Table grape cultivation under glass has shaped Hoeilaart’s local history; in Groenendaal, monastic and forestry history add further layers. There are also signposted routes with different focuses: Jan van Ruusbroec, running routes in the Zoniënwoud or the Arboretum Groenendaal. This makes it possible to get to know the area through specific cultural and natural themes, rather than reducing it to a single attraction.
A long history of grape-growing culture
Table grapes have been grown under glass since 1865, when Felix Sohie built the city’s first grape greenhouse. The Vlaams-Brabant table grape is entitled to carry the European Protected Designation of Origin label. This tradition has also left its mark on the area’s buildings: the Druivenserres Kelleveld includes nine historic grape greenhouses, maintained by target-group employees of the non-profit organisation 3Wplus.
The Groenendaal–Overijse tram line is also part of the history of the Druivenstreek. It symbolised the region’s heyday and carried thousands of passengers as well as millions of kilograms of grapes and raw materials. Prior booking is required for group visits to Druiven Mia Michiels.
Monastic heritage and architectural history in Groenendaal
The Priorijhoeve with its bakehouse at the Priorij van Groenendaal reveals another side of the area’s history: this originally semi-enclosed quadrangular farmstead, built of brick and natural stone, was constructed around 1778 to a design by Guillaume De Brucq, replacing older farm buildings. The underground remains of the Priorij include the covered IJse and adjoining cellars; these are the only surviving remains of the monastery buildings themselves. The surviving abbey church is an important remnant of one of three Windesheim monasteries in the Zoniënwoud.
Other buildings each offer their own historical perspective. The Kapel Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Willerieken was built in 1864 to a design by Bastin, replacing a centuries-old chapel whose origins may date back to the Middle Ages. In the centre of Hoeilaart stands a 15th-century castle, which now houses the town hall. The Koninklijke Loge and the remains of the Bookmakerslokaal are all that remain of the former Hippodroom van Groenendaal. The former racecourse is still visible today as an open area on the edge of the Zoniënwoud.
The Bosmuseum Jan van Ruusbroec is housed in a historic farmstead belonging to the former Priorij van Groenendaal. The topics it covers include fauna, flora and forest management; maquettes, maps, scale models and natural history collections help bring them to life. The Spanish Room also explores the rich history of the forest and its abbeys. Group visits are available daily by appointment.
Forest trails and routes with different focuses
Hoeilaart is part of the Nationaal Park Brabantse Wouden, which brings together Hallerbos, Zoniënwoud and Meerdaalwoud. The Zoniënwoud covers 4,421 hectares and is the largest beech forest in the country. Several routes with different focuses are available in this landscape.
The Jan van Ruusbroecpad starts at the Bosmuseum Jan van Ruusbroec in Groenendaal, is 2.3 kilometres long and leads to key places in Jan van Ruusbroec’s life, with eleven information panels in four languages. The Natuurloop Zoniënwoud consists of two permanently signposted running routes that start and finish at the Bosmuseum Jan van Ruusbroec in Hoeilaart: the green route is 6 kilometres long and the blue route is 11.7 kilometres. Route details may change over time; check the latest information before setting out.
The signposted Groenendaalwandeling is 6.6 kilometres long and also starts at the Bosmuseum. It passes through the Arboretum Groenendaal, with around 400 native and foreign tree species. Nero's Natuurleerpad has a different thematic focus: panels along the trail explain the flora and fauna, history and ecological management of Jan-van-Ruusbroec Park. There are also three courses in the Zoniënwoud that can be followed using a map.
The route information makes the differences clear: the Jan van Ruusbroecpad combines a manageable distance with biographical landmarks, the Natuurloop offers two running routes, and the Groenendaalwandeling passes through the arboretum. The best choice depends on whether cultural history, a running route or the tree species in the arboretum is your priority.
Discover more destinations: Zemst, Asse, Waterloo, Genval, Vilvoorde, Haacht, Werchter, Aarschot.
For the overview of the wider region: Brabant.
