Liège is a city built on slopes, which is a blessing when travelling with children: you go up, you come down, you look. Here are five outings that actually work, judged on the hardest criterion — does an eight-year-old last to the end?
The Bueren stairs, to start with a game
374 steps, a slope that impresses, and a reward at the top: the whole city under your feet. Children make it a challenge, parents make it a pause. Allow twenty minutes to climb for a normal family, and plan a snack at the summit.
The Préhistomuseum, in Ramioul
About twenty minutes from Liège, this museum does what children prefer: touching. You knap flint, light a fire, throw a spear. It is one of the few places where the visit ends with dirt on your hands.
The Aquarium-Museum, for rainy days
On the quays, at the university, it fills an hour and a half and is effortless to walk through. Younger children stop at the touch pools, older ones at the sharks. It is the classic refuge when the weather turns.
La Boverie, for cold days
The Museum of Fine Arts occupies a 1905 palace inside a park, which lets you split the visit in two: a little art, a lot of lawn. Entry to the collections is free under 26, and free for everyone on the first Sunday of the month.
The La Batte market, on Sundays
Along the quays on Sunday morning it is a maze of fruit, fries and bric-a-brac. Children find useless objects for three euros, parents find waffles. Arrive early: by noon the crowd is hard to handle with a pushchair.
Practical information
The city is bad by car and good on foot, but the hills are real: a pushchair on the Bueren stairs is a bad idea. Bring a water bottle and a change of clothes for the youngest. Museums often close on Mondays, so check before you set off.
FAQ
How many days for Liège with children?
Two are enough: an afternoon of museum, a morning outside, and the rest wandering.
Are the Bueren stairs suitable for small children?
The steps are high for short legs. Allow double the time, and watch the descent.
And if it rains all day?
The Aquarium-Museum, La Boverie and the Grand Curtius cover each other well.
Also read
The book
The Empty Wall is the second book of Oscar’s Notebook, a series of crime novels set in Liège.
