This calm Flemish town is home to Europe's largest nuclear research center, SCK CEN. Its lakes, formed by sand excavation, draw swimmers and water sports participants.
Mol, a town in Belgium's Antwerp province, welcomes you with white sand beaches at Zilvermeer and Zilverstrand lakes. You can buy rabbits and birds at the 125-year-old Sunday animal market, taste cheese made by monks at the 12th-century Postel Abbey, or explore paintings of rural life at the Jakob Smits Museum.
Swimming and Recreation at Mol's Lakes
At Zilvermeer Provincial Park, you can swim from the white sand beach or scuba dive to see sculptures in the underwater museum. Children will find swings, slides, and climbing frames in the playground. Zilverstrand has both an outdoor lake and an indoor swimming pool, with a caravan park where you can stay overnight.
Postel Abbey and Religious Sites
Norbertine monks at Postel Abbey continue their centuries-old traditions of making cheese and brewing beer. You can join a guided tour of the Baroque refectory and abbey grounds, or buy monastery products in the shop. Walk the path of the 15 Chapels in Achterbos to see the religious monuments that inspired many local artists.
Art at the Jakob Smits Museum
In the former vicarage of Mol-Sluis, you'll find paintings by Jakob Smits (1855-1928) and other artists of the Molse School. Their work captures daily life in 19th-century Mol, including scenes of the seven windmills that once operated here. The last remaining windmill, built by Karel Heylen in 1856, still grinds grain on select days.
The Sunday Animal Market
Every Sunday morning, hundreds of sellers set up their stalls at Mol's animal market. You can browse through cages of rabbits, chickens, fish, hamsters, and birds. The market has run weekly since 1896, drawing both professional breeders and casual buyers from Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.
