Leuven is situated at a crossroads of motorways, important train and bus routes, at 15 kilometres from the National airport and at 25 kilometres from the European capital Brussels.

The Leuven university, which was established in 1425, has always played an important part in the history of the city, which spans more than thousand years (the name Leuven was mentioned for the first time in 891). The professors have put Leuven on the world map of wisdom and the students have contributed to the success that allowed the local brewer Stella (established in 1366) to become Inbev, formerly Interbrew, a world player.

Apart from the food industry, Leuven has never attracted heavy industry, but all the more services, small industries and commerce, scattered over the city and its surroundings. The university faculties have never been grouped on one imposing campus, but have always been located all over the city. This has allowed the combination of ‘living and working’ to continue to dominate the city structure. The municipality spares no efforts safeguarding that agreeable city structure, balancing working and living, peace and quiet, nature and economy, and bike and car traffic.

Leuven has no ghettos, nor any deserted factory housing estates. In Leuven, there is no safety issue, neither in terms of criminal offences, nor in terms of traffic, as is not only demonstrated by statistics, but also perceived as such by the population.

Leuven has a varied offering of comfortable living spaces, also for the 20, 000 students staying in what is called ‘digs’ in student slang. Thanks to the continual supervision of the municipality and the university, these digs have now become student-like bedsits, available for an acceptable rent.

The 30, 000 students keep the 90, 000 inhabitants and their city young and lively. The 50 nationalities working, studying and living in Leuven (they are about 10, 000 today) add an international atmosphere to it all. There is an abundance of meeting places in the 200 indoor and outdoor cafés, in the pedestrian zones, in the parks with their statues and on the quiet squares, which are mostly surrounded by historic buildings.

Those buildings, with first and foremost the world famous city hall, the university library and the Large Beguinage, the many churches, abbeys and historically important university buildings, attract hundreds of thousands of tourists. The 7 museums and the forests around Leuven add to the attraction. Together, the tourists account for 150, 000 nights spent in the 1, 000 hotel rooms available in the city. They contribute to the multitude of languages spoken in the 300 restaurants in Leuven. Tourists can also enjoy the yearly events organised in the city, like Marktrock for the rock lovers and the Beleuvenissen for the admirers of world music.

Leuven has a large offering of film and performing arts, with theatre, dance, a lot of classical music and relaxation music. The art centre STUK, internationally known for its experimental theatre, its dance creations and its search for powerful expression via video and short films, provides the required culture creation, closely related to the Leuven knowledge creation.

The entire year round, Leuven hosts symposiums, seminars and conferences. The very accessible club and social life offers various kinds of activities.

In short, Leuven is a striking example of a city built and made for people, where one can live an agreeable, at times exuberant life, where one can work hard and thoroughly in, and on, an inspiring environment.