Leuven Salsa Festival

Transportation
By train: From Amsterdam, Paris & Köln you can take the Thalys train until Brussels-South. If you order your ticket 30 days in advance (so before the 19th of October) you’ll pay only 25 euro (Paris & Amsterdam) or 19 euro (Köln) both ways! From Brussels to Leuven there’s a 25 minutes train trip (both ways ticket: 9.60 euro), there are constantly trains from Brussels to Leuven and back.

By car: Leuven is 20 minutes away from Brussels centre (without traffic jams of course) and less than an hour from Liège, Charleroi, Genk, Namur, Antwerpen. It is connected to Gent-Bruges-Liège by E40 highway and Genk-Maastricht by E314 highway. From Luxembourg & Lille count 1h30 of highway.

By air: The airports of Zaventem (15′) and Charleroi (1h) are quite close to Leuven as well.

FOOD
We will make sure there are some sandwiches in Sporthal De Nayer (workshops), in the evening before the parties you can go to the centre of Leuven where you'll have tens of small and big restaurants to choose from. Leuven is a nice city, quite dynamic and it'll be an occasion to see a part of it. From sporthal De Nayer (Saturday workshops) there is a 15 minutes walk to the centre of the city, the Appeltuin (Friday party) and Redingenhof (Saturday party) are next to the centre.

SLEEPING
There are lots of hotels and bed and breakfasts in Leuven, there are two youth hostels as well. Just know that Leuven is not a big town (about a 100.000 inhabitants), so staying in a B&B or hotel in the centre is not a big problem, it could mean a 15 minutes walk no more to the Sporthal De Nayer (where all workshops and the party on Saturday takes places. Here are some of the possibilities, don’t hesitate to call or write if you’re having some difficulties of any kind regarding the accomodation, I’ll gladly help.

• Youth Hostel ‘De Blauwput’, Martelarenlaan 11A, 3010 Kessel-Lo (Leuven), (+32)16/639062, 17 euro if you’re younger than 26, 19 euro if you’re not. 4 double rooms, more than 20 in rooms for four or six people.

• Leuven City Hostel, Ravenstraat 37, info@leuvencityhostel.com +32(0)16 84 30 33. 17 euro per night (breakfast included).

• Novotel, Vuurkruislaan, Leuven (next to the railway station). There’s about a 20min walk to the Sporthal De Nayer (at the station you can take buses or taxi’s), (+32)16/213200

• Park B&B, (+32)16/405383 (15min walk from Sporthal De Nayer, very quiet) 75 euro for double room.

• Hotel Binnenhof, Maria-Theresiastraat 65, (+32)016/205592, close to the railway station, 15min walk to Sporthal De Nayer.

• Hotel Boardhouse, J.Vandenbemptlaan 6, (+32)16/314444 (outside of Leuven but close to Sporthal De Nayer).

• Ibis, Brusselsestraat 52, tel (+32)16/293111

THE CITY
Leuven is a town that is certainly worth a visit. It has got a very rich patrimonium that is starting to be recognized and visited more and more. The main church (Sint-Pieterskerk), the city hall, the Groot Begijnhof, … It is in general a really charming place in which you should have a nice stay. Of course it is also a university town (about 30.000 students). Many nice places to visit, many bars and restaurants to welcome you … Check out this website.

For all questions don’t hesitate to call (+32)496 123 006 (Carl).