Genk Tourist Information

General summary of city:shopping in the city's centre, travelers can then rest
Genk, a city in Belgium, is part of the Limburgand dine and any number of accessible cafes.
province. Other cities contained within the province ofIn Molenvijvers Park in Genk, tourists are always
Limburg include Hasselt: As, Beringen, Diepenbeek,amazed by the Sundial displays. There are a total of
Gingelom, Halen, Ham, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad,12, unique sundials within Molenvijvers Park; one in
Heusden-Zolder, Leopoldsburg, Lummen,particular looks like an ancient book! Truly, the
Nieuwerkerken, Opglabbeek, Sint-Truiden,Molenvijvers Park is an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind
Tessenderlo, Zonhoven, and Zutendaal. In terms ofexperience.
locality, Genk is situated nearest to Hasselt in theAlternatively, within the Kattevennen, the
province of Limburg.Europlanetarum offers families an opportunity to
The city of Genk has a population of over 63,000explore the science of astronomy. Travellers have
people. The city of Genk is believed to have somethe opportunity to view unique displays about space,
history rooted in the Celtic peoples, and that thestars, planets and the like. Travellers can also enjoy a
once small village of Genk was later, during the tenthfine laser show, and view movies on a 360 degree
century, converted to Christianity. Due to the factdome ceiling-much like looking out into space.
that Genk had such small beginnings and it was notFood & Drink:
officially deemed a city until the year 2000, the cityThere certainly is no shortage of delicious food and
itself was not really recognized until the early 1900's,drink in Genk. At, El Greco, a Greek Restaurant, at
thanks to Andre Dumont. Andre Dumont discoveredHoevenzavellaan 68A, tourists can sample vegetarian
a good quantity of coal in the Limburg region ofdishes and there is a special kid's menu. Tourists can
Belgium, and it wasn't long before coal minerseven order take out if they desire; public parking is
discovered that Genk had plenty of coal to be had.available and the location is handicapped accessible. A
The city soon grew with the mass movement offull bar and an amazing wine list are available for
immigrants and when the drive for coal finally settledthose who are looking the quench their thirst. The El
down in the late 1960's, Genk merely adapted itsGreco Restaurant's hours of operation are
industrial pursuits to more suitable industries:Wednesday through Sunday, from 5:30 pm to 10:30
successful industries that focused on carpm, and Sunday from noon to 2:30pm. On Monday
manufacturing. The primary car manufacturingand Tuesday the restaurant is closed.
company in present day Genk is the Ford MotorThe Ganghista located at Stationsstraat 1 in Genk
company.offers both Dutch and Belgian cuisine to the hungry
Places of Interest:traveller looking to sample some of Belgium's
The Bokrijk in Genk nearby the Hasselt territoryfantastic foods. Past guests frequently recommend
attracts many tourists every year. The Bokrijk isthe seafood delights offered at the Ganghista. The
essentially an open-air museum, offering travelers theGanghista primarily serves dinner dishes and accepts
opportunity to enjoy nineteenth century architecturala variety of different payments. Alternatively, for
design. Within the museum tourists can seethose who may be craving French cuisine, the Troje
reconstructions of the Flemish buildings that onceat Centrumlaan 36-38 in Genk offers a variety of
existed in Flanders. A number of enjoyable activitiesFrench dishes, as well as a children's menu. The Troje
are offered at the Bokrijk, as well as re-enactmentshas street parking, serves both lunch and dinner, and
for viewing. Due to the fact that the Bokrijk is ais open daily from noon to 2:30 pm and 6 pm to 10
large, open-aired museum, the location is filled withpm.
scenic gardens, wooded areas, grass lands and smallHotels & Accommodation:
bodies of water. Children are most welcome at theHotel Europa
Bokrijk and a playground is readily available to children.Best Western Hotel Atlantis
The museum is open to tourists from the end ofHampshire Inn - ECU Genk
March until late September, every day, from 10 amArte Hotel
to 6 pm. The cost of admission is 10 Euros for adults,NH Genk Hotel
8.50 Euros for seniors, 5 Euros for children betweenEntertainment:
the ages of 6 to 12.Whether exploring one of many Genk's recreational
Tourists also like to visit the Green City in Genk, thelocations, or viewing historic monuments in Genk,
home of De Maten, a beautiful nature reserve. Therethere is always something to do in this fine city. Filled
are 35 ponds in the De Maten, and different specieswith opportunities to shop, dine, and explore the
of fish are purposefully bred within the ponds, in ancountryside, Genk is an excellent destination for
effort to promote aquatic life. Water birds havetourists. Individuals and families can stroll through the
adapted to the area in De Maten and plants, includinggorgeous parks in Genk, or walk the streets in
cotton grass, sundew, and roth grow in the area.Genk's city centre. Further, because Genk is situated
Finally, the De Maten is home to a variety ofin central Limburg, it gives the traveller easy access
different dragon flies and tree frogs. The De Maten isto fantastic recreational pursuits in the cities
closed to tourists when it comes time for breeding.surrounding Genk. For instance, Hasselt borders Genk
Things to do:and travelers, once they have completed their
Every year in Genk, tourists are welcomed at theexploration of Genk, can visit Hasselt and view some
Motives Festival, a music festival focusing on theof the city's popular attractions. In Hasselt, tourists
genre of jazz. The Motives Festival is revered for itswill find a number of favourite attractions including
line up of fantastic jazz musicians and pastone of the largest outdoor skate parks in Belgium;
performers have included Joshua Redman, Leafcutterthe abbey of Herckenrode in Kuringen; myriad
John, and Esbjörn Svensson Trio, just to namehistorical buildings and museums; a Japanese garden;
a few of many.Hasselt's Kapermolenpark; the Kiewit the
Within the heart of Genk, travelers can enjoy anSint-Quintinus Cathedral; and the Virga-Jesse Basilica,
entire day of shopping at any one of the threeamong numerous other attractions. Finally, tourists
shopping locales. The shopping centres are referredcan also take advantage of the recreational offerings,
to as Centres 1, 2, and 3 respectively, and travelersdining facilities, nightlife activities and cultural
can purchase souvenirs, hardwares, housewares,destinations situated in nearby Hasselt.
groceries, books, and the like. After a fine day of