Sint-Truiden

Sint-Truiden (French: Saint-Trond) is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg in the Flanders region, near the towns of Hasselt and Tongeren. The municipality includes the old communes of Aalst, Brustem, Duras, Engelmanshoven, Gelinden, Gorsem, Groot-Gelmen, Halmaal, Kerkom-bij-Sint-Truiden, Ordingen, Runkelen, Sint-Truiden proper, Velm, Wilderen, and Zepperen.

The city is in the centre of Belgium's fruit producing region, Haspengouw (French: Hesbaye), and is renowned for its pears, apples (Jonagold), and sweet cherries.

Understand

• 1 Tourist Office, Grote Markt, ☏ +32 11 70 18 18, info.toerisme@sint-truiden.be. In the town hall. 

Get in

By train

The 1 Sint-Truiden Railway Station is about 600 m west of the main square in the centre. From Brussels main station (Centraal/Centrale) the train takes 58 minutes to reach Sint-Truiden. Leaving Leuven the journey takes 31 minutes.

By bus

The Flemish national bus company, De Lijn, has lines to Sint-Truiden from for example Hasselt, Landen and Tienen. More information regarding different timetables (only in Dutch): online.

By bicycle

There are several very well-maintained bicycle networks leading you to the city centre without the need of using the regular roads. It will let you discover the beauty of the region.

By car

You can exit the E40 motorway at exit 25 called Tienen or exit 28 called Sint-Truiden, from both exits it's about 20 minutes to the town.

By plane

Brussels Airport (BRU ^IATA) is relatively close and you must change in Leuven to hop on a train to Sint-Truiden. The budget airport of Brussels South / Charleroi (CRL ^IATA) is a worthy alternative. To get to Sint-Truiden you must change in Brussels.

Get around

The town centre of Sint-Truiden is compact and can easily be discovered on foot in a short amount of time.

• 2 Fietspunt Sint-Truiden, Stationsstraat (Next to the train station), ☏ +32 4 95 52 42 26. M-F 07:00-19:00, SaSu closed. Bike rental in cooperation with the regional tourism office Toerisme Limburg. Rents regular bikes (in green), electrical bikes, tandems and also bikes for children. It is compulsory to make a reservation in advance via phone. €10/day for regular bikes, €25/day for electrical bikes. (updated Jan 2018)

See

• 1 Church of Our Lady (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk), Grote Markt. Main church of the town. The crypt, accessible through the sacristy, houses a particularly beautiful church treasure, including some very old artifacts. Many objects in the treasury come from the former abbey of Sint-Truiden.  
• 2 Beguinage (Sint-Agnesbegijnhof), Begijnhof. The beguinage of Sint-Truiden is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, together with 12 other Flemish beguinages. The origins of the beguinage of Sint-Truiden date back to the 13th century. Most of the houses still standing today were built in the 17th and 18th century. The church of the beguinage is used as an exhibition and cultural venue.  
• 3 Belfry and Town Hall (Belfort). Belfry of the City Hall, together with 56 other belfries classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The tower was built as part of the Cloth Hall. Today the belfry is part of the town hall of Sint-Truiden, which was built around it in the 18th century.  
• 4 Friary Museum (Museum Vlaamse Minderbroeders), Capucienessenstraat 1, ☏ +32 11 67 29 71, info@demindere.be. Tu-Sa 10:00-12:30, 13:00-17:00, Su 14:00-17:00. Museum dedicated to friary in Flanders, a 5-minute walk from the grand place. Free entrance, but gifts are welcomed. (updated Oct 2017)
• 5 Brewery Wilderen, Wilderenlaan 8, ☏ +32 11 58 06 80, info@brouwerijwilderen.be. F 19:00-00:00, Sa Su 13:00-00:00, closed M-Th. Located in an industrial heritage building dating back to 1743 the brewery and distillery that was founded in 1890 is one of the most appreciated of Flanders. There is a café with outdoor terrace where their beers and jenevers are served. (updated Jun 2017)
• 6 Brewery Kerkom, Naamsesteenweg 469, ☏ +32 11 68 20 87, info@brouwerijkerkom.be. Bar: Apr-Oct: Daily from 10:00. Nov-Mar only Th-Su from 13:00. Individual brewery visits each Saturday (March to October) at 15:00. This brewery started in 1878 and brews about 10 craft beers. It is one of the highlights of the Sint-Truiden region, especially for beer lovers. (updated Jun 2017)

Do

• Football: Sint-Truidense VV play soccer in Pro League, Belgium's top tier. Their home ground is Stayen (capacity 14,600) 1 km west of town centre.

Eat

• 1 Frituur Station, Tiensesteenweg, ☏ +32 11 69 20 80. Tu-F 11:30-13:00 and 16:30-22:00, Sa Su 16:30-22:00, M closed. Belgian fries and other fried fastfood next to the train station. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Osteria Coco Pazzo, Diesterstraat 44, ☏ +32 11 88-10-18. Italian restaurant. ~€40. 

Drink

• 1 Nieuwscafe, Heilig-Hartplein 5, ☏ +32 11 70 28 50, fax: +32 11 69-86-54, info@nieuwscafe.be. Su-Th 9:00—23:00, F 09:00—00:00, Sa 09:00—04:00. 

Sleep

• 1 Belle Vie, Stationsstraat 12, ☏ +32 11 68 70 38, info@hotel-bellevie.be. Small hotel between the train station and the historic town centre. €100. (updated Jan 2018)
• 2 Château de la Motte, Helshovenstraat 69, ☏ +32 11 48 10 86, info@chateaudelamotte.com. €80. 
• 3 Karrehof, Batsheersstraat 35, 3870 Heers, ☏ +32 11 48 51 77, fax: +32 11 48-17-09, info@karrehof.be. 
• 4 Het Pachthof, Thewitstraat 8, 3891 Borlo, ☏ +32 11 88 39 23, info@pachthof.com. 

Connect

Sint-Truiden has 4G from all Belgian carriers. As of July 2022, 5G has not reached town.