We meet at the airport at 2pm for our KM Malta Airlines flight to Brussels airport departing at 4.30pm, arriving at 7.35pm. On arrival we are transferred to our 4-star Hotel Walram in Valkenburg, a charming Dutch town, where a light dinner will be served due to the late arrival.

We shall start our visit by having a walking tour to explore Valkenburg, known for its castle ruins and historic marlstone buildings. We’ll wander through the charming old streets, passing the historic Grendelpoort gate, before heading to the Castle Ruins and Velvet Cave (extra). This underground network beneath the ruins features wall carvings, hidden passages and a small WWII shelter exhibit.

After breakfast, we will head for a full-day excursion which will first take us first to Leuven, one of Belgium’s most beautiful university cities. We will stroll through the Old Market Square, famously known as “the longest bar in the world,” due to the impressive number of cafés lining the square. One can admire the stunning exterior of the Gothic Town Hall, adorned with intricate statues and spires, and visit St. Peter’s Church, home to remarkable artwork and religious treasures. In the afternoon, we will continue our journey to Maastricht, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. We will walk through the historic centre, seeing Vrijthof Square, Helpoort (the oldest surviving gate in the Netherlands), and the Maas River promenade.

During today’s full-day excursion, we cross into Germany to visit Aachen, known for its imperial history and spa culture. We will visit the UNESCO-listed Aachen Cathedral, famous for its 8th-century origins, Byzantine mosaics and the Octagonal Palatine Chapel. Later, we will continue our journey to visit Durbuy, known for its stone houses and cobbled streets. Durbuy claims to be “the smallest city in the world” with only 400 residents, who are vastly outnumbered by tourists for much of the year. We will stroll through the charming, cobbled streets, browse the boutique shops, and enjoy free time to try some local cuisine.

After breakfast, we check-out from the hotel and head to Brussels, Belgium’s elegant capital city. We will have a short panoramic tour, stopping first at the Atomium for a photo stop, one of the city’s iconic landmarks, consisting of nine giant stainless-steel spheres connected by tubes. We will then visit the Grand Place, one of Europe’s most beautiful squares and have some free time in the city where one can have lunch (extra) or have time for some Belgian chocolate shopping, before proceeding to Brussels airport for our return KM Malta Airlines flight departing at 8.25pm and arriving in Malta at 11.20pm.