Wervik[1] is a city with more than 18,000 inhabitants (2010). Wervik is located along the Lys which forms the border with France. On the other side of the Lys lies the French municipality of Zuid-Wervik (Wervicq-Sud). Together with Geluwe and Kruiseke, Wervik forms one municipality.
Wervik is one of the oldest cities in Belgium, already known by the Romans as a stopping place under the name Viroviacum. Remains from that period are regularly found in the Wervik underground. Excavations on St. Martin's Square in the center uncovered, among other things, the foundations of the old St. Martin's Church, which consisted of Roman waste material. According to some historians, this used to be a Roman temple in honor of Mars. There are strong suspicions about this in antiquities, but this has not been proven to date.
Arrive
- Train: Stop 'Wervik' on the line Kortrijk-Poperinge
- Car: The highway A19 exit 'Wervik 2a'. After that, Wervik is easily accessible via the N58
Travel around
On foot is the best option for the Boeren Krijgroute and Kruiseke hiking route.
There are also beautiful trips to be made by bicycle, including the Tobacco Route.
To look at
- National Tobacco Museum[2] - The region is known for its tobacco cultivation.
- break mill and Kruisekemolen - There are also two windmills in Wervik, which have recently been restored and both are still in working order: the stone Brikenmolen (near the Tobacco Museum) and the wooden Kruisekemolen. These are operated one Sunday out of two in the summer by volunteer millers.
- The Balokken - Recreation area
- Saint Medardus Church is one of the largest in West Flanders and is built in different styles. Romanesque, but largely in Gothic style. The choir and part of the transept is in Scheldt Gothic, the rest in Brabant High Gothic.
- Heritage house René Defrancq, with a permanent exhibition on Wervik's history
To do
- 'Rock in the Square' Yearly, now back for free rock festival (mid August) [3]
- Latin fever Annually, (the Saturday after 'Rock op het plein'): - Free open air party in 't Kapittel
- Gallo-Roman weekend (first weekend of October in odd years) [4]
- Christmas tree burning with Christmas market
- Crazy Monday
- Leie Events (last weekend of August)
- Nights of the Jukte[5]
- Rally '12 Hours of Wervik'
- Day of the customer (fourth Saturday of September)
To buy
- yawning tail (egg white, raspberries, marzipan, surprise cream and shortcrust pastry)
- The Gilwenaere (aperitif)
- Jan Buuc beer (available in various taverns)
- Moriaen beer
- Tobacco Tailor (white and brown chocolate mousse, combined with raspberries)
- tobacco tail (puff pastry in the shape of a tobacco leaf, filled with frangipane and praline)
- Tobacco sticks (pancakes)
- Wervik chocolate[6]
- Wervik chocolate jenever[7]
Food
- albarello (Square Saint Martin)
- 't Isermael (New Street) [8]
- The Vlasschard (Square Saint Martin)
- Salons Tobacco Flower (Ommegangstraat)
- Gasthof 't Kapittel (Ooievaarstraat)
- The little Prince (Old Beselarestraat)
- The Kastaar (Menensesteenweg)[9]
- the palette (Old Beselarestraat)
- Den Teerling (Flemish street)
- The Waterfront (Leiestraat)[10]
Going out
- Gasthof 't Kapittel (Square Saint Martin)
- The Sultan (Square Saint Martin)
- The Bierpompe (New Street)
- Retro inn Den Grooten Moriaen (Koestraat)
- The Waterfront (Leiestraat)[11]
stay overnight
- Gasthof Te Cathem (Menensesteenweg 287)[12]
- B&B Guest Room Speghelhof (Vosstraat 2)[13]
- B&B Terra Sana (Stokstraat 4)[14]
- Hiker's huts on the Balokken
Nearby destinations
- Ideal base for exploring the Westhoek and the Lys region