Wander around the beautiful castle of Bouillon after closing time. During this guided nocturne you walk through the cellars, past cold stores, and dungeons. Your tour ends at the top of the Austrian tower where you get a beautiful view of Bouillon. Your torchlight and the guide in medieval dress will make this an unforgettable evening!
A guide, dressed as a knight or damsel, will take you on a journey through this beautiful feudal castle. During this tour, you’ll get to see the highlights of this medieval fortress. Admittedly, I myself am a big fan of old castles and medieval feasts, so I was really looking forward to the tour. Exploring a castle in the dark is a bit exciting and I enjoyed walking around with my torch. Especially in the long corridors and on dark stairs where it’s your only light source. The view over Bouillon on top of the Austrian tower completes the tour.
Fortified castle of Bouillon
Not a huge fan of walking around in the dark? The castle is definitely worth a daytime visit as well. Make sure you’ve got at least 2 hours to visit the castle, squares, and exhibitions. On the ‘Cour d’Honneur’, you can see the falconer in action with various owls, eagles, buzzards, vultures, and of course the falcons. The show is available daily from 22 February to 11 November at 11:30, 14:00 en 15:30 o’clock. Especially ‘the most dangerous beast of all’ – Spartacus – is a delight.
Combine your visit with a snack in one of the many restaurants in Bouillon or take a walk along the Semois. From one of the many bridges over the Semois, you’ll get a beautiful view of the castle.
Your journey as a damsel or knight for a day…
…starts, as in most museums and cultural institutions nowadays, with your reservation in advance. This is mandatory for the nocturne and highly recommended for your visit during the day. Wearing a face mask is mandatory during your visit. In a number of places you also have to follow a specific walking route.
More information
- visit the castle: bouilloninitiative.be/booking
- guided nocturne: bouilloninitiative.be/night-tours-with-torches
Tip: most nocturnes can only be booked with a French-speaking guide. Be sure to ask the evening itself if there is a Dutch or English speaking guide present. You might get lucky. We got our tour together with 4 other people from a very sympathetic ‘knight’ in English and Dutch.
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