Wine Street

In a unique collaboration, Flanders and the Netherlands are joining forces to develop and connect sustainable wine tourism across four wine regions: Hageland, Haspengouw, the Belgian-Dutch Meuse Valley and Mergelland/South Limburg. This connecting will be done through research on regional wine identity, product development of a wine route and wine experience and an innovative and sustainable wine ecosystem. 

Partners Hogeschool PXL, Toerisme Vlaanderen, Toerisme Vlaams-Brabant vzw, Visit Zuid-Limburg, KU Leuven, Herita, Bisschoppelijk Centrum Rolduc, Gemeente Kerkrade, Stad Borgloon, Visit Limburg and Winery Raar Saint Remi will work together for 3 years to realise this. The project is co-financed by Interreg VI Flanders-Netherlands, the cooperation programme with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund.

The goal? Aiming to connect a wine region on the rise (growing number of winemakers as well as quality wines!) with a unique geological stack of ironstone, marl, gravel and loess on the short distance of 80 km and a shared cultural-historical wine history (the practice of winemaking courtesy of the Romans) into a unique, cross-border tourist story. A wine street! Wine experience is central. Synergies with other sectors such as local cuisine, cultural heritage, landscape experience and other tourist experiences lend themselves perfectly to further tourism development. 

Via a wine ecosystem, sustainable connections are sought and built. The tangible effect will be a physical wine route that can be travelled on foot, by bicycle and/or in stages across three provinces: Flemish Brabant, Limburg and Dutch Limburg. 6 wine hubs*, or heritage sites with a clear wine history, will become gateways for this wine route.

*Kasteel van Horst (Hageland), Stroopfabriek Borgloon (Haspengouw), Kasteel van Leut (Maasvallei België), Wijngoed Raar Saint Remi Meerssen (Maasvallei Nederland), Visit Zuid-Limburg Experience Gulpen (Mergelland/Zuid-Limburg) en Abdij Rolduc Kerkrade (Mergelland/Zuid-Limburg).

With this project, the consortium hopes not only to attract wine lovers but also to inspire a wide audience to enjoy a sustainable and meaningful tourist (wine) experience.