The capital of Belgium is Brussels, an impressive, bustling metropolis packed with museums, galleries, restaurants, cafés and bars. Also known as the capital of the European Union, Brussels hosts a number of the EU’s principal institutions.

 

 

The main attraction in the city centre is the Grand Place, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which dates back to the Middle Ages, and is the perfect spot for watching the world go by. Enjoy a world-famous Belgian beer, delicious Belgian chocolates and waffles or moules et frites (mussels and chips), the Belgian national dish, in one of the many outdoor restaurants and bars.

 

 

Strange as it may seem, one of the most well known tourist attractions in Brussels, and the symbol of the city, is the Mannekin Pis –  a 17th Century fountain containing a bronze statue of a small boy urinating into the fountain’s basin! There is almost always a small crowd of tourists gathered taking photos when you visit this unusual landmark.

 

Brussels is also home to the Atomium, a distinctive building over 300 feet high that was built for the 1958 World Fair. It is made up of nine steel spheres connected by tubes, creating a giant representation of an iron crystal. The Atomium, perhaps one of the world’s weirdest man-made structures, is open to the public and contains a museum and restaurant.

 

 

As one of the stops on the Eurostar rail route from London, Brussels is a great place to start a tour of mainland Europe and can easily be reached from London’s St Pancras International Station in just under two and a half hours.

 

Belgium is divided into a French speaking part (Wallonia) and a Flemish speaking part (Flanders), so many road signs, for example, are in both languages and the name of towns in French and Flemish can look very different! Flanders, where most people speak Flemish, is in the north of the country. In Brussels and the south of the country most people speak French.

 

One of the most picturesque cities in Belgium, Bruges, with its historic centre, cobbled streets and canals, is a World Heritage Site. Why not take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the city or a leisurely boat trip to view its numerous medieval buildings?

 

The most notable places to see are the impressive 13th Century bell tower, which contains 48 bells, and the Church of Our Lady, which has a 400 ft spire – one of the world’s highest brick towers. The ornate Basilica of the Holy Blood has long been a place of Catholic pilgrimage as it houses the venerated Relic of the Holy Blood. Bruges is also famous for the production of lace and you will see lace-makers in traditional costume to this day.

 

Ghent in North West Belgium is an equally appealing medieval town with its famous castle and guildhalls. Belgium’s second city, Antwerp, one of the world’s largest ports, is home to the country’s diamond trade and is now a lively and cosmopolitan hub for the fashion industry. As well as its ancient towns, Belgium has a northern coast of long sandy beaches and chic seaside resorts, popular with locals but often unknown to tourists, and well worth a visit.