Wine lovers looking for a late-summer escape do not need to travel as far as France, Italy or Spain. From 22 August to 13 September 2026, vineyards across Belgium’s Hageland region will open their doors for four consecutive weekends of tastings, vineyard walks, guided tours, music and food.
Sprankelend Hageland, organised across the wine-producing region of Flemish Brabant, features 21 activities this year, giving visitors the opportunity to meet local winemakers and discover vineyards that are not always accessible to the public. Many participating estates can be visited without an appointment, while the programme also includes organised tastings, guided walks and special events.
Located between Leuven, Aarschot, Diest and Tienen, Hageland is Belgium’s oldest recognised wine region. Its iron-rich sandstone soils, rolling hills and favourable microclimate have helped create a distinctive local terroir. In 1997, Hagelandse wijn became the first Belgian wine to receive a protected designation of origin.
22–23 August: Start in the vineyards of Tielt-Winge
The opening weekend puts the spotlight on Tielt-Winge and particularly the vineyards around Houwaart, making it possible to visit several producers during the same day.
At Wijngaard ten Gaerde, visitors can taste the new vintage of 100% Belgian wines and settle down among the vines, while winemakers Danny and André introduce guests to Hageland wine production. The vineyard is open from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday, with admission free.
Nearby, Het Eikenvat will offer tastings of its white, red and rosé wines throughout the weekend. Visitors can walk through the vineyard and enjoy the surrounding views, with a guided vineyard walk also planned for Sunday 23 August.
Wijndomein den Eeckhout is putting together an especially extensive programme. Alongside tastings of seven wines from the 2025 harvest, there will be free guided tours, live piano music among the vines, an outdoor photography exhibition, art, children’s activities and local food. The estate also highlights its biodiversity initiatives, including a flower meadow, pond and natural water purification system.
At Houwaartse Wijngaard, visitors can enjoy estate-produced Hageland wines among the vines overlooking the rolling landscape of the Houwaartse Berg. Oysters and small regional dishes will accompany the wines, while photography will be displayed among the vines.
Wijndomein Haksberg completes a particularly concentrated cluster of participating vineyards in Tielt-Winge.
On Sunday, visitors can also head to Wezemaal for a visit to the Steenen Muur vineyards and the Hageland Wine Visitor Centre. The programme runs from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm and can be rounded off with a tasting of Hageland wines in the wine cellar beneath the visitor centre.
29–30 August: Wine festivals, music and vineyard walks
The second weekend is particularly varied, combining open vineyards with food, live music, walking and one of the region’s established wine celebrations.
On Saturday 29 August, the Wezemaalse Wijnfeesten bring wine festivities to Wezemaal from 2:00 pm until midnight.
Another option for Saturday is the summer bar at Wijndomein Franckenberg in Meensel-Kiezegem, where visitors can combine local wines with fresh pizza and views across the vineyards from 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm.
Wine estates opening their doors during the weekend also include Wijndomein Liemau, Wijnfaktorij, Wijndomein Chartreuzenberg and Wijndomein Graevenberger.
For visitors who want to combine wine with walking, Sunday 30 August brings a free guided walk across the Wijngaardberg in Wezemaal. The route passes through the vineyards towards the historic ironstone wine wall, including a section that has been carefully restored.
Before or after the walk, visitors can explore the Hageland Wine Visitor Centre and head downstairs to its wine cellar to taste wines produced around the Wijngaardberg.
5–6 September: Discover another side of Hageland wine
Sprankelend Hageland continues into the first weekend of September, offering another opportunity to go behind the scenes of the region’s wine industry.
On Sunday 6 September, the Steenen Muur vineyards and Hageland Wine Visitor Centre once again welcome visitors between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm. Guests can explore the vineyards and visitor centre before finishing in the cellar with a tasting of wines produced in the region.
The weekend is a good opportunity to slow the pace and combine a vineyard visit with one of Hageland’s walking or cycling routes, exploring the hills and landscapes that shape the character of its wines.
12–13 September: A final weekend among the vines
Sprankelend Hageland concludes on 12 and 13 September, providing a final opportunity to experience the region as summer begins to give way to the grape harvest.
At Wijndomein Franckenberg in Meensel-Kiezegem, the estate opens to the public on both days. Visitors can join guided tours and taste the wines while looking out across the vineyards.
Wijndomein Petrushoeve in Molenbeek-Wersbeek is another option for the closing weekend. Visitors can explore the estate, take part in guided tours running hourly between noon and 5:00 pm and taste its wines. Pizza prepared in the estate’s own wood-fired oven will also be available.
Walk between the vineyards
The wine itself is only part of Hageland’s appeal. The vineyards are scattered across a rolling landscape of hills, forests, sunken lanes and villages that makes the region particularly well suited to walking and cycling.
Travel Tomorrow previously explored five walks through Hageland’s vineyards, ranging from the 7-km Chartreuzenberg Walk to the 12-km Speelberg Walk.
One of the most accessible introductions is the 7.4-km Wijngaardberg Walk from Wezemaal, which combines vineyard landscapes with the region’s distinctive ironstone wine wall. The 9.2-km Houwaartseberg Walk, meanwhile, passes a particularly dense concentration of vineyards before reaching the Wijnbank, a giant wine bench overlooking the surrounding landscape.
More ambitious walkers can opt for the 10.7-km From Hill to Hill Walk, which combines the Houwaartseberg vineyards with the wetlands and woodland of the Walen Forest.
The walks make it possible to turn Sprankelend Hageland into more than a wine-tasting excursion, combining local food and drink with a day or weekend exploring the Flemish Brabant countryside.
With 21 activities spread across four weekends, Sprankelend Hageland offers more than a traditional wine festival. It is an opportunity to travel through one of Belgium’s most distinctive wine landscapes, meet the people producing its increasingly recognised wines and discover how viticulture has become part of the region’s tourism identity.
The full programme runs from 22 August to 13 September 2026. Visitors can consult the complete Sprankelend Hageland activities programme before travelling, particularly for guided tours and experiences where advance registration may be required.
