Genk Tourist Information
Author: Meredith
Article:
General summary of city:
Genk, a city in
Belgium, is part of the
Limburg province. Other
cities contained within the province of Limburg include Hasselt:
As, Beringen, Diepenbeek, Gingelom, Halen, Ham, Hasselt,
Herk-de-Stad, Heusden-Zolder, Leopoldsburg, Lummen,
Nieuwerkerken, Opglabbeek, Sint-Truiden, Tessenderlo, Zonhoven,
and Zutendaal. In terms of locality, Genk is situated nearest to
Hasselt in the province of Limburg.
The city of Genk has a population of over 63,000 people. The
city of Genk is believed to have some history rooted in the
Celtic peoples, and that the once small
village of Genk was
later, during the tenth century, converted to Christianity. Due
to the fact that Genk had such small beginnings and it was not
officially deemed a city until the year 2000, the city itself
was not really recognized until the early 1900's, thanks to
Andre Dumont. Andre Dumont discovered a good quantity of coal in
the Limburg region of Belgium, and it wasn't long before coal
miners discovered that Genk had plenty of coal to be had. The
city soon grew with the mass movement of immigrants and when the
drive for coal finally settled down in the late 1960's, Genk
merely adapted its industrial pursuits to more suitable
industries: successful industries that focused on car
manufacturing. The primary car manufacturing company in present
day Genk is the
Ford Motor company.
Places of Interest:
The
Bokrijk in Genk nearby the Hasselt territory attracts many
tourists every year. The Bokrijk is essentially an open-air
museum, offering travelers the opportunity to enjoy nineteenth
century architectural design. Within the museum tourists can see
reconstructions of the
Flemish buildings that once existed in
Flanders. A number of enjoyable activities are offered at the
Bokrijk, as well as re-enactments for viewing. Due to the fact
that the Bokrijk is a large, open-aired museum, the location is
filled with scenic gardens, wooded areas, grass lands and small
bodies of water. Children are most welcome at the Bokrijk and a
playground is readily available to children. The museum is open
to tourists from the end of March until late September, every
day, from 10 am to 6 pm. The cost of admission is 10 Euros for
adults, 8.50 Euros for seniors, 5 Euros for children between the
ages of 6 to 12.
Tourists also like to visit the
Green City in Genk, the home of
De Maten, a beautiful nature reserve. There are 35 ponds in the
De Maten, and different species of fish are purposefully bred
within the ponds, in an effort to promote aquatic life. Water
birds have adapted to the area in De Maten and plants, including
cotton grass, sundew, and roth grow in the area. Finally, the De
Maten is home to a variety of different dragon flies and tree
frogs. The De Maten is closed to tourists when it comes time for
breeding.
Things to do:
Every year in Genk, tourists are welcomed at the
Motives
Festival, a music festival focusing on the genre of jazz. The
Motives Festival is revered for its line up of fantastic jazz
musicians and past performers have included Joshua Redman,
Leafcutter John, and Esbjörn Svensson Trio, just to name a few
of many.
Within the heart of Genk, travelers can enjoy an entire day of
shopping at any one of the three shopping locales. The shopping
centres are referred to as Centres 1, 2, and 3 respectively, and
travelers can purchase souvenirs, hardwares, housewares,
groceries, books, and the like. After a fine day of shopping in
the city's centre, travelers can then rest and dine and any
number of accessible cafes.
In
Molenvijvers Park in Genk, tourists are always amazed by the
Sundial displays. There are a total of 12, unique sundials
within Molenvijvers Park; one in particular looks like an
ancient book! Truly, the Molenvijvers Park is an unforgettable,
one-of-a-kind experience.
Alternatively, within the
Kattevennen, the
Europlanetarum
offers families an opportunity to explore the science of
astronomy. Travellers have the opportunity to view unique
displays about
space, stars, planets and the like. Travellers
can also enjoy a fine laser show, and view movies on a 360
degree dome ceiling--much like looking out into space.
Food & Drink:
There certainly is no shortage of delicious food and drink in
Genk. At, El Greco, a
Greek Restaurant, at Hoevenzavellaan 68A,
tourists can sample vegetarian dishes and there is a special
kid's menu. Tourists can even order take out if they desire;
public parking is available and the location is handicapped
accessible. A full bar and an amazing wine list are available
for those who are looking the quench their thirst. The
El Greco
Restaurant's hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday,
from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm, and Sunday from noon to 2:30pm. On
Monday and Tuesday the restaurant is closed.
The Ganghista located at Stationsstraat 1 in Genk offers both
Dutch and Belgian cuisine to the hungry traveller looking to
sample some of Belgium's fantastic foods. Past guests frequently
recommend the seafood delights offered at the Ganghista. The
Ganghista primarily serves dinner dishes and accepts a variety
of different payments. Alternatively, for those who may be
craving
French cuisine, the
Troje at Centrumlaan 36-38 in Genk
offers a variety of French dishes, as well as a children's menu.
The Troje has street parking, serves both lunch and dinner, and
is open daily from noon to 2:30 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm.
Hotels & Accommodation:
Hotel
Europa Best Western Hotel Atlantis Hampshire Inn - ECU Genk ArteHotel NH
Genk Hotel
Entertainment:
Whether exploring one of many Genk's recreational locations, or
viewing historic monuments in Genk, there is always something to
do in this fine city. Filled with opportunities to shop, dine,
and explore the countryside, Genk is an excellent destination
for tourists. Individuals and families can stroll through the
gorgeous parks in Genk, or walk the streets in Genk's city
centre. Further, because Genk is situated in central Limburg, it
gives the traveller easy access to fantastic recreational
pursuits in the cities surrounding Genk. For instance, Hasselt
borders Genk and travelers, once they have completed their
exploration of Genk, can visit
Hasselt and view some of the
city's popular attractions. In Hasselt, tourists will find a
number of favourite attractions including one of the largest
outdoor skate parks in Belgium; the
abbey of Herckenrode in
Kuringen; myriad historical buildings and museums; a Japanese
garden; Hasselt's Kapermolenpark; the Kiewit the Sint-Quintinus
Cathedral; and the
Virga-Jesse Basilica, among numerous other
attractions. Finally, tourists can also take advantage of the
recreational offerings, dining facilities, nightlife activities
and cultural destinations situated in nearby Hasselt.
Biography: Author: Meredith Booney Website:
http://www.belgiumcities.inf
o Meredith Booney is a freelance travel writer with over 20
years of experience writing for travel journals, newspapers and
magazines.
Belgium
Tourist Information
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