Europe’s ‘ugliest city’ is still worth visiting, says one travel expert (Image: Getty)
The Belgian city of Liege has been named ‘the ugliest in Europe’, but that doesn’t mean that it should be ignored when visiting the country.
Located just one hour from the capital city of Brussels, Liege could make for a great day trip while visiting Belgium, or you could even opt to stay in one of Liege’s many hotels.
The city has been recommended by travel influencer James Haskins, who posts on as @traveller.james and recently paid a visit to Leige.
Sharing a video of his time in the city, he penned the caption: “Is this the UGLIEST city in Belgium ..?
“ONLY 20 minutes from Aachen, Germany via high-speed ICE train or Eurostar, you will arrive in the city of LIÈGE, which is one of Belgium’s most unique cities in the region of Wallonia, BUT it’s also reported to be one of Belgium & Europe’s UGLIEST!”
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Located along the river Meuse, Liege dates back to the time of Charlemagne and, for much of its history, existed as a Prince-Bishopric within the Holy Roman Empire.
When visiting the city, history fans should be sure to make a beeline for the Palace of the Prince-Bishops, which was once the residence of the former Prince-Bishops of Liège. The palace now serves as the Palace of Justice of Liège and the Provincial Palace, both key government buildings.
The palace once sat opposite St. Lambert’s Cathedral, which was destroyed in 1794 after the citizens of Liege rebelled against the Prince-Bishops, leading to the city being annexed by French revolutionary forces.
Following this, the collegiate church of St Paul’s was elevated to the rank of Cathedral, which still stands in the city today.
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Montagne de Bueren (Image: Getty)
Another must-visit location in the city is the Montagne De Bueren, a 374-step staircase named after Vincent de Bueren, who defended the city against an attack from the Duke of Burgundy in the 1400s.
The stairs were built in the 1880s to commemorate the 600 soldiers who died in the battle. In 2013 they were named number one Huffington Post’s list of Most Extreme Staircases.
Visitors to Liege may also notice the unique nature of the city’s train station, which has been decorated with kaleidoscope artwork of coloured glass panels in the station’s ceiling. This addition was made in 2022 and was created by artist Daniel Buren.
Another highlight for art lovers is the Le Plongeur et son arc (The Diver and his Arc), a stunning sculpture created by Romanian sculptor Idel Lanchelevic, that was placed on the banks of the river in 2000.