Find The Top 5 Attractions In Bastogne

Bastogne, in the beautiful Luxembourg region, is one of those cities you may have read about in the history books. That is because this is one of those cities that was laid siege to during the Battle of the Bulge and it was definitely a city that made the 101st Airborne Division of the American Army very famous for holding the all too important crossroads. With that being the case, it has made this little sleepy town one of the best tourist attractions if you are a military history buff. At the same time, it has also leant some credence to itself of not really being a city that has a lot of attractions outside of the military history because it was so torn up and almost the entire area was destroyed during the offensive. However, I have taken the time to go out and find what I feel are easily the top 5 attractions in Bastogne for you to go out and enjoy.

How I Worked Out What I Feel Are The Five Best

Well, I have to admit I like military history, I guess that is because I really love the fact that it happened so close to my home in some cases, but also because it makes it easier for me to have a chance to explore what could have happened. So I will say that this one is going to be very heavy on the military museums and locations, but with the action this beautiful city seen, it is very easy to see why it has so much in the way of things that you are going to like that is related to the military. Since this is shown to be the case, I think I will have to say the military history in this area will dominate the list here and I do apologize if you do not like the military aspect of the city.

1. Bastogne Barracks

When you are in Bastogne, you will notice the Bastogne Barracks as being one of the best attractions you can see. I know that it was for me, but it is also an active Belgian military base as well, which means you cannot go moving around the area without a guide, which can be seen as the downside. What is nice, though, is the fact this is an attraction that has some of the highly educated guides that will provide you with interesting stories and facts about the location.

What is great about this location is you will have a chance to explore this museum that has been as highly compared to the history museum that is focusing on World War II that you would be able to tour in London, New Orleans, and other cities. So this is quite a high honor with the museum and even when you are in the museum you will notice they have the remains of one of the Waco gliders that will allow you to have even more of the history you will want to see.

2. Mardasson Memorial

As we have mentioned it is very important to recall what has happened in the past and that is what this memorial is going to do. The Mardasson Memorial is a place that is going to be perfect for the memories that you want to have. That is because this is a memorial that will take you back in time to when the city was laid under siege by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. This memorial is one that is going to allow you to recall the sacrifices that were made by the soldiers who ended up losing their life.

At this memorial, it is very important to remember it is very important to know this is a solemn space and it is one that you are going to enjoy. So you will want to make sure you are checking out this location as it is one that allows you to have the information you want to have on the sacrifices that were made, but also know more about the names of the men who did lose their life.

3. Bastogne War Museum 

When you look at this war museum you will find that it is going to be a little bit outside of the city proper and actually up by the Mardasson Memorial. However, this is a location that is going to make it easier for you to have a great chance to explore the history of the place and know more about the battle as well. This is going to make it easier for you to have a trip that is going to be completely educational for you to visit because it has been mentioned the place covers more of the entire war instead of just the battle in the region.

Now, something that I really like with the museum is the fact that it is going to have a chance to get a set of headphones that will make it easier for you to walk around and listen to what is going on in your own language. So you will not have to try to interpret what is being said based on what you are looking at and possibly get it wrong.

4. 101st Airborne Museum Le Mess

The 101st Airborne Museum Le Mess is a place that is fairly new, but it is a place that you are going to really love. However, what is great about the place is the fact that it is going to take you basically on a timeline that is going to run you around the time period of the battle. One of the first things that you will find is this takes you through what the citizens of the town had to deal with during the battle. This is one overlooked aspect at the horrors the citizens had to endure because they were unable to get you away from the action because the attack happened so quickly and unexpectedly on the region.

What else is great about the location is the fact this place gives you a window type of look into what was going on for the men of the 101st Airborne. In one section of this museum, you will even have a chance to hear the horrible sounds of the tanks rumbling across the battlefield and feel the ground vibrating from the tanks coming across the battlefield. Then you will be struck with sheer panic when you see the tanks coming out of the woods heading straight towards you. No matter what this is one museum that will make it easier for you to have a great trip.

5. McAuliffe Square 

Named after the famous general who gave the nuts reply to the Germans demand for a surrender you will find McAuliffe Square. This is a great square that has the bust that you see on the image here, but it also has a great number of benches for you to sit down on and reflect more on what happened in the battle and this gives you a chance to see how important this battle was and when you are looking at the crossroads, before the modern road network systems you will have a chance to see just how valuable this city was to the attack for the Germans and the Allies alike.

The downside is the main attraction in the square is the ease of finding a parking space because this is a paid parking lot. The square does have plenty of shopping and eating that surrounds it though and it will make it easier for you to have a good meal and some great gift ideas, if you were unable to find something in the museum gift shops.

What About The Rest Of The Attractions In Bastogne, Belgium

As I said earlier this is mainly a very big military city and it is definitely a place you are going to fall in love with if you like military history. If you do not like military history, then you may find the city is going to be a little bit on the boring side for you. That is why I have included the square, but it still has some military history tied in with it that you may have not really considered before. Overall, I have to say that this is one of the best cities to visit if you love all things military or if you just want to explore the battlefield that helped turn the tide of history. No matter what, you will like the top 5 attractions in Bastogne to help you explore this amazing city.