Liege (Belgium, Luttich)

Liege (Luttich) is a Meuse River (Rhine River) cruise port, major city in Wallonia and capital of Liege province (eastern Belgium), with population around 200,000 (metro around 750,000). The city is located not far from the Belgium-Holland border (Maastricht is approx 33 km / 21 mi to the north) and the Belgium-Germany border (Aachen is approx 53 km / 33 mi northeast).

Liege is ranked Belgium's 3rd largest urban area (after Brussels and AntwerpEN). The city's best-known tourist attractions include Prince-Bishops palace (16th century), city hall (17th century), Liege CathedralSaint Paul, Saint-Jacques church, museums (Modern and Contemporary Art, Walloon Life,, Walloon Art and Religious Art, Grand Curtius), historical downtown (Carre), Hors-Chateau, Outremeuse, nature parks along the river, Citadel, Médiacité (shopping mall).

Albertkanaal/Albert Canal connects Liege WITH Antwerpen, and also interconnects the rivers Maas and Scheldt. The 1939-opened Canal has length 130 km (81 mi), standard water depth 3,4 m (11 ft) and bridge clearance 6,7 m (22 ft). To allow cargo shipping traffic, the Canal's bridges were recently heightened to min clearance 9,1 m (30 ft). Albertkanaal has a total of 6 sets of locks (each fitted with a boat lift) to overcome the elevation difference of 56 m (184 ft) between Antwerpen and Liege. The canal locks are in Genk, Diepenbeek, Hasselt, Kwaadmechelen, Olen, and Wijnegem.