We are delighted to invite you to join the Trollope Society Trip to Brussels and Bruges from Friday 29th August to Tuesday 2nd September 2025 to follow in the footsteps of Anthony Trollope, his mother Fanny and the rest of the Trollope family in their visits and residences in Belgium.

Reserve your place

At this stage, we ask that you reserve your place by making a deposit of £100 per person, which will be refundable up to the end of May 2025.

Following a successful planning visit to Brussels and Bruges in February, we have confirmed the itinerary. The cost of the itinerary is £175 per person with the remaining balance of £75 due by the end of May.

Hotels and accommodation

Please make your own arrangements for accomodation. The trip will be based at:

• Friday 29th August
  NH Brussels Carrefour de L’Europe Hotel, Rue Marche du Herbes aux Herbes 110, 1000 Brussels
• Saturday 30th August – Tuesday 2nd September
  NH Brugge Hotel, Boeveriestraat 2, 8000 Bruges

Committee members of the Trollope Society who are organising the trip will be staying in the above NH Hotels, where we will also be holding registration and talks. You may choose to stay in the NH Hotels, or another hotel of your choice.

Itinerary

• Friday 29th August – Brussels
  We begin with registration from 4pm at the NH Brussels Carrefour de L’Europe Hotel. In the evening, we’ll gather for a welcome drink at the Sky Bar on top of the Stock Exchange Building. There is the option to stay on for dinner at The Brasserie in the same building (additional cost).
• Saturday 30th August – Brussels to Bruges
  The day starts with two talks: Frederik Van Dam will speak in person about Trollope’s Belgian connections, followed by a Zoom lecture from Dr Charlotte Mathieson on Travel and Mobility in 19th-Century Fiction. After coffee and a buffet lunch, we’ll take the train to Bruges (ticket not included), where we’ll stay for the next two nights.
• Sunday 31st August – Bruges
  We’ll begin the day with a visit to the Trollope family graves in Assebroek Cemetery, followed by a canal boat trip. We’ll then visit the house where the Trollope family lived during their time in Bruges. There, we’ll hold a relaxed group discussion of The Noble Jilt, followed by a conversation about Can You Forgive Her?.
• Monday 1st September – Bruges and Blankenburg
  We’ll start the day with a seminar on Phineas Finn, then travel to the coast for a walk in the sand dunes at Blankenburg – the dramatic setting of the duel between Phineas Finn and Lord Chiltern. In the evening, there will be an optional informal dinner (additional cost).
• Tuesday 2nd September
  There are no scheduled activities on this final day, giving you the option to return home at your convenience or to extend your stay in Bruges.

Please note that the itinerary may be subject to change.

Optional extras

We would be delighted if you would like to join us for two optional dinners, at the start and end of the trip. We will be in touch nearer the time with details of the dinners, and to collect payment in advance.

• Friday 29th August – First Night Dinner in Brussels at The Brasserie, in the Stock Exchange Building.
• Monday 1st September – Last Night Dinner in Bruges in the West Quarter.

Free time

We will incorporate free time in both Brussels and Bruges, but if you want to spend more time exploring either or both cities, please bear this in mind when you are making your own travel arrangements.

Important information

• You may cancel your place on the trip up to 31st May and receive a full refund for the itinerary. After 1st June, refunds will only be given if someone else takes your place.
• Food and refreshments are only included where stated in the itinerary.
• Payment for the two optional dinners is in addition to the cost of the itinerary and will collected nearer the time.
• Travel, insurance and accommodation are not included—you must arrange these separately.
• Walking of up to half an hour each way to some venues is involved. By reserving a place, you confirm you’re able to take part in all planned activities.

Photo Andrey Danilovich