Top Sights
Top Sights
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1. Ghent
1. Ghent
Ghent is a port city in northwest Belgium, at the confluence of the Leie and Scheldt rivers. During the Middle Ages it was a prominent city-state. Today it’s a university town and cultural hub. Its pedestrianized center is known for medieval architecture such as 12th-century Gravensteen castle and the Graslei, a row of guildhalls beside the Leie river harbor.
2. Brussels
2. Brussels
Brussels is Belgium’s capital and home to the European Union headquarters. The Grand-Place square at the heart of the city has shops and cafes inside ornate 17th-century guildhouses, and the intricate Gothic Hôtel de Ville (town hall) with a distinctive bell tower. The 19th-century Maison du Roi houses the Musée de la Ville de Bruxelles city-history museum, including costumes for the city’s famed Manneken Pis statue.
3. Antwerp
3. Antwerp
Antwerp is a port city on Belgium’s River Scheldt, with history dating to the Middle Ages. In its center, the centuries-old Diamond District houses thousands of diamond traders, cutters and polishers. Antwerp’s Flemish Renaissance architecture is typified by the Grote Markt, a central square in the old town. At the 17th-century Rubens House, period rooms display works by the Flemish Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens.
4. Bruges
4. Bruges
Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium, is distinguished by its canals, cobbled streets and medieval buildings. Its port, Zeebrugge, is an important center for fishing and European trade. In the city center’s Burg square, the 14th-century Stadhuis (City Hall) has an ornate carved ceiling. Nearby, Markt square features a 13th-century belfry with a 47-bell carillon and 83m tower with panoramic views.
5. Namur
5. Namur
Namur is the capital city of the Wallonia region of Belgium. At the confluence of the Meuse and Sambre rivers is the Citadel, a medieval fortress with 7km of underground passages, gardens, views and a golden statue of a giant turtle. In town, the Felicien Rops Museum focuses on the works of this 19th-century, Namur-born erotic artist. The baroque St. Loup Church has marble columns and a richly carved ceiling.
6. Bouillon
6. Bouillon
Bouillon is a town in southern Belgium, near the French border. It’s known for the medieval Bouillon Castle, overlooking the Semois River. Along the river is the Archéoscope Godefroid de Bouillon, a multimedia attraction illustrating the life and times of former castle resident and crusader Godfrey of Bouillon. Nearby, the Ducal Museum examines the area’s history through artworks, weapons and folk artifacts.
7. Dinant
7. Dinant
Dinant is a city in Belgium’s Walloon Region. It’s on the banks of the Meuse River and backed by steep cliffs. Perched on an outcrop above town is the centuries-old fortified Citadel. It's now a museum with sweeping views. Below it is the Gothic Collegiate Church of Our Lady. Nearby, on the site of saxophone inventor Adolphe Sax’s birthplace, Mr. Sax’s House has interactive exhibits on the instrument’s development.
8. Ypres
8. Ypres
Ypres (leper), is a town in the Belgian province of West Flanders. It's surrounded by the Ypres Salient battlefields, where many cemeteries, memorials and war museums honor the battles that unfolded in this area during World War I. After being destroyed in the war, many important buildings were carefully reconstructed, including Gothic-style Sint-Maartenskathedraal (St. Martin's Cathedral) and its soaring spire.
9. Mons
9. Mons
Mons is the capital of Hainaut province in Belgium’s Walloon Region. At its center is the Grand Place, a large cobblestone square dotted with cafes. It’s lined with buildings in a mix of architectural styles, notably the centuries-old Town Hall. Nearby is the 17th-century baroque belfry, with sweeping city views. The belfry is on the edge of verdant Parc Château, home to the 11th-century Saint-Calixte Chapel.
10. Meuse
10. Meuse
Take a relaxing cruise down the river or do some leisurely hiking or cycling. The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of 925 km.
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