6 Best Easter Day family activities in Belgium

Easter is just around the corner, and while many expats may be planning to do like most Belgian families next Sunday - convene around the table for a hearty feast of lamb, asparagus and chocolate eggs – others may be looking to add a little flare to their April 20-21 agenda.

For those yearning for an Easter Sunday or Monday programme that goes beyond the traditional feast (or at least that includes some physical activity before sitting down for the six-hour mealtime marathon), The Bulletin has prepared six of Belgium’s best Easter activities: oriented and open for the holiday.

1) Participate in an Easter egg hunt (throughout Belgium)
When trying to find an Easter egg hunt for the kids in Brussels, first try your commune: many host Easter egg hunts for the holiday, some on Sunday (like Uccle’s free egg hunt in Wolvendael park at 15.00) and others on Monday (Forest’s free egg hunt at 11.00 at Stardust Park).

For some larger-scale egg hunts on Easter Monday, Belvue Museum organises an egg hunt throughout its museum from 10.00-17.00. It is free for kids while adults have to pay for a museum ticket. Those looking to get out of Brussels could consider Walibi Belgium’s massive egg hunt organised in the park on Easter Monday between 13.30-16.30. 

2) Attend a horse-led parade at Cavalcade de Herve – Herve
While the city of Herve in Wallonia is well known for its cheese, it is also quite known for its Easter Day Cavalcade, or parade on horseback. Dating back in 1867, Herve started by holding its first major horse-lead processions during the Carnival weekend. Lacking popularity, the organisers then moved the event to Easter weekend.

Today’s Cavalcade in Herve combines traditions old and new for a Easter weekend of music, sporting and cultural activities, not to mention good Herve cheese. For Easter Monday, the town holds an eclectic parade that includes everything from oddly decorated carriages pulled by Belgian draft horses and army tanks, to clowns, St Nicolas, carnival-like fanfare, and finally - for that Easter extra added touch - kids sporting large egg-shaped paper mache heads. The whole family is sure to enjoy this Easter event with a twist, and who doesn't like a programme that concludes the evening with fireworks?

3) Visit the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken (Brussels)
Given this year’s early spring blooms, touring the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken would be a great Easter day activity. They are open just three weeks of the year (18 April to 9 May) including Easter Monday (they are otherwise closed on Mondays). The facilities consist of seven classical greenhouses, including an Azalea House, rotunda, a colony of birds and the orange trees. So come take a walk with the family and get your fill of tulips, geraniums and fuchsias, all while checking out the beautiful castle of Laeken.

4) Go to the Belgian Coast for SpringTij Festival – Ostend
What better way to celebrate Easter than to welcome the springtij, or spring tide, at the Belgian coast with your family. While the festival aims to provide cultural activities for children (from treasure hunts and water sports to cooking, drawing and architecture workshops), Ostend’s springtij has in reality things for people of all ages to enjoy: a book fair, art expositions, collage art and chocolate drawing (follow by chocolate eating of course!). 

Springtij Oostende runs from 10.00-18.00 on Easter Monday. Make Springwijzer (Spring Central) your starting point to learn about and how to partake in Springtij’s activities. To top off the day of Easter festivities, take a stroll along Ostend’s beach with an Easter ice cream sundae in hand.

5) Enjoy Easter blooms at Floralia – Groot-Bijgaarden (just outside Brussels)
For those afraid of large Easter-day crowds at Laeken, Groot-Bijgaarden’s Floralia festival is a colourful alternative. Open every day (including Easter) from April 4 to May 8, 10.00-18.00, Floralia has 14 hectares in the north of Brussels carpeted with more than 400 varieties of tulips and numerous other blooms, including narcissi and violets, and azaleas and rhododendrons from Exbury Gardens in south-west England. The park’s 1,000m greenhouses contain floral arrangements that change theme every Friday under the direction of Dutch artist Hans Danko. A fabulous display of orchids can be found in the historic chapel. Finally, the moated castle, dating from the 13th century, is a hidden gem. 

6) Experience Easter like in the Middle Ages  – Bruges' Historium
Why not add a medieval twist to your Easter Monday this year with a visit to Bruges’ Historium? The museum will be adorned with medieval Easter decorations, and will offer special Easter animations every day (arts and crafts workshops, quizzes and Easter plays). Historians will give presentations explaining the religious beliefs and Easter experience in the Middle Ages. Finally, families can taste some of the delicacies that were eaten during this festive period.

So come and become immersed in life during Easter in the Middle Ages!

Some Easter Day Logistics:
Whether you decide to use public transport to go to one of these festivals, note that the STIB and SNCB/NMBS will be functioning Easter Monday according to their Sunday schedules. For those needing a last-minute ingredient for that Easter dinner, Delhaize supermarkets will be open until noon, while most Carrefour stores (Express and Market) plan to be open Easter day. 

 Photos courtesy of Floralia Festival, Cities of Ostend, Herve and Uccle.