The first few days, we're just too excited exploring and see more. And it's not always went smoothly.
We let ourselves carried away by the narrow and winding cobblestone streets which so typical European.
And suddenly we realized.. we got lost!
We forgot that daylight is shorter in winter.
After 6 pm, shops are closed.
Almost nobody speaks English.
And couldn't find any signs on the street.
It's really frustrating.
So it's important to find the Tourist Office to get a map.
It's really easy to find it once we already in the Grand Place.
The people are so helping. And they will try to give recommendations for what to see or where to eat.
We're not only be given a sheet of map, but also a guide book about Mons with many informations. I really loved it! It's a really nice and glossy guide book you won't expect from a small and not so popular destination like Mons. And it's free! Other goodies they give away for visitors are colorful pins, promoting Mons as European Capital of Culture 2015.
Because tourism is not (yet) a very big thing in Mons, the Tourist Office might be the main and only place to get a small selection of souvenirs.
For me, not just the guide book but the people in Mons are really helping.
If you meet old couples, just don't hesitate to ask for directions. They might be explain more than you need and won't care if you don't speak the language. I guess they're just excited because tourists are rarely spotted here.
I remember.. one day, we got lost just around the corner of Grand Place. We saw a young couple who just parked and came out from their car. So we asked them for directions. Fortunately, they can speak a little bit of English. And they're not only giving us direction, they accompanied us to the place we're looking for.
In the end, there only be a small chance to get lost in Mons. But don't panic, just follow the road. Usually it leads to an interesting find.
Maison du Tourisme
Monday - Saturday, 10 am - 6 pm
Sunday, 11 am - 5 pm