Brussels / Belgium / Europe
One of Europe's most under-rated destinations, Belgium is compact enough to be covered in a week. Think beyond Waffles, the EU bureaucracy with its frothing beer, medieval steeples and simmering cultural mix. Beyond Brussels, a dynamic city big on café living and Art Nouveau, lies Antwerp and Bruges, both picture perfect, rich with finely crafted Middle Ages architecture. The country itself is split into two sections; the Flanders (Dutch speaking north) and the Wallonia (French speaking south).
Belgium is Europe in a nutshell, with 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Don't be fooled by its size, though, as Belgium offers something for everyone: over 200 museums, 300 art nouveau buildings in Brussels, 650 different styles of beer and 2,000 chocolate shops! Let yourself be captivated by the place surrealist painter Rene Magritte and art nouveau master Victor Horta call home: Belgium. |
For a quick getaway, visit scenic Namur, the Citadel in Dinant, the castles of Bouillon, historic Bastogne, relaxing Spa, the biggest city in, Liège, or the smallest, Durbuy, and for the architecture lovers, the Notre Dame Cathedral of Tournai is a must-see.
Antwerp, Belgium’s bustling second city is rich in rewards for travellers. A centre for fashion, arts and the diamond trade, Antwerp is a youthful and easygoing city with a revered respect for its colourful history. And it’s romantic too; the sound of vintage bikes juddering through the cobbled streets will stay with you long after you leave this beautiful city. With photogenic waterways & fairytale architecture, Bruges is one of the prettiest cities. Often been dubbed the ‘Venice of the North’. Its stunning Old Town gained World Heritage status in 2000, leaving many wondering what took UNESCO so long. |
Brussels arguably one of Europe's premier cities. From breathtaking medieval centre to 21st-century temple to Surrealism, the new Magritte Museum, Brussels offers the visitor a great deal more than just beer and chocolate.
Brussels's compact city centre is clustered with bars, restaurants and museums set along cobbled streets which open suddenly into the Grand-Place. With its ornate guild houses, impressive Town Hall and buzzing atmosphere, it would be difficult to find a more beautiful square in the whole of Europe. Mix of French sophistication and Flemish enterprise, of Tintin and other famous comic creations. Add to that world-class art galleries and a thriving design scene. Without a doubt, a fantastic city to explore. |
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Historic Centre
Once ringed by 16th century defensive walls, the city centre is now defined by the 'Petite Ceinture', a set of avenues and boulevards that form a pentagonal loop around it. The center city's small, cobbled streets are clustered around the magnificent Grand-Place. Two of the most traveled lanes nearby are restaurant-lined rue des Bouchers and Petite rue des Bouchers, part of an area known as the Ilot Sacré. |
Ixelles
Ixelles is home to two fantastic cultural spaces, the Ixelles Museum, which has held art exhibtions since 1892, and the newly opened Flagey. Multi-cultural, young and vibrant, Ixelles boasts some of the best and most characterful restaurants and bars in the city. Colourful markets, historic squares, wonderful art nouveau and art deco architecture, stunning 12th century churches. |
Sablon
Renowned for its antiques, loved for its village atmosphere. Antiques dealers and art galleries cluster in the narrow streets fanning out from the Place du Grand Sablon, in the heart of the Sablon district surrounded by quaint historic buildings, some dating back to the 17th century. Visit the Sablon Antiques Centre, with many dealers selling antiques, vintage collectibles and curios. |
Rue Marché au Charbon
Europe's Gay Village. A picture perfect location just a stone’s throw away from the Grand Place. Located in a cluster of delightful gabled Dutch style townhouses you’ll find a sprinkling of traditional wood panelled estaminets (cosy old fashioned pubs), swish lounge bars and sunny pavement cafes. Blissfully traffic free. infectiously laid back and welcoming buzz. |
Palace of Brussels
Opposite the Parliament building. The Palais Royal is without a doubt one of the most beautiful buildings in the capital. housing the offices of the King and the Queen. Visit BELvue museum which house outstanding collections on the subject of the Belgian dynasty. Over summer the Palace is open to the public. |
European Parliament
Visit the seat of power, headquarters of NATO and EU, in a sparkling post-modern architecture. You can take a tour of the interactive exhibits at the Parlamentarium or actually sit in on a parliamentary meeting for an hour and experience the EU's polyglot reality. Check the website for dates and time and arrive early. |
Grand Place
Undoubtedly Brussels' crowning glory, this UNESCO World Heritage Site should be at the top of your itinerary. Accessed via narrow, winding, cobbled streets, the Grand Place only reveals its full grandeur at the last moment, when its vast square and magnificent Medieval and Rennaissance buildings come into view. |
Royal Greenhouses
In summer, when the flowers are in full bloom, the Royal Family welcomes all to its spectacular greenhouses, constructed from glass and steel by Alphonse Balat The 7 greenhouses nurture an incredible collection of plants and flowers, many exotic varieties, some from King Leopold II's original collection. |
Manneken Pis
Belgians have some capacity for self-mockery, as is illustrated well by a statue of a boy urinating. The irreverent symbol of Brussels' joi de vivre. Time your visit to see one of the 'dressing ceremonies', when officials march from Grand Place and dress Manneken Pis in one of the many costumes from his wardrobe. His wardrobe counts more than 800 suits. Symbol of Brussels folklore, the joy of the inhabitants. |
Flagey
The focal point of Place Flagey is the Art Deco Flagey building, built in 1938 as Belgium’s TV and radio flagship. This steamship-like building was once home to the National Radio Orchestra and known as Maison de la Radio. Today it offers a mixed but mostly contemporary programme of music concerts – everything from classical to jazz and world, with world-class acoustics – an art-house cinema and exhibition space. |
Atomium
The Atomium is a monument which was built for Expo 58, the 1958 Brussels World Fair. This monument was exclusively designed by Andre Waterkeyn. It is a 102 meters high, which is 335 feet tall monument having nine steel spheres that are connected such way that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal that is magnified 165 billion times. It served as a pit stop in The Amazing Race 19. |
Bruparck
Located in the north of the city. Inside this recreation complex is the Mini-Europe theme park; the 26-screen Kinepolis multiplex movie theater; a made-to-order village with stores, cafes, and restaurants; and the Océade water park. Beside it are the Atomium, Brussels Planetarium, Roi Baudouin soccer stadium, and Parc des Expositions convention center. Also an interactive course on the EU history called "Spirit of Europe". |
Popular Side Trips
Waterloo
It may be 10km from Brussels, but the site of the famous 1815 battle in which Napoleon Bonaparte's empire ended and 40,000 men lost their lives is well worth the trip. Before visiting the fields in which the battle took place, pop into the Wellington Museum in the town of Waterloo. At the site of the battle, the Visitors Centre offers audiovisual presentation and a fascinating 360 degree panoramic mural of the battle |
Laeken
Positioned in the Northwest region of Brussels, Laeken is where the Belgian Royal Family resides, offering several great spots for sightseeing. Among them are the Church of Our Lady, several botanical greenhouses belonging to the Royal Family, and the world-famous King Baudouin Stadium. Laeken’s famous greenhouses are located here. Also here is Church of Our Lady housing the Royal Crypt of Belgium |
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