Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Spa, Belgium

Situated in a valley near where the Ardennes massif meets the Hautes Fagnes plateau is the world’s first spa resort.

Spa developed around a natural source that has long been revered for its purported healing qualities.

Charles II of England and Peter the Great both visited Spa to partake of its waters. However, these springs had already been frequented for many centuries by that time and were even documented by Pliny the Elder.

The significance of the resort for the elite during the 1700s and 1800s was such that “Spa” has become the synonymous term in English for hydrotherapy.

Numerous monuments remain from Spa’s peak, including the oldest casino in Europe and the final residence of Marie Henriette of Austria.

1. Parc 7 Heures

In the 18th century, Spa’s affluent visitors required a location for leisurely strolls, leading to the establishment of this promenade on meadows by the Wayai stream.

The Parc de Sept Heures (Seven O’Clock Park) retains an elegant atmosphere with its pathways lined with hornbeams, limes, and elms, complemented by an abundance of monuments, predominantly from the 19th century.

The main attraction is the 130-meter Galerie Léopold II (1878) featuring a coffered wooden ceiling and graceful cast-iron columns.

This covered promenade is flanked by two distinguished pavilions: the Pavillon Marie-Henriette (dedicated to Léopold II’s wife, who passed away in Spa in 1902) and the Pavillon des Petits Jeux.

Numerous modern monuments are scattered throughout the park, including tributes to the Armistice and to the opera composer Giacomo Meyerbeer (1891-1864). Adjacent to the promenade is a well-maintained mini-golf course, and a funicular railway ascends the Colline d’Annette et Lubin hill for a spectacular view of Spa and its surrounding woodlands from the new spa center.

2. Pouhon Pierre-le-Grand

The spring enclosed within this Neoclassical pavilion, dating back to 1880, is the most renowned among the numerous sources throughout Spa.

This source is the foundation of Spa’s development as a resort, named after Peter the Great who “took the waters” here in 1717. Inside is the “Fontaine aux dauphins intérieures,” the town’s most decorative fountain.

Following renovations, the pavilion reopened in 2012 as the new location for Spa’s tourist office.

The winter garden has been converted into a venue for exhibitions and events.

3. Domaine de Berinzenne

As you drive south out of Spa, you will soon find yourself at a beautiful estate with misty moorlands set amongst the forest.

A boardwalk elevates visitors above a typical peat bog of the Hautes Fagnes.

A standout feature at Domaine de Berinzenne is the lengthy avenue of limes leading up to the Muséedela Forêt et des Eaux.

This attraction employs creative exhibits to showcase the biodiversity of the Spa-Bérinzenne region.

A picturesque pond and an observation tower offering views extending to the east over the Hautes Fagnes also await visitors.

Additionally, for information regarding hiking and cycling routes in the Spa-Bérinzenne area, the Maison de la Nature provides temporary exhibitions and a café.

4. Musée de la Ville d’Eaux

The elegant Villa royale Marie-Henriette (1863) was the final residence of King Leopold II’s wife and has housed the city museum since 1970. The permanent collection highlights fine art and local craftsmanship, including an extensive variety of handmade wooden artifacts known as Jolités de Spa.

These pieces date back to the 16th and 17th centuries, encompassing intricately crafted clothing brushes, jewelry boxes, fans, sewing boxes, frames, writing cases, cups, snuffboxes, and hearth brushes, among others.

The ground floor exhibition narrates Spa’s history, illustrating its evolution as a resort and a pioneering force in hydrotherapy through videos, artifacts, and historical documents.

5. Thermes de Spa

In the 2000s, Spa’s hydrotherapy center relocated to modern premises positioned atop a hill that overlooks the town.

You can traverse a pathway frequented for centuries by visitors and come to “take the waters,” believed to enhance circulation, boost metabolism, and improve skin health.

Notably, significant advancements have been made since Peter the Great’s era, and Thermes de Spa offers contemporary facilities that blend modern wellness practices with traditional hydrotherapy.

Available within this cylindrical glass structure is a comprehensive selection of wellness and beauty treatments focused on the spring water but also encompassing massages, facials, saunas, steam rooms, meditation sessions, and much more.

A diverse array of packages is available, while the Maman-Bébé institute specializes in care for mothers and their infants.

6. Lac de Warfaaz

Following a series of floods in the 19th century, the Wayai stream was dammed northeast of Spa in 1892, resulting in the creation of this 6.5-hectare lake, measuring 600 meters in length.

Lac de Warfaaz is located a few kilometers from Spa and features paved banks lined with towering horse chestnut trees, catering to walkers, cyclists, and anglers.

A cluster of restaurants, cafes, and bars can be found along the southern shoreline, and during the summer months, visitors can rent pedal boats from a small jetty to paddle on the lake.

7. Église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Remacle

Spa’s waters began to acquire an international reputation in the 16th century, prompting the establishment of a Catholic parish in 1573. This solemn neo-Romanesque church, located at the heart of the town, is the third on the site and was completed in 1885. Before entering, visitors should admire the reliefs on the tympanums above the entrances.

The central relief depicts the risen Christ and Mary on her throne, while below the left tower, Saint Remaclus is shown with a wolf, and to the right, Saint Hubertus (patron saint of hunters) is illustrated with a deer and a vision of a crucifix between its antlers.

Inside, notable 17th-century Baroque sculptures of Remaclus, Mary, Joseph with Baby Jesus, and Saint Roch can be found.

Moreover, a striking Byzantine-style Christ Pantocrator adorns the dome of the apse, while at the intersection of the right transept and the sanctuary stands a remarkable polychrome statue of Saint Remaclus dating back to the mid-16th century.

Not far from the right side of the choir, visitors will find a votive canvas of Christ on the Cross, accompanied by Saint Roch and Saint Sebastian, created in 1598 by the Liège artist Jean Ramey (c. 1530-1612).

8. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

Established in the early 1920s, the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps serves as the venue for the Belgian F1 Grand Prix and is located merely a ten-minute drive from Spa via the N62. This circuit, renowned for its undulating terrain and scenic coniferous backdrop, is often described as the most beautiful in the world.

This claim is challenging to dispute, as many who may not be familiar with motorsport recognize the iconic Eau Rouge and Raidillon sequence, where drivers accelerate down a hill into a sharp left turn, then ascend back up into a fast, blind right curve.

The Belgian Grand Prix typically occurs around late August or early September; however, the track hosts events every day of the week from mid-March to mid-November.

On a typical day, guided tours are available at 14:00, led by multilingual guides who highlight the press room, commentators’ booths, podium, race control room, and the paddocks for both the Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Spa race.

9. Casino de Spa

No esteemed destination for aristocrats and industrialists would be complete without a casino.

Notably, Spa’s establishment dates back to 1763, making it potentially the oldest casino in the world.

This grand Neoclassical building, known as the Redoute, was the favored French term for a gambling venue in the 18th century.

Having survived prohibitions on gambling in 1872 and 1902, as well as fires in 1909 and again in 1917, which necessitated extensive reconstruction until 1929, the casino offers table games such as roulette, Texas hold’em poker, and blackjack, alongside slot machines imported from Las Vegas in the 2010s.

The minimum age for entry is 21, and the casino operates from 11:00 until sunrise.

10. Anciens Thermes de Spa

This impressive Renaissance Revival bathhouse in Spa was constructed in the 1860s based on the design by Léon Suys, who also designed the Brussels Stock Exchange.

This represents the third installation of baths in Spa, with the first established in 1828 at the current site of Spa’s town hall.

For 135 years, patrons visited this magnificent building, which initially housed 54 baths, six diverse shower rooms, two hydrotherapy rooms, and two plunge pools.

Rich statuary adorns the pediment, crafted by Jacques Van Omberg and the Van Den Kerkhove brothers, alongside an interior featuring opulent stuccowork and frescoes.

The Thermes de Spa relocated to a newer facility up the hill in 2003, and since then, the original structure has remained vacant, awaiting a new purpose.

As of 2020, a long-term initiative was in progress to transform it into a five-star hotel.

11. Spa Eaudyssée

The headquarters for the Spa mineral water brand is conveniently located within walking distance of the center of Spa.

Here, a visitor center is open Monday to Friday, detailing the entire underground journey that Spa’s water undergoes, from rainwater to the pure, naturally filtered product available in bottles.

These experiential galleries, equipped with tablet computers and tactile displays, also provide insights into the significance of the water cycle and the history of the Spa brand, along with the iconic leapfrogging Pierrot in its logo.

At the conclusion of the visit, guests can select a bottle of still, carbonated, or fruit-infused water from Spa’s diverse range to take with them.

12. SpaForest

In Spa’s picturesque wooded surroundings, a high ropes course allows participants to traverse from treetop to treetop via engaging and challenging transitions, all while securely clipped to a safety line.

Three distinct courses are available, featuring rope ladders, ziplines, and various precarious bridges that necessitate coordination and balance to navigate.

SpaForest also offers a diverse range of activities, including Nordic walking, archery, survival workshops, and a newly acquired fleet of all-mountain electric scooters.

13. Château de Franchimont

For an easy day trip, this ruined medieval and Renaissance castle is accessible within 15 minutes from Spa.

The Château de Franchimont is believed to have been constructed in the 11th century by the Prince-Bishopric of Liège.

It resides on a spur overlooking the right bank of the Hoëgne, a left tributary of the Vesdre.

The castle underwent modifications throughout the medieval period, with notable adaptations in the early 16th century to accommodate gunpowder.

During this time, casemates, pentagonal outer ramparts, and an artillery tower, which now houses an exhibition about the site, were added.

The bastions at the corners, accessible via underground passages, are compelling remnants of Renaissance military architecture.

By the end of the 16th century, advancements in artillery rendered the castle vulnerable to attacks from nearby hills, leading to its abandonment and partial destruction by Louis XIV.

14. RAVeL Spa-Stavelot

Wallonia has made extensive areas of its countryside accessible to cyclists through the 1,400km (and growing) RAVeL path network.

Primarily utilizing former railway lines and canal towpaths, RAVeL stands for Réseau Autonome des Voies Lentes (Autonomous Network of Slow Paths). In the Ardennes, this system provides significant access, allowing cyclists to explore beautiful but otherwise inaccessible highland regions via level trails with no more than a 2% gradient.

The RAVeL Spa-Stavelot trail follows the old Ligne 44A from 1867, connecting Spa to Gouvy in Belgian Luxembourg, which was decommissioned in 1974. This 22-kilometer route traverses upland forests, offering scenic views while directly passing above the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

15. Musée de la Lessive

This specialized museum located in Parc de 7 Heures focuses on the history of laundry, illustrating how clothes were washed prior to the advent of electrical machines.

The exhibits span thousands of years, showcasing various methods that are often surprising in their innovation.

Each technological milestone is represented by documents, reproductions, or antique appliances.

Many of the museum’s hand-operated machines from the 19th and early 20th centuries are fully operational, with a guide providing demonstrations.

The exhibit also delves into the history of soaps and detergents, alongside a detailed timeline of the evolution of the humble iron.

The museum is accessible every afternoon in July and August, weekends in April, May, June, September, and October, and on Sundays for the remainder of the year.