The Lonely Monks’ Trappist Beer Tour of Belgium--Oct. 18-27, 2008. Ten days, nine nights.

To Beer Tours of Belgium

Beer is one of the few indulgences monks are permitted and thus one of the reasons they know how to brew special beers so incredibly well. On this very special tour we will visit the seven Trappist Abbeys that brew beer (six in Belgium and one just across the border in the Netherlands) and sample their beers. The emphasis of this tour will be Trappist and Trappist-style abbey ales along with some of my other favorites.

The designation of “Trappist” is a legal one and encompasses a range of styles rather than a single distinct one. The seven Trappist beers are Westmalle, Westvleterern, Orval, Chimay, Rochefort, Achel and LaTrappe (known as Koenigshoeven in the U.S.). We will also visit the WWI museum in Ieper and Flanders Fields. You’ll experience the four corners of Belgium as we traverse the country to visit these abbeys, from the bucolic farmlands of West Flanders to the pristine Ardennes mountains of Wallonia, to the beautiful countryside of the northern Limburg Province and the Netherlands. As with all our tours, fine cuisine, inviting hotels, camaraderie will be front-and-center, along with sightseeing, shopping and plenty of free time to unwind, explore and discover the beauty of Belgium.

$2595 land only, $575 single supplement. Deadline to sign-up Sept. 18, 2008 . $100 discount if you sign up before June 18, 2008.