City: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Circuit: Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
Date: July 17 – 19, 2026
Few circuits in motorsport carry the mystique of Spa-Francorchamps. Carved through the forests of the Ardennes in southern Belgium, it is simultaneously breathtaking and brutal, a 7km lap that includes Eau Rouge, one of the most celebrated and daunting corner sequences in world motorsport. Weather at Spa is notoriously unpredictable, which only adds to the theatre. For purists, this is F1 at its rawest.
City Rating: ★★★☆☆ Race Experience: ★★★★★
Our Verdict: Go for the Race, because this is a pilgrimage!
THE CITY
Spa-Francorchamps sits in the Ardennes, a dense, forested, hilly region of southern Belgium. It is beautiful in a wild, green way, but there is no major city nearby. The closest significant cities are Liège (45 minutes) and Brussels (1.5 hours). Many visitors combine Spa with a night or two in Brussels, a city of art nouveau architecture, famed for its association with chocolate, world-class beer and some genuinely good African restaurants thanks to Belgium's Congolese diaspora.
PRACTICAL FOR AFRICAN TRAVELLERS
July in the Ardennes is mild but can turn wet and cold quickly. Spa's weather is notoriously changeable and affects the race frequently - it pretty much rains on at least one day of the race weekend. Waterproofs are not optional. Camping at the circuit is a tradition for hardcore fans, but that’s not something most Africans would be keen on. Fly to Brussels and drive or take transport to the circuit.
WHAT TO EAT
Belgian food is interesting, think mussels and exceptional fries, waffles (very different from the tourist version), rich stews and the best beer on earth. Chocolate is a genuine craft here, not a souvenir. Brussels has an excellent Congolese restaurant scene.
THE RACE EXPERIENCE
Some say Spa-Francorchamps is the greatest racing circuit in the world. Its combination of Eau Rouge (the most famous corner sequence in motorsport), the ultra-fast Raidillon climb, the long Kemmel Straight and the technical final sector creates a lap that tests everything. Racing here is genuinely special. Spa produces incident, drama and moments you remember for years. Every serious F1 fan should attend at least once.
THE HONEST WORD
The weather at Spa is genuinely unpredictable. Some years it is sunny and warm; others the race is red-flagged in fog and rain. This adds to the drama but requires preparation. Absolutely worth highlighting that the forest setting means facilities are more basic than city circuits.