Cidade Turismo
Belgium

Before you go

Your trip to Mons.

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

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Mons – Hainaut Destination Mons and Tournai Capital

How to get there

  • Brussels Airport (BRU) Zaventem · 76 km
  • Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) Charleroi · 45 km
  • Gare de Mons 1 km

Approximate road distances. Check flights and bus schedules before you travel.

SNCB trains link Brussels with Mons station in about an hour. From Brussels Airport, the train journey usually requires a change in Brussels. Charleroi airport is about 45 km away, with a bus to Charleroi station and a train to Mons. Check before buying. By car, the E19 connects Brussels to Mons.

How many days

One day is enough for the Grand-Place, the beffroi, Sainte-Waudru and a museum in the center. With two days there is time for the Maison Van Gogh, the Spiennes mines and the Grand-Hornu. Pairi Daiza takes a full day. Many museums are closed on Mondays: check before planning your itinerary.

When to go

From April to September, when the Spiennes mines welcome visitors and the days are long. The Doudou usually falls between late May and mid-June and fills the town. From October to March there is less activity, museums remain open and the Grand-Place often hosts a Christmas market in December.

The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.

Do you need a car?

No need for a car for the centre: everything is within walking distance from the station in a town with hills. The Maison Van Gogh in Cuesmes and the Mons Memorial Museum are easily reached by bus or taxi. For Spiennes and the Grand-Hornu, a car saves time; TEC buses run less frequently. Pairi Daiza has its own train station, Cambron-Casteau.

Suggested itinerary

An order that works

Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.

One day in Mons
  1. Morning
    Grand-Place and Hôtel de Ville

    Start at the Grand-Place, pass your left hand over the head of the monkey on the Hôtel de Ville façade and cross the courtyard to the Jardin du Mayeur and the Musée du Doudou.

  2. Afternoon
    Beffroi and Sainte-Waudru

    Climb the hill to the Beffroi de Mons, take in the city from above and descend through the Château park to the Collégiale Sainte-Waudru, where the Car d'Or is kept.

  3. Late afternoon
    Mundaneum or BAM

    Choose a museum in the centre: the Mundaneum, with Paul Otlet's card index, or the BAM on rue Neuve, if there is an exhibition on.

  4. Evening
    Dinner on the Grand-Place

    Dine at one of the restaurants around the Grand-Place, with the Hôtel de Ville façade illuminated.

2 days in Mons

Day 1

  1. Morning
    Historic center

    Grand-Place, the Hôtel de Ville monkey, the Jardin du Mayeur and the Musée du Doudou, to understand the city's festival.

  2. Afternoon
    Beffroi, Sainte-Waudru and Mundaneum

    Beffroi de Mons, Collégiale Sainte-Waudru and, to close the afternoon, the Mundaneum on rue de Nimy.

  3. Late afternoon
    Mons Memorial Museum

    Head to boulevard Dolez for the military history of the region, from the Middle Ages to the two world wars.

  4. Evening
    Regional beer

    Try a beer from Hainaut in a city-centre café and rest up for the day in the surrounding area.

Day 2

  1. Morning
    Maison Van Gogh

    Go to Cuesmes, a few kilometres from the centre, and visit the house where Van Gogh lived between 1879 and 1880.

  2. Afternoon
    Grand-Hornu

    Head west to Hornu, the mining complex by Henri De Gorge, with its oval courtyard and the MACS contemporary art museum.

  3. Late afternoon
    Spiennes mines

    In season, finish at the Silex's in Spiennes, southeast of Mons. The descent into the mine is by reservation only.

  4. Evening
    Return to the center

    Dine in Mons city centre. If you have a third day, reserve it for Pairi Daiza or for Tournai.

Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.

Before you go

Frequently asked questions

What is Mons' train station?

Gare de Mons, the new station designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, is about 1 km from the Grand-Place, a roughly 15-minute walk, almost all uphill.

What is the monkey on the Hôtel de Ville?

It is a small iron statue attached to the Hôtel de Ville façade, the Singe du Grand-Garde. Tradition says that whoever passes their left hand over its head will have good luck for a year. The statue's origin is unknown; the custom was invented in 1930.

Can you see Mons and Pairi Daiza on the same trip?

Yes, but on separate days. Pairi Daiza is in Brugelette, about 25 km from Mons, and the visit takes a full day. By train, Cambron-Casteau station on the Mons–Ath line is a little over 1 km from the entrance.

Do Mons museums open on Mondays?

Generally, no. The beffroi, the BAM, the Musée du Doudou, the Mons Memorial Museum and the Maison Van Gogh usually close on Mondays, and the Mundaneum also closes on Tuesdays. The Collégiale Sainte-Waudru is open every day. Check before you go.

What to eat in Mons?

The cuisine is Walloon: carbonade (meat stewed in beer), fries, cheeses and abbey beers and beers from small Hainaut breweries. During the Doudou festival, stalls sell street food. Lunch is typically served from noon to 2 pm.

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