Spa en omgeving

Spa: a town you don't need to go out of your way for

Spa is in the Ardennes, about an hour and a half's drive from Nijmegen or Luik. The town is small, but more compact than you might expect. The belle-époque architecture is largely still standing: villas with ornate facades, an old Thermae Palace, spa guests who stopped coming long ago. That abandoned grandeur is exactly what makes it interesting for a photographer.

The town itself lends itself well to street photography and architectural photography. Pay attention to the details: rusting wrought-iron balcony railings, weathered reliefs above doorways, the contrast between the maintained and the decayed. A 35mm or 50mm equivalent works well here. You don't need a telephoto, but room to step back is scarce in the narrow streets.

The forests around it are just as worthwhile

Around Spa lies an extensive landscape of forest and heathland, with the Hautes Fagnes beginning just a few kilometres away. Walking paths wind past springs and fairy-tale moss. Autumn is when it works best. Beech and oak turn late and richly there, and the mist that hangs in the valleys gives you those atmospheric layers you're looking for. Come early in the morning, well before ten. The sun is low then, filtering through the trees when the humidity is high.

If you really want to shoot landscape in the Fagnes, a longer focal length, 85mm or more, is useful for conveying the openness of the raised bog landscape. But a wide angle works too when you're close to water or moss.

Practical

Spa itself is compact. You can park along the Rue Royale or near the town centre, but watch out for blue zones. The forests are freely accessible; the core area of the Hautes Fagnes has protected zones where you stay on the paths. No permit is needed for personal photographic use. The Coo waterfall is just over twenty minutes' drive away and makes a good combination if you're already in the area.

Autumn is my recommendation. From mid-October to early November you're well placed for the light, the colours, and the atmosphere that Spa has always had.

Sources and further reading

• Toerisme Spa (officieel)
• Hautes Fagnes natuurreservaat (Wallonië)
• Wikipedia: Spa (stad)