It’s around this time of year that readers with trips planned to Paris start wondering where they can spend a day or two outside of the city without traveling too far. The most common destinations range from Versailles and Chantilly to Reims or Honfleur but most overlook a major city to the north with quaint pedestrian streets, beer halls and a storied history worth learning about. I’m speaking about Lille, Belgium’s next-door-neighbor with unmistakable Flemish roots. Today, the city is undergoing something of a revival, drawing from its past as a leading hub for the textile and printing industries to create a climate of openness for emerging fashion designers, contemporary artists and all manner of craft.

I had the chance to visit for the time last spring while I was on assignment to review the Hotel Clarance Lille, the city’s first true boutique hotel property (you can read that here!), and to uncover the various activities that would merit a visit in 2016 (those highlights HERE). I took photos as I strolled the city and made a note in my journal that I still think about today: “pleasantly surprised. Glad I came without any expectations. The city deserves more attention than it gets,” is what I wrote. Here’s hoping this brief photo tour piques your interest!

A few tips: 

• Coffee at Caféine 
• Dinner at Bloempot 
• Waffles and confections from Meert
• Meringues from the original Aux Merveilleux de Fred
• Shopping at Maisons de Mode 
• Art visit at La Piscine (in nearby Roubaix)
• Stroll through the city’s many parks 
• See a performance at the Lille Opera

Have you been to Lille? Share your highlights in the comments section below!