Brussels
The city of choice for Eurocrats, Brussels is sumptuous, historic and
luxuriously cosy. With artistry richer than chocolate, architecture as
graceful as its cuisine and diversity frothier than the beer, Brussels is an
heirloom of northern culture at its best.
Get lost in a dense circuit of cobblestone alleys before emerging
suddenly into the magnificence of the Grand Place, with its baroque
guildhalls, splendid Gothic town hall and ringside gaggle of pavement cafes
and intimate restaurants. Then see what else the backstreets of Brussels
have to offer.
Antwerp
The richly historic city of Antwerp is Belgium's most underrated tourist
destination. Few places tangle the old and the new quite so enchantingly.
Here eclectic Art Nouveau mansions stare back at Neo-Renaissance villas, and
medieval castles provide a magical backdrop for the city's myriad bars and
cafes.
Bruges
Home to Europe's best-preserved medieval buildings, Bruges is Belgium's
most visited town. Suspended in time 500 years ago by the silting of its
river, this 13th-century city is blessed with two medieval cores, the Markt
and the Burg, and some of the country's most compelling art collections.
In the middle of summer Bruges teems with tourists; out of season its
beauty is an easier delight to behold. The whole historic centre of Bruges
was added to Unesco's World Heritage List in 2000 and, in 2002, Bruges took
centre stage as the European City of Culture.
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