Leuven

Only half an hour from Brussels, situated in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, with a population of about 90,000, Leuven is Belgium’s oldest University town, home to the renowned Catholic University of Louvain (K.U.L = Katholieke Universiteit Leuven).

Leuven is a typical city of Brabant whereas the Flemish cities like Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp are situated in the flat low country of Northern Belgium, Leuven is more hilly with part of the city in the valley of the river Dijle.

The City is also synonymous with beer and all through the year the it presents a lively atmosphere because of the many students from all over Belgium (and the world). Every night, the numerous bars and students’ cafés, spread all over the town, guarantee that there is always something happening. Belgians will always associate the city with one of the most famous and popular lager beer brands in Belgium, Stella Artois now produced by the Interbrew company, one of the largest beer brewing concerns in the world.

Leuven is fun. It also has an excellent shopping area without the hustle and bustle of Brussels. However, few expats live there due to the lack of availability of suitable rental accommodation., Most expats working in Leuven are more likely to live in one of the greater Brussels communes and travel into the City than reside there themselves.