Hasselt, in the northeast of Belgium, is the capital of the province of Limburg in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking area of the country. Hasselt is not on the tourist trail to the extent of its more famous Flanders neighbours, Antwerp, Bruges or Ghent but it has plenty of history to uncover along with the opportunity to experience life in a modern, friendly Belgian city.

The wider province of Limburg boasts picturesque countryside and is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists. This is also a fruit and grape growing region and the undulating countryside with hillsides covered in vineyards has earned it a reputation as the Belgian ‘Tuscany’. But more than wine, Hasselt is known for its gin, Hasseltse Jenever with several local distilleries as well as being a centre for chocolate production.

As a university city and regional economic hub, Hasselt is also a destination for business travellers. For international travellers heading to Hasselt, Brussels Airport is located 80 km west of the city and there is also a good train link to the capital.

You’ll find our Avis rental station in Hasselt conveniently located to the east of the city on an industrial estate close to the port of Genk, a 14min taxi ride away from the centre and just off the main N702 highway.

Don’t miss stepping inside the city’s Cathedral St. Quintinus which dates to the 11th century. Afterwards, spend time in the Grote (Grand) Market, Hasselt’s main market square which is ringed with cafes and restaurants where you can watch the world go by.

Enjoy a tour of the Jenever gin Museum and step back in design history at the  Modemuseum which houses around 18,000 fashion garments telling the history of style through the ages. For something completely different, stroll through the largest Japanese garden in Europe, donated to the people of Hasselt by the city of Itami in Japan. Here, locals and visitors alike celebrate the cherry blossom or Sakura festival each spring.

Hasselt is the largest city in the province of Limburg which is the easternmost of the five provinces making up Belgian Flanders. The province confusingly shares the same name with Dutch province of Limburg across the border.

Immerse yourself in nature on a drive east from Hasselt to the stunning Hoge Kempen National Park, a protected setting of 12 000 ha of forest, lakes and heathland. The area is a popular destination for outdoor sports including hiking, cycling and horse riding and just a 20 min (23.9 km) drive from Hasselt via the E314 highway.

Discover the remarkable history of the Cistercian Abbey of Herkenrode a short drive west of Hasselt. The 600 year old site has a visitor centre and a beautiful herb garden. Another impressive piece of history, Alden Biesen Castle is a 16th-century castle in the small village of Rijkhoven, close to the city of Bilzen and within just a 30min drive of Hasselt on the E313.

If you are visiting in Spring, you’ll be rewarded on a blossom-filled road trip through the Haspengouwse believed to be the largest fruit growing region in Western Europe. In summer, you’ll see the trees brimming with ripening fruit and in autumn, you’ll catch the harvest. Make for Tongeren, the oldest town in Belgium with its Gallo-Roman Museum and drive on to St. Truiden with its medieval centre. End your drive at Borgloon, a 25 km, 30min, trip back to Hasselt, where you can sample the produce of the region at the Stroopfabriek fruit experience centre.

While Hasselt is easy to get around on foot and public transport, you’ll need to hire a car to travel further afield and explore the wider region at your own pace. With Avis Car Rental you’ve got the freedom to explore the Limburg region of eastern Belgium and even cross the border north into Holland or south into France. You can also book a one-way car rental from Hasselt and drop it off in a different location that fits your schedule.

As with the rest of mainland Europe, in Belgium you’ll be driving on the right hand side of the road and overtaking on the left. Belgium is a multi-lingual country and when it comes to getting around, the road signs are in the language of the local region so in Hasselt and Limburg that’s Dutch.

Across Belgium, the speed limit on motorways and dual carriageways is 120km/h (75mph) but in Hasselt, there are special rules within the centre of the city where the speed limit is 20km/h (12mph). The area within the confines of the city’s Ring Road is a low-traffic residential area and pedestrians are allowed to walk on the whole width of the public highway.

If you are planning a road trip from Hasselt across the border to a neighbouring country, don’t forget to check out the documents and equipment you’ll need plus the latest Belgian road rules before you travel.

There are plenty of public car parks in Hasselt as well as on-street parking which is organised in zones. You can park for free in the blue zone within the city’s ring road while in the payment zone, the fee is 3 Euros per hour. If you have hired an electric car, you can park for free at on street charging stations while you are charging the vehicle.