About Brussels, Belguim
Brussels is a region of Belgium comprising 19 municipalities,
including the City of Brussels which is the capital of Belgium. The
Brussels-Capital Region is a part of both the French Community of
Belgium and the Flemish Community, but is separate from the region of
Flanders (in which it forms an enclave) or Wallonia. The region has a
population of 1.2 million and a metropolitan area with a population of
over 1.8 million, the largest in Belgium.
Since the end of the Second World War, Brussels has been a major centre
for international politics and has become the home of numerous
international organizations, politicians, diplomats and civil
servants.[13] Brussels is the de facto capital of the European Union as
it hosts a number of principal EU institutions (the other
administrative centres are Luxembourg and Strasbourg). The secretariat
of the Benelux and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) are also located in Brussels.
Plan and Book:
Overview
Brussels is a fabulous gateway to the charm and sophistication of
European culture. There is a tremendous amount of great activities to
engage in, and so many glorious sights and sounds that your senses will
be inundated with beauty and wonder. When you eat out in Brussels you
are in for a real treat. This region may be famous for its Belgian
waffles and scrumptious chocolate, but there are many more delicacies
that you are sure to enjoy. The museums are splendid, and the nightlife
is sensational. The abundance of bars and nightclubs will impress even
the most seasoned European traveller.
The region seems like a mixture of numerous cultures, and the citizens
are open-minded and quite helpful when you approach them with questions
about where should you go, what should you do, and where can you eat
well while not spending the remainder of your pocket money. The
prosperity and popularity of Brussels has fluctuated over the decades,
but ever since the Universal Exposition and World’s Fair were held here
in 1958, the region has seen a lot more tourism. In the mid-to-late
1800s, Brussels was an outrageously dynamic city, full of life and
exploding with charm. As a result, the area was frequently visited, but
Brussels was tainted by the two World Wars.
The Germans inhabited the area and virtually ruined the import, export,
and tourism of the city. They resided in Brussels for months at a time,
and the powerless Belgian government was forced to watch its most
beloved city decline at a horrendous rate. Brussels has made a mighty
comeback since 1958, and in the last forty-plus years, it has been a
huge draw with world travelers. Tourism is at an all-time high, and
everyone who visits is incredibly eager to come back soon. While it may
be true that the city is somewhat difficult to navigate, you are
certain to have a lot of fun trying to get around! The city is safe,
and exploring it is a lovely experience.
Attractions and Activities
Brussels City Tour: Witness some of the finest examples of gothic
architecture in Belgium as you explore the Grand Place, a World
Heritage Site and St. Michael’s Cathedral. See the splendid Art Nouveau
house, and visit the imposing European Union buildings housing the
Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of Ministers.
Tour of Waterloo Battlefields: After exploring the Napoleonic period at
the Royal Military Museum, head through Brussels’ elegant suburbs and
the Soignes Forest to the Waterloo battlefields.
Hop-on, Hop-off Tour of Brussels: Discover why Brussels is fondly known
as the Pearl of the North. Enjoy mussels and a cold beer in the shadow
of 17th-century guild houses, marvel at gems of the Flemish
Renaissance, and amble around La Grand Place. You won’t be able to
resist the chocolate shops!
Surrounding Area
Waterloo
Yes, this is the actual Waterloo, the place after which all others
Waterloos are named, the one that inspired all those songs about being
cut down in your prime, the location of the actual battlefield where
Napoleon lost his final battle. Visitors can see the battlefield
exactly like it was on 18th June 1815 when Wellington faced Napoleon
for an ultimate battle that changed Europe’s face forever. The Lion’s
Mound is an artificial hill of 43 metres high with a statue of a lion
on top, roaring southwards in the direction of France. It can be
climbed by stairs and offers a splendid view over the whole
battlefield.
The name of the battlefield is taken from the nearby historic town of
Waterloo in the Walloon province of Walloon Brabant in Belgium (15 km
South of Brussels). Waterloo is a multilingual town; the commune offers
services in French, Dutch, and English. A little known fact about
Waterloo is that it is home to the European headquarters of MasterCard
International. Further South, don’t miss the Abbey of Villers-la-Ville.
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, a semi-rural city in the western part of
Flanders, is 10 km South of Brussels. It is a typical old town with the
houses in a circle around the church, which dates back to sixteenth
century. Coloma castle and park with roses from all over the world can
be found in the centre of the town. Discover the Zuunvallei,
Volsembroek, a nature reserve comprised of a meadow and swampland that
for about six months during the winter is largely underwater and a stop
or wintering area for migratory water birds (observation post
available). In summer the area is extensively grazed by a small herd of
galloway cattle. Information panels in Dutch at the entrances. It is
located on the left bank of the brook Zuunbeek.
From Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, you can visit the following sites, all within 10 km / 25 km (Waterloo) drive or bus from town.
Halle (not to be confused with Halle, Germany) — with a beautiful church and a grand place.
Lennik — better known by its beautiful castle and the park of Gaasbeek.
Beersel — with its beautifull castle and also old paper mill Herisem in Alsemberg.
Waterloo — battlefield
Mechelen
Mechelen is a historically important city located on the river Dyle
in the center of Flanders, one of the three regions in Belgium. It lies
about halfway between Antwerp and Brussels and has approximately 80,000
inhabitants. Though now in the shadow of Brussels, Mechelen is a
historically important city in its own right. It was famous for its
wood carvings, some of which can still be seen in the churches of the
city, and for lace and tapestry manufacture. Mechelen’s carillon school
is world-renowned, training students from all over the world in the art
of playing carillons, sets of 24 or more bells hung in church towers.
Shops downtown are often housed in buildings with the old-style Flemish
architecture, but offer edgy fashions sure to appeal to the younger
generation. Mechelen is about 35 km NE of Brussels.
Leuven
Leuven is a dynamic and thriving city of about 95,000 inhabitants in
Flemish Brabant, Belgium. It’s a true university town in which the town
is more alive during the academic year (end of September till June),
although there are a lot of events in Summer. The university, with
about 35,000 students every year, is the oldest Catholic University in
the world, founded in 1425. The historic centre is one of the most
beautiful in Belgium. Leuven is about 30 km East of Brussels.
Antwerp
Antwerp is the second largest city of Belgium. It has a beautiful
historic city centre, and is world-renowned for its fashion industry.
The port of Antwerp is the second largest in Europe, and a major
economic player in Belgium. Antwerp, in the region of Flanders, is a
major destination in Belgium. It is renowned for being the world’s
leading diamond city and more than 70% of all diamonds are traded
there. The Diamond Market is the hub of the economic section in
Belgium. More than 85% of the world’s rough diamonds, 50% of cut
diamonds, and 40% of industrial diamonds are traded in the city. The
Diamond district is also interesting from an ethnic and cultural
perspective, since the diamond industry is dominated by the Jewish
community of Antwerp – though the influency of Indian merchants is
rapidly increasing. Antwerp is about 55 km North of Brussels.
Liège
Liège is the capital of the Belgian province of Province of
Liège, and the main city of the Liège agglomeration. And
even though it is mainly famous for its industrial past – and infamous
for the subsequent decline, it is a varied city with a lot of history
and culture, a dramatic setting on the Meuse river and a large student
population. The central area of Liège is rather an interesting
combination of a historic neighbourhoods (dotted with a few extremely
brutalist buildings from the 1960s and 70s), rather elegant 19th
century ones with wide boulevards, tall apartment buildings (including
Art Deco ones), the Meuse river and a few pretty parks. Liege is about
100 km SE of Brussels.
Bruges
Bruges, a town in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, is
relatively cosmopolitan and bourgeois. It is one of the best preserved
pre-motorised cities in Europe and offers the kind of charms rarely
available elsewhere. Cycling in Bruges is the perfect way to discover
the historical centre. Bruges citizens make fanatical use of their
bikes. The historical centre is not so big and thus quite walkable. For
getting into the city, there are buses, car taxis and bicycle taxis.
Once over the encircling canal and inside the city walls, Bruges closes
in around you with street after street of charming historic houses and
a canal always nearby. Bruges is about 100 km NW of Brussels.
Ghent
Ghent, also in Flanders, is a city with a population of a quarter of
a million. During the Middle Ages, it was one of the richest and most
powerful cities in Europe. Today it is thriving as many young people
choose to live here instead of in the countryside or the crowded city
centers of Brussels and Antwerp. The impact of its rich past can be
clearly seen when viewing the imposing architecture of churches and the
houses of rich traders. The whole of the city centre is restored in
this fashion, and still breathes the atmosphere of a thriving
late-medieval city state. The centre of Ghent is quite small, so you
can walk around on foot. Ghent is about 60 km NW of Brussels.
Namur
Namur, the administrative capital of Wallonie in French speaking
Belgium, is located 60 km south-east of Brussels. The city is easy and
nice to walk around in, as many of the older streets are pedestrian.
Saturday morning is market day and most streets in the centre are then
occupied by market stalls. The Citadelle de Namur, an historical
fortress surrounded by a large park, is strategically placed on a hill
between the Meuse and the Sambre rivers. At the foot of the Citadelle,
there is a bridge crossing to the other site of the Meuse, where Jambes
is located.
Tournai
Tournai is a city in Wallonia, famed for its impressive Romanesque
Cathedral. It was also the only Belgian city to ever be controlled by
the English Throne. The city is an old and well-preserved historic area
with a dozen of churches and chapels, civil and military edifices
dating most of all from the twelve or thirteen’s century bearing
witness to the rich culture and history of the ancient capital of the
franc kingdom. Tournai’s Cathedral is on the UNESCO World Heritage List
as one of the best preserved Cathedrals in Northern Europe. The Belfry
offers great views across the city, especially over the nearby
Cathedral. Tournai is about 90 km West of Brussels.
Mons
Mons is the Capital of the Province of Hainaut, and is a good base
to explore the region. The historic town of Nimy is a few kilometres to
the north up the N6. The Grand Place is the centre of the historic town
and the stage for the annual mock-battle of the Lumeçon. The
City Hall, originally built near the current location of the belfry,
was moved on the Grand Place in the 13th century. Cuesmoise, also known
as the house Van Gogh House, was where the famous artist lived from
August 1879 to October 1880 The house was saved from ruin in the 1970s
and is now accessible to the public. Mons is about 70 km South of
Brussels.
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