Belgium

Both historic and cultural, Belgium offers a great deal more than its staid reputation suggests. With fine cities, endless museums and excellent food and beer, Belgium is modest yet surprisingly interesting. Both French and Flemish influences add to the diversity of the local culture.

Brussels, the capital, is also the centre of activity for the European Parliament, giving it an overwhelming diplomatic character. It’s efficient and stately, yet retains a charming character and is packed with galleries and museums, notably the Ancient Art Museum and the Modern Art Museums. The Comic Strip Centre is also popular. At the city’s heart is the Grand Place, and arguably Europe's most beautiful central square, and nearby is the diminutive, strangely over-publicized urinating Manneken Pis statue, a city icon. Rue des Bouchers (Butcher's Street), near the Grand Place is excellent for fine dining or sampling famous local beer.

Built on the Scheldt River, Antwerp is compact but richly historic. It’s also a busy port and world diamond center. Wandering its ancient streets you can discover an eclectic mix of art nouveau mansions, intermingled with neo-Renaissance villas and medieval castles - providing a magical backdrop for the city's myriad bars and cafes. It’s also a haven for art lovers (particularly Rubens fans), as best seen in the Royal Museum of Fine Art. The enormous Gothic Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Katedraal is also noteworthy.

Bruges is Europe's best-preserved medieval city and Belgium's most popular tourist destination. Rich in history, it often seems to have not changed in seven centuries, were it not for the many people and modern conveniences tucked away. Blessed with two medieval cores, the Markt and the Burg, the city is also loaded with art collections, especially at the Groeninge Museum and the 14th century Stadhuis.