The Grand Béguinage // Groot Begijnhof van Leuven

Today was a dream ... in more ways than one. Not only was it 55 degrees and sunny (a rarity for Belgium), but I spent my afternoon exploring the most absolute beautiful place in Leuven. The Grand Béguinage is a completely restored historical neighborhood in the southern part of the city that is now owned by my university and houses students and professors alike. But the neat part about it all is the history about this place. The Beguinage was built in the 13th century - yes, you heard me. It's that old. And so romantic. And so peaceful. And so serene. I just want to spend all of my afternoons here.

Back in the day (900 years ago), this place was a community for unmarried, religious women. I caught myself saying multiple times, "Is this real? Am I actually walking through something as beautiful as this?" This is what I love about travel. Sure, you can go to the big cities like Paris, London, or Amsterdam and experience huge monuments, massive museums, and touristy places and have a good time. But how neat is it that this world is full of millions of little cities and towns full of hidden gems like Leuven?

Discovering this place was surreal as well. Leuven is a fairly big city full of busy streets, bike riders everywhere you look, plenty of apartments, restaurants, academic buildings. Soon after I turned a corner, things got quiet and the next thing I knew I was walking down a cobblestone path that led me to this quaint and quiet neighborhood. Barely any souls around, I could take in the sights and just completely lose myself in the moment.

I was immediately reminded of 2 movies: 1. The Holiday with Cameron Diaz. You remember when she goes on vacation and stays at that adorable cottage in the British countryside? This place was the Belgian equivalent. and 2. Harry Potter - Privet Drive. So many matching homes, it felt like I was in Surrey. Enjoy some of my favorite moments snapped below.