What to do in Genk?

Genk is a large city with 67,000 inhabitants. However, you can't compare Genk with any other city in Belgium. The city centre is rather small and you can find a lot of interesting places in the different suburbs. Each suburb is unique and deserves your attention. They are filled with great places to eat and beautiful nature spots to discover!

Here are some of our picks!

C-mine

Genk is known for its mining history. In the suburb of Winterslag you can discover the fully restored C-mine. Here you can visit the cultural centre of C-mine with their diverse program of concerts, theatre and comedy. More info: C-mine cultuurcentrum.

The building is also open to explore. You can go underground and learn about the mining history with C-mine Expedition. Don't have a fear of heights? This tour allows you to climb the mine shaft which gives you an excellent view over the suburb. More info:C-mine.

Don't forget to wander to around in the industrial labyrinth, created by art and architecture duo Gijs Van Vaerenbergh.

Fancy a movie? In Euroscoop you can see the latest blockbusters and a selection of great indie films. Good to know: almost all movies are being showed in their original version and subtitled in Dutch and French. More info: Euroscoop.

Food & drinks

You won't get thirsty or hungry in Genk. The city is famous for its rich and diverse choice of restaurants and bars. From the famous Belgian fries to Italian and Turkish cuisine: in every corner you can find great places to eat. You can try a variety of restaurants in Vennestraat, Stalenstraat or in the city centre.

Click here for an overview of the Genk restaurants and bars.

Nature

Genk may not have the biggest city centre, but what it lacks in urban culture makes up in nature reserves. You can hike for hours in Genk! On the official (Dutch) website of Visit Genk you can find different nature reserves. Our top picks? You should definitely try 'De Maten' or 'Hoge Kempen' National Park, the only national park in Belgium.

Genk has a rich history. The domain of Bokrijk is known for its preserved ancient town that has been converted into an open air museum. You can find all the information on bokrijk.be.

Events

Genk has a lot of events to discover. A small selection:

  • Genk On Stage: a huge and free city festival. 8 stages, more than 100 acts. End of June.
  • Absolutely Free Festival: a festival with a daring line-up with indie rock-acts and underground techno dj's. First weekend of August.
  • Vollebak Vennestraat: in the summer, during 4 Saturdays, all the restaurants open their doors and sell their most profilic foods on the street. Taste the culture!
  • Iedereen Donderdagt: enjoy cocktails and street food in the city centre!