Heritage homes across Belgium open their doors for the Vestalia festival from 7 to 15 June

Some 50 prestigious castles, private estates and Art Nouveau homes in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia will welcome the public during the Vestalia 2025 festival from 7 to 15 June.

All of the residences participating in the festival are part of Vesta, a network of 50 properties belonging to the Royal Association of Historic Residences and Gardens of Belgium.

The second edition of the heritage event is a unique opportunity to discover some exceptional properties and learn about their historical treasures. Some 30 residences are also offering activities such as concerts and walking tours, while around 10 sites are accessible all-year-round.

The programme was unveiled at the Maison Frère-Orban in Brussels, a Neoclassic townhouse in Rue Ducal overlooking the Royal Park. Guided tours of the 19th-century Belgian statesman’s former home include a visit of the neighbouring park.

Among other highlights in the capital are the Maison Cauchie (pictured above) and Maison Roosenboom Art Nouveau homes, as well as the Art Deco Hôtel Riez in the canal district. Visitors can also discover the restored neo-Palladian boutique guesthouse Villa Servais in Halle and Groot-Bijgaarden Castle, both located on Brussels’ periphery.

Elsewhere, fine stately homes and heritage sites across Wallonia and Flanders opening their doors include Beervelde Park and Ooidonk Castle, both near Ghent, and Dinant Citadel in the Mosan valley south of Namur.

Since its launch last year, the festival has expanded to encompass a range of activities designed to showcase the diversity of the historic properties. On the programme are a series of intimate concerts staged in castles and domains such as Beaufays (pictured above), Drogenbos, Hex, Warfusé and Westerlo.

In addition, there are exclusive visits of five private sites in the historic centre of Bruges, including the Adornes estate, plus a walking trail in the Flemish Ardennes and an art and heritage tour of the province of Hainaut.

The Royal Association of Historic Residences and Gardens serves as a national network for properties that are privately run and still inhabited by families. Many of the owners are actively participating in the festival and are passionate about sharing their homes with visitors.

They include the association’s president Véronique de Limburg Stirum from the Adornes estate (pictured above) in Bruges. "Opening up private heritage not only creates a unique experience for visitors, but also strengthens the link between the past, present, and future," she underlined.

For Caroline de Kerchove of Beervelde Park (pictured below), the enthusiastic reaction of visitors gives a meaning to their “mission” to preserve their properties.

While professional guides conduct tours throughout the year, during the festival it is the owners who are frequently showing people around the homes.

They and offer an added value, she told The Bulletin. “Visitors get to feel the very soul of the property, which is important. We try to transmit not only the history of the building, but the spirit and energy of this jewel that we have been trying to preserve for generations.”

Vestalia 2025
7 to 15 June
Across Belgium

Photos: (main image) ©Kasteel van Bornem; ©Maison Cauchie; ©Priuré de Beaufays; Scottish salon ©Adornesdomein; ©Beervelde Park