Kasteel Pietersheim, Lanaken, Belgium

Kasteel Pietersheim is a small fortified 12th century castle or mansion in a huge park with sports fields, a playground, and a petting zoo in Lanaken, Belgium. It sits along a leafy bike path where you can ride for miles. You walk through the stone fortification which is always fun for kids. They love the narrow doorways and arches! Then you cross a bridge over the canal, and you can stand by the castle with its adorable stripey chimneys. You can also stay the night in this castle, booked through booking.com or other hotel websites. 

In the visitor center, there are games and displays about knights and maidens. You can buy a knight's helmet or sword, or read the comic strip, Jan van Pietersheim. 
The petting zoo called Kinderboerderij Pietersheim (children's farm), has goats, sheep, deer, donkeys, rabbits, pigs, and chickens. There are also trees with little doors where gnomes poke out their heads. And there is an adorable child-sized gnome house! Kids can put their faces through the holes of colorful pictures of animals and farm scenes for photos. There is a water well filled with dirt that kids can hover over and pull on the chains. A little wooden train wagon is fun to sit in. In Europe, they have swings that are a flat plank that are much easier to sit on than swings at playgrounds in USA. The playground (speeltuin) also has a trampoline built into the ground, and many colorful wooden play structures with towers, bridges, climbing ropes, space net, and slides, plus picnic tables. 
In springtime there are lovely flowers around the edge of the park.
The castle is a fifteen minute walk south of the playground, past sports fields and countryside.
You can also rent a bike for 11 euros a day. E-bikes are 25 euros a day, and tandem bikes are 22 euros a day.

Directions

Kasteel Pietersheim is located at Koning Albertlaan 255, 3620 Lanaken, Belgium, about 1 1/2 hours east of Brussels or 13 minutes north of Maastricht.
The petting zoo parking lot is at Neerharenweg 12, 3620 Lanaken.
Admission is free.

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