Evenings are getting darker and Christmas is just around the corner! So winter is coming… that means a 2 things! Invest in some cosy interior to warm your home and put a beautifully decorated Christmas tree. Put on that faux fur coat get out and about because we’ve selected a fun activity to do: Bilzen Mysteries!
A nocturnal experience!
Ready for an enchanting time trip? Bilzen Mysteries takes you on a fascinating trip through 800 years of history in a perfect on and offline mix! Nocturnal light shows and projections, make this experience something magical. Bilzen Mysteries takes place in Alden Biesen, an ancient castle in Limburg that dates back to the 13th century and has a lot of history that walked their grounds.
Digital first
With a tablet in your hand and headset on your ears you travel through the history of this beautiful domain. The show immediately starts at the hallway of the entrance. Once you press play (your whole group at the same time), Jan Decleir ( a famous Belgian actor) walks in the room playing an old character, which actually reminded me a lot of my grandpa. He has this great way of telling stories and locking your interest that make you want to continue following the story, very eager to hear more. Shhhht he starts telling about the history, while he walks around in the room that we are standing in. But he is actually only on your screen! The spectacle happens simultaneously, which makes it exciting and confusing at the same time. He invites you to follow him outside and we continue walking with him. Everything on the screen is happening where we are in real life, you feel like you are in the story. The mix between online & offline is a really fun way to follow the story. But it gets better…. keep walking!
As the walk and story continues, Jan talks about the pilgrims that used to walk these roads, the owners of the castle and the crusade that took place. Everything is timed perfectly and not only are there things happening on your screen, they happen around you as well! It’s a very nice play between reality and digital.
We don’t want to give to much of the story away. We recommend experiencing it yourself! Bilzen Mysteries is open until the 8th of January. It comes in 4 languages; Dutch (original), English, French and German.
Practical
Duration
A visit to Bilzen Mysteries takes about 1h20.
Opening times
Bilzen Mysteries is open from now until the 8th of January. And again from February 8th. During Belgian holidays it’s open daily (check their website), outside these periods it’s open from Friday to Monday. In summer the last visit starts at 12PM, all other months at 11PM.
Exceptional closing dates: 16 – 24 – 25 – 31 December
How to get there
By car: On the E313 Antwerp-Liège take exit 31 and follow signs for Alden Biesen. Free parking available.
By train: Take a train to Bilzen ,from there it’s a 5km taxi ride
Tickets:
Tickets are €15. You can buy tickets at the box offices or you can buy them online here, with €3 discount.
Belges en Route’s tips
- Bilzen Mysteries is an outdoor activity. Dress well for the occasion and make sure the weather conditions are ok.
- Feeling hungry after the tour? There is a good typical Belgian brasserie just at the entrance of the tour; Brasserie – Restaurant ‘t Gasthuis
- If you want to catch up with a friend, This might not the best activity for you right now. It is walking with a headset during the entire walk…
More information on http://www.bilzenmysteries.be/en
