Arguably one of the most beautiful regions in Belgium, the Ardennes Mountains are rich with beer culture, scenery, gourmet cuisine, enchanting towns and history. It's where Belgians go on vacation.

There are just so many breweries and attractions in the Ardennes, it’s impossible to visit them all in one tour. By having an evolving itinerary each year, this keeps it interesting for returning travelers, of which there are more and more of each year. The tour typically overnights in the towns of Aubel, Durbuy, Bastogne or Houffalize and Leuven.

The Ardennes Mountains Tour also sets itself apart from the other BBM! tours in that it takes place in mostly the small southeast region of Belgium, which translates into even less time driving and more time doing.

The French-speaking Ardennes region is noted for the famous breweries of Orval, Chimay, Achouffe, Fantome, Rochefort, Val Dieu, Lupulus, Minne, Interpol, Waterloo, Peak, Misery, Elfique, Atrium, Caracole and others.  It is also home dozens of lesser known, but equally as magnificent breweries which produce some of the most eventful beers on the planet. That’s part of the beauty of creating a good beer tour, taking you to the source of some of your favorite beers and introducing you to some new favorites.

Get ready to be amazed!

You’ll also visit the WWII Museum in Bastogne, which chronicles the infamous Battle of the Bulge, which took place in this region. And, as always on BBM! tours, there will be plenty of unstructured time to explore, sightsee, shop, dine, discover beer cafés on your own and enjoy your vacation. Once you experience the beauty and magic of the Ardennes you will appreciate the beers of the region even more through this experience of a lifetime.

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• Eight nights accommodations in nice, friendly, centrally-located hotels often in the old town section of the city and some in bucolic rural settings.

• All breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners with gratuities.

• Beer during brewery tours, taproom visits, festivals and company meals as listed on the itinerary.

• Ground transportation via private luxury coach with professional driver. Leave the driving to us!

• Professional and courteous BBM! guide services.

• All tours and admissions.

• An instant group of interesting and fun, beer-loving friends you haven’t met yet.

• Plenty of unstructured free time to relax, shop and explore on your own.

• Custom BBM! name badges.

• Souvenir BBM! luggage tags

• Flexibility in the event you need to transfer or cancel your tour.

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• Airfare

• Airport transfers.

• Some meals and beer on your own.

• Free-time sightseeing. Our guides are available to provide suggestions.

• Fine Print: You are responsible for the costs of your free-time sightseeing. Be sure to read our Terms & Conditions Agreement for important details.

• Gratuities, at your discretion, for brewery tour guides and coach drivers.

Spring is the perfect time to visit Belgium. Combine this tour with the Lonely Monks Trappist Tour that immediately follows and have a grand multi-week tour of beer paradise.

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Deadline to sign up is one month before departure. 

$3495/per person + Air, $595 single supplement*
* Prices based on double room occupancy.  If you are a solo traveler and would like to have a private room all to yourself there is a single supplement fee of $595 in addition to the base price of $3495 per person. We can also work with you to pair you with other single travelers to avoid the single supplement. Better yet, recruit a friend to come, too! Unless, of course, like Rick Steves says, you prefer to “snore alone.”

We require a minimum number of travelers for a tour to be confirmed to go, so it’s important to sign up ASAP, as opposed to waiting until the deadline. Also, tours can fill suddenly, so signing up early guarantees your place and avoids disappointment.

Please share BBM! tours with your beer enthusiast friends and encourage them to join the fun!  

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SOME OF THE BREWERIES AND ATTRACTIONS We have visited in the past ON THIS TOUR:

• Achouffe Brewery

• Orval Brewery

• Carcole Brewery

• Brasserie Minne

• Interpol Brewery

• Fantome Farmhouse Brewery

• Trappist Abbey of St. Remy

• du Bocq Brewery

• Bastogne famous WWII museum

• Brasserie De Fagnes

• Chimay Brewery Taproom

• Abbey of Maredsous

• Des Fagnes

• Bouillion

• Lupulus

• Misery Beer Co.

• Niewhuys Brewpub & Museum

• Hoegaarden Brewery Museum

• Ambly Brewery

• Saint-Monon

Ardennes Mountain Beer Tour Itinerary ‘25

to come soon.

Here’s an example of an itinerary from a previous departure of this tour. It will give you a good feel for the spirit of this beautiful tour.

We will visit the breweries or taprooms of Castle Brewery Ter Dolen, Val Dieu Brewery & Abbey, Fantome, Minne, Achouffe, Caracole, the old ruins and brewery museum of the Trappist Abbey of Orval, the taproom of Orval, and the café/taproom of the Abbey of Maredsous, Brewery De Coureur,  as well as many atmospheric beer cafés hidden down alleyways and medieval cobblestoned streets. 

Day One, Mon., May 8 • Aubel   The tour begins at 10 a.m. at Brewery & Hotel Het Anker in Mechelen ( Guido Gezellelaan 49). We board our coach at 10:15 and immediately depart for Castle Brouwerij Ter Dolen, where we will have a tour followed by lunch, which will be tomato soup and a fresh charcuterie board to go with their delicious beers.

 From there we continue to our home for the next two nights, the delightful and rustic stone farmhouse of La Bushaye Inn, near Aubel. Dinner will be at the Moeder de Gans Teuven Restaurant, (Mother Goose) in nearby Voeren. Then it’s back to La Bushaye and gather in the living room for some nightcaps and a possible fire in the fireplace. (Lunch #1 & Dinner #1)

 Day Two, Tues., May 9 • Aubel   Today we visit the Cistercian Abbey of Val Dieu for a guided tour of the Abbey and the Brewery. Lunch will follow in the taproom of the abbey. Note, this is not a Trappist abbey, thus does not make Trappist beer. 

 After lunch we’ll head to the Henri-Chapelle American Military Cemetery. “The cemetery possesses great military historic significance as it holds fallen Americans of two major efforts, one covering the U.S. First Army's drive in September 1944 through northern France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg into Germany, and the second covering the Battle of the Bulge.”-American Battle Monuments Commission. You’ll walk away with a greater understanding and appreciation for the Battle of the Bulge, aka, the Battle of the Ardennes. Bring a handkerchief and be prepared to be moved. Switching gears to something lighter, we’ll next visit an old WWII Belgian bunker with a view of the valley, where we’ll have a bottle share. Dinner on your own in Aubel. (Breakfast)

 Day Three, Wed. May 10 • Bastogne  Today we visit Trappist Orval. We’ll tour the ruins of the old abbey, the Brewery Museum and then witness the monks in one of their daily prayer sessions. It is indeed a religious experience.  We’ll have lunch at the cafe of Guardian Angel Taproom located just two blocks from the Abbey.  

Next, we visit the charming Ardennes Mountain village of La Roche en Ardennes for sightseeing and dinner on your own. We will be staying in Bastogne for two nights. (Breakfast & Lunch #2)

 Day Four, Thur., May 11 • Bastogne  This morning we visit the Bastogne War Museum, where you’ll learn more about WWII, the Battle of the Ardennes, and the American involvement in it. You’ll have a couple of hours to explore the museum. Pace yourself and leave time to visit the Battle of the Bulge Monument next to the Museum. If you finish early, there is a great gift shop and a Museum cafe, which also serves beer! Lunch is on your own at the cafe. This afternoon, we have brewery tour at Brasserie d’Achouffe in the Valley of the Gnomes. You know and love this beer and now you will get to see from where it comes. Achouffe just celebrated its 40th anniversary. Time permitting I have a surprise stop or two on the way. You’ll also be able to visit the Chouffe Shop gift store, where you can buy gnome everything. After our tour and tasting, we’ll walk around the corner to La Petite Fontaine Restaurant, which is one of the rustic taprooms of the brewery, where we’ll have a company dinner. (Breakfast & Dinner #2)

 Day Five, Fri., May 12 • Durbuy   We load and depart at 9 a.m. to visit Francois De Harenne at his Ardennes Mountain Chateau de Froidcour (castle). He is a good friend and former marketing director for Trappist Orval Brewery. He retired after 28 years serving the Trappist abbey. Be prepared to be amazed. We’ll have some beers with Francois and a tour of the Chateau. 

This afternoon, we tour the eccentric and always fascinating Brasserie Fantome, run by our friend, the very animated Brewmaster Dany Prignon. This is an authentic farmhouse ale brewery with a large cult following. You’ll have a leisurely tasting of the Fantome beers in their rustic taproom.

Then we’ll have a tour and tasting at Brasserie Minne (formerly Brasserie Bastogne). It’s the creation of wife and husband duo Catherine and Phillipe Minne. They are known for their non-traditional Belgian beers, especially their stout. They make a great tripel with cognac added, too. They are always popular at festivals and have a large following. This new and futuristic-looking brewery resembles a wild boar.Be prepared to be delighted with their beers!

Next, we’ll head to the scenic village of Durbuy, where we’ll check into our hotel, Aux 10 Clefs, where you may have dinner your own. We’re here two nights  (Breakfast)

 Day Six, Sat., May 13 • Durbuy   Today is a free day to enjoy this charming little town. There is shopping, hiking and kayaking. This will be a welcome break from our busy schedule so far. You’ll fall in love with Durbuy.

This evening be sure to plan to visit Tortuga Pirate Bar for rum and beer. This may be the coolest pirate bar you’ve ever seen. The attention to detail and the commitment of the bartenders to dress like real pirates is outstanding! Aaargggh, matey! Lunch and dinner are on your own today. (Breakfast)

 Day Seven, Sun., May 14 • Leuven  Today we visit the taproom and cafe of the Benedictine Abbey of Maredsous, where you’ll have lunch on your own. You may order a flight of their four beers. Their beers are now brewed outside the abbey by Duvel Moortgat in Breendonk, but it’s still enjoyable to see the historic abbey, visit the gift shop and to be able to experience their line of Maredsous beers in their nice beer garden surrounded by the gentle nature of the Molignée River Valley.

 This afternoon we have a tour and tasting at Brasserie Caracole (Snail in Spanish), the last wood-fired brewery in Belgium. Our guide is the always-entertaining Philippe.  Here again, wear two pairs of socks, because this place will blow your socks off. The brewery and taproom are located in a rustic stone building that has housed breweries for more than 100 years. This visit is always one of the wow moments of the tour!

Afterward, we depart for Leuven and the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, located right across the tracks from the Leuven railway station and is accessed by a pedestrian bridge. Dinner is on your own in Leuven. You’ll have the evening free to explore this great university city and its many beer cafés, including the “longest bar in Europe,” which is what they call the 30 plus establishments around the Oude Markt (Old Market square).  Also, consider Domus, the oldest brewpub in Belgium, which has great food and atmosphere. (Breakfast)

 Day Eight, Mon., May 15 • Leuven  This morning there is an optional short walking tour of downtown Leuven. Lunch is on your own. This afternoon, we visit Brewery De Coureur, one of Belgium’s newer breweries, which is getting some great reviews. We’ll have a very short tour with Brewmaster Bart to learn about the history of the brewery and what makes its beer special, then a tasting.

 Afterward, we’ll walk around the corner and about three blocks to a cool rustic cafe called In Den Rozenkranz,  located in the former-Benedictine Vlierbeek Abbey, where you can have dinner on your own. Evening is free in Leuven.

 Day Nine, Tues., May 16 • Leuven  Our grand Ardennes Mountains Beer Tour officially ends with breakfast. You may catch the train from Leven 10 minutes to the BRU airport and just about anywhere in Europe.  (Breakfast)

 * This itinerary is subject to change.

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