a new generation of travellers.

Spa has already been navigating that transition for decades. Its old thermal establishment has found a new life, while the modern Thermes have moved wellness onto the hillside without abandoning the springs and traditional treatments that made the destination famous in the first place.

Over two days in Spa, water seemed to be everywhere, but rarely in quite the same form. It was red with iron at a pouhonin the woods, naturally carbonated in a copper bath, warm beneath the open sky at the Thermes, represented by colourful Pierrots in the streets and bottled under a Belgian brand recognised far beyond the country’s borders.

More than two centuries after Europe’s Bobelins came here to take the waters, Spa continues to reinvent what that relationship with water can mean.

L’article The Belgian town where water became a way of life est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

International Orangutan Day, marked annually on 19 August, aims to raise global awareness about the plight of orangutans and the urgent need to protect their natural habitats.

All three species, the Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans, face a high risk of extinction, with habitat loss among the biggest threats to their survival. Widespread deforestation linked to palm oil plantations, illegal logging and mining, as well as the illegal pet trade, continue to put populations under pressure.

Orangutans mainly eat fruit and play an essential role in dispersing seeds throughout the rainforest, helping the wider ecosystem flourish. This has earned them the nickname “gardeners of the forest”.

For every captive orangutan sold through the exotic pet trade, up to 11 others can be killed during the capture process. Many animals taken from the wild also fail to survive the journey.

Two orangutan families at Pairi Daiza

Pairi Daiza, an animal park and botanical garden in Brugelette, Hainaut, is contributing to efforts to preserve the species through conservation, breeding and public awareness.

The park held a special “orangutan weekend” on 15 and 16 August, giving visitors the opportunity to meet its two orangutan families, take part in activities and learn about conservation work protecting their relatives in the wild.

“Through encounters with the animals and their keepers and a special guided tour, visitors learned more about these remarkably intelligent great apes, their way of life and the growing threats facing them in the wild,” a park spokesperson said.

“The weekend also highlighted the urgent work being carried out in Borneo, where the 2026 forest-fire season has begun and the forests on which orangutans depend are once again under severe pressure.”

The award-winning park is home to nine Sumatran orangutans living in two family groups in its Kingdom of Ganesha.

Ujian, Sari, Berani and Mathaï live in the Flower Temple. Just opposite, Kembali, Rosa, Indah, Yori and Bukit live in the House of the Artisan.

The second family arrived at Pairi Daiza from Frankfurt Zoo in November 2025 as part of the European Ex Situ Programme coordinated by the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria.

Their arrival allowed the five orangutans to remain together while contributing to the responsible management of a healthy European population of this critically endangered species.

First encounter between the two families

In July, both orangutan families were outside at the same time for the first time, a moment Niels Vandemeulebroucke, orangutan caretaker at Pairi Daiza, described as “a wonderful milestone”.

“For Kembali and his family, almost everything was new: trees to climb, ropes and branches to explore, birds, toys, places to rest, and an entire world of movement around them,” he told Travel Tomorrow.

“You could really see how stimulating their new environment was.”

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Their neighbours in the Flower Temple were equally intrigued.

“At first, the whole family climbed high into the trees to get a better look at the newcomers. Interestingly, there were no striking vocalisations or direct interactions, and the initial curiosity quickly settled down,” Vandemeulebroucke said.

“Today, both families are once again mainly focused on the relationships within their own group.”

As ambassadors for their species, Pairi Daiza’s orangutans can help visitors understand the extraordinary intelligence of the great apes while providing a connection with their wild relatives and the rapidly disappearing forests on which their survival depends.

“Our role is to keep challenging them,” Vandemeulebroucke said.

“We continuously create new enrichments and opportunities to explore, think and interact, because orangutans are exceptionally intelligent animals.”

Pairi Daiza covers 75 hectares on the site of the former Cistercian Cambron Abbey and is home to more than 7,000 animals.

L’article How Belgian animal park Pairi Daiza is helping protect endangered orangutans  est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Concerns over scooter safety have been multiplying for a number of years since their first introduction on city streets around the world. The hop-on-hop-off nature of easily rented street scooters has been promoted as a “final kilometre” micro-mobility solution, but medical professionals and data point to a surge in head injuries caused by scooter accidents. Many riders appear unequipped with protective clothing, headgear, or any understanding of the consequences of a fall or accident at high speed.

“International studies, medical and accident statistics all point in the same direction: in serious and fatal accidents involving motorised transport, particularly electric scooters, head and brain injuries are very common,” the Mobility and Transport service said.

Vanaf 1 september: helm op de elektrische step!

Rijdt je elektrische step sneller dan 20 km/u? Dan is een helm vanaf 1 september verplicht, ook als je op dat moment trager rijdt. Je kiest zelf wat voor type helm, zolang de achterkant van je hoofd en je slapen bedekt zijn. pic.twitter.com/UCaILasTZG

— Politie Leuven (@PolitieLeuven) August 31, 2026

Now officials hope to address the scourge with a blanket rule: if the scooter is capable of reaching speeds above 20 km per hour, the rider must wear a helmet. The rule seeks to remove any questions about speed detection or enforcement, with the emphasis simply placed on the capability of the transport device, rather than the speed it is travelling at any given time.

Former scooter industry lobbyist Peter Beckett, writing in The Brussels Times, has argued that the government is getting its response wrong. He highlights that the 26% increase in accident numbers recorded between 2024 and 2025 came as shared scooter trips also increased by 26%. But the long-recognised worldwide standard for measuring road safety is per million inhabitants, not per trip, in order to capture the overall burden placed on a whole society by the way people behave on the roads.

When it comes to that burden, the advent of thousands of scooters on Belgian streets has caused not only safety worries, but also a growing public outcry over clutter from discarded scooters in parks, woodlands, and streets, as well as their impact on street accessibility, especially for people with reduced vision or mobility.

#SécuritéRoutière

Qui est concerné par l’obligation du port du casque ?

Trottinettes électriques, gyropodes, hoverboards, monoroues… l’obligation concerne les utilisateurs d’engins de déplacement personnel motorisés (EDPM).

Dans le Nord, le port du casque deviendra… pic.twitter.com/e21tyVEgDy

— Préfecture de la région Hauts-de-France et du Nord (@prefet59) August 27, 2026

Scooters that can travel above 25 km per hour are already prohibited in the Belgian capital, Brussels, and rentable e-scooters, such as fleets belonging to Bolt, Dott, and Lime, have been banned. The ban was due to come into effect in September 2026, though they remain on the streets until December 2026 under a transition arrangement.

Personal scooters, rather than shared ones, are still permitted, but riders must respect the same rules: they must comply with the maximum speed of 25 km per hour and wear a helmet if the device is capable of reaching over 20 km per hour. No one under 16 is permitted to ride a scooter, according to the law.

Meanwhile, rules about bicycles and helmets do not follow the same logic. Bike helmets are optional in Belgium for adults and children, even if the bike can reach 25 km per hour. Helmets are compulsory for e-bikes capable of travelling above that speed. Until recently, much Belgian advice on bike safety centred on “riding style” as a way to prevent accidents. Around a thousand injuries involving bikes occur per year in Brussels alone.

Belgium’s road safety statistics in general have long been cause for scrutiny, with the country sitting in the middle of the regional table, recording around double the number of fatalities per million inhabitants annually compared with safety leaders such as Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

L’article Belgium makes helmets mandatory for electric scooters exceeding 20 km/h est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The country has certainly come a long way since Donald Trump famously described Brussels as a “hellhole” in 2016 and mistakenly referred to Belgium as a “beautiful city” later that year. A decade and a series of tariff threats later, Americans cannot seem to get enough of the place. If insults and geographical gaffes count as publicity, Trump may have done more for tourism in Belgium than any advertising campaign. Brace for the invoice.

This summer, Americans accounted for 23.5% of all foreign spending recorded in Belgium. France came second, followed by the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg. Germany and Austria came in sixth and seventh place, respectively.

In Belgium, US tourists were the biggest foreign spenders in Brussels and Flanders, while French visitors topped the rankings in Wallonia. American dominance was particularly striking in the capital, where they accounted for 42.7% of foreign payments.

The report distinguishes between overall spending and spending per purchase. While Americans spent the most overall, they were not the biggest spenders per transaction. This accolade goes to the Austrians, who spent an average of €127 per transaction, followed by Chinese tourists (€99) and Luxembourgers (€85).

Brussels recorded the highest number of payments with foreign cards, ahead of Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent. But the biggest individual purchases were made along the Belgian coast, where foreign visitors spent an average of €61 per transaction.

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Knokke-Heist, Belgium’s answer to the Riviera, recorded the highest average spend at €70, followed by De Haan at €67 and Ostend at €65.

Almost half of all purchases made by foreign visitors were for shopping, including chocolate and souvenirs, but also jewellery, clothing and books.

Belgium’s coast enjoys a record summer

The figures come as the Belgian coast celebrates its best summer since the Covid pandemic, continuing a broader shift towards northern European destinations as travellers increasingly seek “coolcations” away from the heatwaves and wildfires that have repeatedly hit Mediterranean destinations during the summer months.

Situated on the North Sea, with temperatures usually cooler than inland, the Belgian coast welcomed an estimated 11.2 million overnight stays during July and August, nearly 10% more than last summer.

“The summer of 2026 was a triumph for the Belgian coast. From June onwards, the summer feeling was in full swing and it persisted throughout the holiday”, said Jurgen Vanlerberghe, West Flanders provincial deputy for tourism and chair of the tourism agency Westtoer.

July alone saw 5.6 million overnight stays, with August expected to reach a similar figure. The coast also welcomed an estimated 6.1 million day trippers over the two months, the highest figure since the pandemic.

This successful summer concludes a record year for Belgian tourism overall. In 2025, the country registered more than 46.1 million overnight stays, marking a 2.9% year-on-year increase. Foreign demand grew even faster, with overnight stays by international visitors up 4%.

Last year, Americans were Belgium’s fifth-largest foreign market, accounting for over 1.1 million overnight stays, behind visitors from the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. While US tourists may not be Belgium’s most numerous visitors, they certainly leave behind a disproportionate amount of money.

L’article Record summer for Belgian coast as US tourists lead foreign spending est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The façade overlooking the square named after the architect was officially unveiled last week, following three years of restoration work. The ceremony was attended by Federal Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden, Minister of Public Action and Modernisation Vanessa Matz (Les Engagés), architects, and several of the hundred or so people involved in the project.

Verlinden (CD&V) described the completion of the first phase as a “success”, offering “hope and perspective for the future of the building, and, by extension, for the justice department”. She added that “the public should have access to the justice system in a building whose appearance reflects the dignity of the system itself”.

@mydayinbrussels The main façade of Brussels' Palace of Justice is finally visible again. The building has been hidden behind scaffolding since the early 1980s, making the scaffolding almost as famous as the monument itself. Now, in 2026, the front façade facing Place Poelaert is finally being uncovered after a major restoration. The Palace of Justice was inaugurated in 1883 and remains one of the largest courthouses ever built. The crazy part? The entire restoration project still isn't finished. Current estimates put the final completion around 2035. Palace of Justice, Brussels #bruxelles #architecture #palace #classical #facade ♬ original sound – MyDayinBrussels

Built between 1866 and 1883, the Palais de Justice remains one of Brussels’ defining landmarks. Sitting high above the city on the royal axis, it symbolically links the country’s executive, legislative and judicial branches in a straight line.

With a total surface area of 80,000 square metres and an imposing dome, it remains one of the world’s largest courthouses.

This iconic building, had, however, become better known in recent decades for the metal tubes holding it together than for its architecture.

The first scaffolding was erected in 1984, and a section covering the main façade was added twenty years later to protect against falling stones. The situation went from bad to worse, as restoration plans were repeatedly delayed due to disagreements between the various bodies involved, primarily concerning funding and who should pay the substantial costs.

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At one point, the scaffolding itself even needed reinforcing before restoration work on the building could begin.

The newly completed phase covered 22,750 square metres of the façade and the Cour d’Honneur, taking three years and €31.7 million.

Each section of natural stone and decorative element was inspected, cleaned and, where necessary, repaired or replaced, with the aim of preserving as much of the original material as possible.

Replacement stones were sourced from the same regions as the originals, including Comblanchien limestones from Burgundy and Belgium’s famous pierre bleue (blue limestone) from Soignies.

Two corner stones weighing four tonnes each were also replaced 28 metres above ground, requiring some acrobatics.

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Around 140 windows and 60 doors were restored, along with the monumental bronze door and four marble statues representing notable figures from Greek and Roman legal and political history: Lycurgus, Demosthenes, Cicero and Ulpian.

The peristyle, zinc roofs and 3,500 square metres of natural stone flooring were also restored, ready once again to bear the footsteps of robed judges and the general public.

“The restoration combined cutting-edge techniques with centuries-old craftsmanship,” said Isolde Verhulst, architect at PERSPECTIV architecten.

The main entrance from Place Poelaert is set to open in September, with a new entrance for people with reduced mobility.

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Nevertheless, the Palais’s trials and tribulations are far from over. Scaffolding remains on other parts of the building and a second restoration phase focusing on the dome is scheduled to begin in 2027. The remaining façades will follow, with the exterior restoration currently scheduled for completion by 2035.

If all goes according to plan – and that is a big “if”, given the building’s history – it could all be completed by 2040.

As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait, and for now, the first battle has finally been won. Locals can once again point with pride to one of the capital’s most extraordinary monuments without having to explain the tragicomic story of the ageing scaffolding that has hidden it from view for so long.

L’article Iconic Brussels Palais de Justice façade unveiled after more than 40 years est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.