Home » Travel & Places » Western Europe

Travel To Belgium, A Gateway To Europe

2 Comments

1 Like

Like 1

Pin It

Ranked #6,372 in Travel & Places, #176,593 overall

Belgium, Full of Beautiful Places and Also Historical Values

Belgium is a low-lying country on the North Sea coast in Western Europe. With majority of West European capitals within 1,000km of Brussels, the seat of both the European Union and NATO, and a member of the long-standing international Benelux community, Belgium sits at the crossroads of Western Europe. Its immediate neighbors are France to the south-west, Luxembourg to the south-east, Germany to the east and the Netherlands to the north.

Contents at a Glance

Belgium's Table of Contents
Brussels
Photos of Belgium and the Surrounding Ar...
Antwerp
Bruges

"Capital city of Belgium"

Brussels is home to the European Union and NATO, amongst many other institutions, but beyond their facelessness, the city's architecture is a smorgasbord, with the gothic Grand Place, the undoubted highlight. Other key sights in Brussels include St.Michael and St.Gudule' Cathedral, and the Mont des Arts Park which links the upper and lower parts of the city. Then there is the elegant Place Royale, built between 1774 and 1780 in the style of Loiuse XVI, the Museum of Ancient Art and Museum of Modern Art. The Manneken-Pis and his less heralded sister the Janneken Pis are statues that hint at the exuberance and irreverence of the 'Bruxellois', a spirit that reaches its zenith in the city's numerous bars which along with the 1,000 types of Belgian beer, are not to be missed.

" Manneken-Pis"

Photos of Belgium and the Surrounding Area

automatically generated by Flickr

Among other areas worth exploring are the Ilot Sacre, the picturesque area of narrow streets to the north-east of the Grand-Place, the fashionable boulevard de Waterloo; the administrative quarter, a completely symmetrical park area commanding a splendid view of the surrounding streets; the Grand Sablon, the area containing both the flamboyant Gothic structure of the Church of Our Lady Sablon and the Sunday antique market, and the Petit Sablon, a square surrounded by Gothic columns which support 48 small bronze statues commemorating medieval Brussels guilds. A more modern attraction is the bizarre Atomium, a futuristic, atom-shaped aluminium tower built for the 1958 World Fair. One important out-of-town attraction is the Battle of Waterloo site, commemorating the battle that shaped the future of both Belgium and modern Europe, of which Brussels is now such a crucial hub.

"Battle of Waterloo"

Antwerp

Although still Europe's second-largest port, the city of Antwerp has moved on from its purely industrial past. Today, the inhabitants, or Sinjoors as they known are at the cutting edge of fashion and design with countless boutiques and shopping outlets across the city. This energy also surfaces in the trendy bars and hip nightclubs that have now joined the more traditional charms of beer and gin bars that still pull in the more reserved drinkers. Beyond modern Antwerp, the more traditional attractions complement the new with the impressive Grote Markt, containing the Town Hall and Brabo Fountain, which commemorates the legend of the city's origin and also the 18th-century Groenplaats, with its Ruben statue.

The work of local artistic luminary Peter Paul Rubens surfaces all over Antwerp, most notably at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts,home to what is arguably the world's finest collection of his work. The Rubens' House, the magnificent 17th-century house where the painter lived and worked, contains works by the painter and his associates as do many other museums and churches. Antwerp's maritime heritage can be explored on tours of the port and also at the Steen, a 12th-century fortress now housing the National Maritime Museum, which overlooks the buzzing new city of today.

'National Maritime Museum'

Bruges

Bruges is a pure picture postcard with a perfectly preserved 'medieval heart' that can be explored from the comfort of a local boat ride, which takes tourists around the myriad of waterways that lead to the city often being referred to as the 'Venice of the North', Bruges offers a variety of attractions such as the Lake of love which in the Middle Ages was the city's internal port, the 14th-century Town Hall featuring a facade decorated with Cathedral of the Holy Savior, a fine example of 13th-century Gothic architecture and home to many treasures; and the Grote Markt which was formerly the commercial hub of the city. Bruges boasts several good museums, including the Groeninge Museum, which houses a comprehensive and fascinating collection of six centuries of Flemish paintings from 'Jab van Eyck to Marcel Broodthaers. The Memling Museum, housed in the medieval Saint john's Hospital, is dedicated to the painter Hans Memling. The city is close to some excellent beaches and fertile Polder region, dotted with abbeys and parks.

The Coast and West Flanders

The Belgian coastline is a largely sandy affair that stretches for 67km from Knokke near the Dutch border to De Panne on the French border with over a dozen resorts. Bathing in the sea is free on all beaches and there are facilities for sailing, sand yachting, riding, fishing,rowing, golf and tennies.

Some of the best resorts are Bredene, De Haan, De Panne, Lombardsijde, Nieuwpoort, Wenduine, Westende and the town of Ostend, where Queen Victoria once took to the waters. Knokke, Middelkerke and Ostend are liveliest Resorts. Visiting the World War 1 battlefields is an increasingly popular activity with a number of sites open with varying degrees of facilities. The killing fields of Ypres are the most accessible with a war museum, monuments, military cemeteries and the battlefield themselves all located around the town.

Liege

Liege opens up the other half of Belgian culture as it is a major city of Wallonia, the French-speaking portion of Belgium. A popular tourist destination, situated on the banks of the Meuse, with many reminders of a colorful and affluent past, Liege was independent for much of its history, rule over by prince-bishops for 800 years. The view from the Citadel covers the old town, the most impressive part of the city. Liege boasts many fine museums with the highlight being The Museum of Wallonia Life, the Museum of Wallonia Art; the Museum of Modern Art, displaying the works of Corot, Monet, Picasso, Gauguin and Chagall to name but a few, and the Curtius Museum, housing a large collection of coins, Liege furniture and porcelain. Liege's most notable buildings are the Church of St.James, an old abbey Church of mixed architecture, including an example of the Meuse Romanesque style, with fine Renaissance stained glass and the 18th-century Town Hall.

Tournai

The second-oldest city in Belgium dates back to the days of the Romans. World War II damaged much of the old town but the Cathedral of Our Lady (12th century) boast an impressive Belfry, which us the oldest in Belgium. The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the finest in Belgium with works by Rubens and Bruegel while the Natural History museum is also worth visiting.

The Ardennes

This Mountainous area is famous for its cuisibe, forests, lakes, streams and grottoes. The River Meuse makes its way through many important tourist centers. The Town of Dinant, in the Meuse valley, boasts a medieval castle, while its most famous landmark is the Gothic church of Notre-Dame. Annevoie has a castle and some beautiful water gardens. While Yvoir Godinne and Profondeville are well known for watersports. The old university town of Namur with cobbled streets in its center. has a cathedral, castle and many museums. Houyet offers kayaking and other assorted outdoor activities. The River Semois passes through Arlon and Florenville; nearby are the ruins of Orval Abbey, Bouillon and its castle, Botassart, Rochehaut and Bohan. The Ambleve Valley is one of the wildest in the Ardennes and the grottoes in the Fond de Quarreux are one of the great attractions of the region. Among these is the Merveilleuse grotto at Dinant and the cavern at Remouchamps. There are prehistoric caverns at Spy, Rochefort, Hotton and Han-sur-Lesse.

'Dinant's Citadel'

FOODS AND DRINKS

Belgium's cuisine is influenced not only by the surrounding countries, but also by many others. A number of dishes are considered distinctly Belgian specialities and should be on every visitor's agenda.

Mussels are a firm favorite mosselen met friet (mussels and fries). The traditional way is to cook them in a pot with white wine, than eat them up using only a mussel shell to scoop them out.

Despite the name French fries are proudly claimed as a belgian invention. Whether or not this is true, they certainly have perfected it - although not everybody agrees with their choice of mayonnaise over ketchup as the preferred condiment. Every village has at least one frituur/friterie, with a choice of sauces and fried meat to go with them.

'Gaufres de Liege'

'Luikse wafels'

Waffles come in two types: A light and airy variety, known as Gaufres de Liege/Luikse wafels. They can be found at stands on the streets of the cities.

Last but not least, Belgian chocolate is famed around the world. Famous chocolatiers include Godiva, Leonidas Guylian and Neuhaus but arguably the best stuff can be found at tiny boutiques in the Flemish cities.

RESPECT AND STAY HEALTHY

Belgian has a Catholic history but is easily as open-minded and foreigners are easily forgiven for their wrongdoings. But with most of the people it is not a problem to comment on religious topics as most people are not in the least religious.

Also be careful about commenting on Flemish idenity, it could cause some trouble. Do not mistake patriotism, even Flemish nationalism, for far right sympathy as many Flemish nationalist are actually quite liberal and cosmopolitan, radically gay or even muslim-feminist.

Language is a very contentious issue and is the subject of endless political wrangling. although many people in Flanders speak and understand French reasonably well, you many wish to avoid approaching people in French unless you speak no other languages; English is preferable.

Visit Belgium Vid Clip

Belgium's Travel N' Insights Info

Belgian Tourist Office - official website - Front Page: Belgium (VisitBelgium) is the only official site of the Belgian Tourist offices in the Americas. Everything you want to know about Belgium when planning a ...
Belgium: Overview: map of Belgium Clickable Map: Belgium with major cities; thick black lines denote the language border separating the 3 regions: Brussels in the center, ...
Belgium Travel Guide and Travel Information - Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet Belgium Travel Guide. Belgium travel information, advice, hotels, reviews, maps and itineraries.
Belgium: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com: Information on Belgium - geography, history, politics, government, economy, population statistics, culture, religion, languages, largest cities, ...
European Countries - Belgium: This page provides general information on Belgium.
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Country profiles | Country profile ...: For such a small country, Belgium has been a major European battleground over ... Belgium reconciles regional and cultural identities in a single federal ...
Belgium travel guide - Wikitravel: Open source travel guide to Belgium, featuring up-to-date information on attractions, hotels, restaurants, nightlife, travel tips and more.
craigslist: belgium classifieds for jobs, apartments, personals ...: craigslist provides local classifieds and forums for jobs, housing, for sale, personals, services, local community, and events.
Map of Belgium - Lonely Planet: Map of Belgium and travel information about Belgium brought to you by Lonely Planet.
An Introduction to Belgium: Why should you come to Belgium? Because it is the best kept secret in Europe. Visiting medieval cities, quaint towns, gothic cathedrals and town halls, ...
TV from Belgium: Watch online TV broadcasts from Belgium. ... Watch TV from Belgium:. Add new TV channel / Report broken link | Required Bandwidth | Required Software ...
Statistics Belgium: The main official statistical institution in Belgium offers you a large choice of statistical figures and presents its latest publications and press ...
Governments on the WWW: Belgium: Links to websites of governmental institutions and political parties in Belgium.
Economist.com | Country Briefings: Belgium: The jokes over Belgium's failure to form a government begin to turn sour ... ... Belgium's peculiar system of national politics is failing to heal ethnic ...
Homepage - Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs Belgium: Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation.

Visit Belgium Vids

Iris - would You (Belgium) First rehearsal: by eurovision | video info

880 ratings | 179,913 views

automatically generated by YouTube

Travel To Belgium Orbitz!

Tickets Travel Lenses To Europe

Belgium Triumphal Arch in the Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels

Amazing Search

Belgium's Great Stuff on Amazon

Belgium goods on eBay

Travelers Box Feedback

Reply

The_Bard Apr 29, 2008 @ 12:27 pm | delete

Great lens. I was planning on visiting Belgium very soon to see Waterloo. This is a timely reminder. 5*s - Paul

Reply

Apr 29, 2008 @ 11:23 am | delete

Top quality Lens with some great info! Thanks for submitting it to my group Travelmania.

Discount Travel Booking