Flanders district, Belgium

Places to visit near Balen

Balen is a town in Flanders district, Belgium, home to about 19,978 people. Within 50 km by road there are 196 places to visit — 103 churches, 51 forts & heritage, 26 wildlife, forests & gardens and 9 museums. The must-see places are Sint-Andrieskerk (1 km), Sint-Thomas van Kantelbergkapel (2 km) and Sint-Pieter En Pauwelkerk (5 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Balen on the map

Balen, Belgium
Balen, Flanders district, Belgium. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Balen at a glance

Location
Flanders district, Belgium
Population
about 19,978
Coordinates
51.1684° N, 5.1703° E
Places within 50 km
196 (196 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and museums

Top places to visit near Balen

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Balen: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

More places near Balen

Things to see near Balen, by type

Churches near Balen

156 churches within 100 km of Balen. The closest is Sint-Andrieskerk (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Forts & heritage near Balen

77 forts & heritage within 100 km of Balen. The closest is Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Opstal (8 km). Best time: october to february.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Balen

34 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Balen. The closest is Vallei van de Zwarte Beek (Beringen) (16 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Museums near Balen

14 museums within 100 km of Balen. The closest is Kempenmuseum De Acht Zaligheden (29 km). Best time: year-round.

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Parks near Balen

5 parks within 100 km of Balen. The closest is Werchter Park (51 km). Best time: year-round, evenings.

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Hill stations & viewpoints near Balen

4 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Balen. The closest is Kluis van Bolderberg (26 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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A one-day trip from Balen

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 38 km on the road.

  1. Start in Balen
  2. 1 km Sint-Andrieskerk · church, Flanders
  3. 5 km Sint-Pieter En Pauwelkerk · church, Flanders
  4. 8 km Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Opstal · heritage site, Flanders
  5. 15 km Sint-Jan-Baptistkerk · church, Flanders
  6. 7 km Sint-Thomas van Kantelbergkapel · church, Flanders
  7. 2 km Back to Balen

Plan a longer trip from Balen — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Balen

No traveller has reported from around Balen yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Balen

    All places near Balen by distance

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Balen by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Churches103156Sint-Andrieskerk (1 km)
    Forts & heritage5177Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Opstal (8 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens2634Vallei van de Zwarte Beek (Beringen) (16 km)
    Museums914Kempenmuseum De Acht Zaligheden (29 km)
    Parks05Werchter Park (51 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints34Kluis van Bolderberg (26 km)
    Mosques & dargahs22Diyanet Beringen Fatih Moskee (14 km)
    Other attractions12Japanese Garden (36 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs11Schulensmeer (29 km)
    Buddhist sites01Eerste Stadsomwalling van Leuven (58 km)

    Balen: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Balen?

    Sint-Andrieskerk (church, about 1 km), Sint-Thomas van Kantelbergkapel (church, about 2 km), Sint-Pieter En Pauwelkerk (church, about 5 km), Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Opstal (heritage site, about 8 km), Sint-Jan-Baptistkerk (church, about 8 km), Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-Geboortekerk (church, about 9 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Balen?

    196 places on Spotwander: 103 churches, 51 forts & heritage, 26 wildlife, forests & gardens, 9 museums, 3 hill stations & viewpoints.

    Which is the nearest church to Balen?

    Sint-Andrieskerk, about 1 km by road; Sint-Thomas van Kantelbergkapel (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Balen?

    Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Opstal, about 8 km by road; Brasserie De Groote Hoef (15 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest sanctuary to Balen?

    Vallei van de Zwarte Beek (Beringen), about 16 km by road; Stevensbergen (18 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Balen?

    Start in Balen, visit Sint-Andrieskerk, then Sint-Pieter En Pauwelkerk, then Kapel van Onze-Lieve-Vrouw van Opstal, then Sint-Jan-Baptistkerk, then Sint-Thomas van Kantelbergkapel, and drive back — about 38 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Balen?

    October to February for forts & heritage; November to March for sightings for wildlife, forests & gardens; year-round for churches and museums.

    Towns near Balen

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Balen’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Balen on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.