Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium

Spa-Francorchamps is widely regarded as the greatest racing circuit in the world. The combination of Eau Rouge/Raidillon, the Kemmel Straight, Pouhon and the forest setting make it uniquely dramatic. Located in the forested Ardennes region of eastern Belgium, the circuit is genuinely remote — you are in a forest, at altitude, in a place where the weather can change from sunshine to monsoon in minutes. This is part of its legend. The Belgian Grand Prix has produced some of the most memorable moments in F1 history.

F1 2026: 17–19 July. Mid-July in the Ardennes is warm but unpredictable — the circuit's microclimate is famous for having different conditions at different corners simultaneously. Pack waterproofs regardless. Book accommodation many months ahead; capacity in the Spa region is limited and race weekend hotels extend to Liège, Aachen and Maastricht. Note: the 2026 Belgian GP may be one of the last — the circuit's future on the calendar beyond 2026 is uncertain.

Spa-Francorchamps is 45 minutes east of Liège by car. Trains run from Brussels and Cologne to Liège, with shuttle buses to the circuit on race days. A hire car is the most practical option. The circuit is in a valley; walking from the camping areas to the grandstands involves significant hillside terrain.

Spa town (5km from circuit) is the most atmospheric base — the original thermal spa town, with excellent hotels and a genuinely charming old quarter. Liège (45 minutes) is the nearest city with full hotel infrastructure. Aachen (Germany, 60 minutes) offers excellent hotels and the extraordinary cathedral housing Charlemagne's throne. Stavelot (10 minutes from circuit) is a beautiful Ardennes village with good accommodation and the circuit's most charming restaurant scene.

Eau Rouge/Raidillon — the most famous corner in motorsport; standing on the banking at the top of Raidillon as cars come through at 300km/h is one of the great experiences in F1 spectatorship. Spa town — the original European spa resort, with thermal baths operating since Roman times; the Pouhon spring and the Thermes de Spa are both open to visitors. Stavelot Abbey — a spectacular Baroque monastery (12th–18th century) now housing museums of Ardennes history and the local motorcycle racing tradition; free entry. The Hautes Fagnes — the high peat bog plateau above the Ardennes is a remarkable landscape; the Signal de Botrange (694m, the highest point in Belgium) is 20 minutes from the circuit. Aachen Cathedral (60 minutes) — Charlemagne's original 8th-century chapel at the centre of one of the great medieval buildings of Europe; UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Belgian cuisine is one of Europe's most underrated. Boulets à la Liégeoise (meatballs in a sweet-sour sauce specific to Liège) is the regional signature dish. Belgian waffles, chips and beer need no elaboration. In Spa, L'Eau Vive and the restaurants on the old town square serve excellent Ardennes cuisine — game in season, trout from the local rivers, locally smoked meats. The Trappist abbeys of Rochefort and Chimay (both within 90 minutes) produce beers of extraordinary quality that can be bought at source.

Spa circuit is genuinely challenging for mobility — the terrain is hilly and the distances are significant. Wellington boots are essential if it rains (which it will). The camping culture at Spa is legendary but involves rougher conditions than most circuits. Shuttle buses from Liège and Spa town are reliable alternatives to camping.

Belgium is a safe country. The emergency number is 112. Weather changes rapidly at the circuit — always carry a waterproof.

Watch from the public banking at Pouhon — the fastest corner in F1 (cars take it at over 280km/h in qualifying) is on the back of the circuit, accessible via general admission and largely unknown to first-time visitors who concentrate on Eau Rouge. The sensation of cars at full speed through a genuine 180-degree bend is extraordinary. The Friday practice sessions at Spa are among the best value in F1 — general admission, close access to the cars and the famous corner, and the possibility of the unique Spa weather creating something unexpected. Eat at La Maison du Bois in Stavelot — a farmhouse restaurant 10 minutes from the circuit serving Ardennes cuisine of genuine quality at prices that feel implausibly low after anything in Monaco or Singapore.