Let me talk about some of the places to visit in Belgium. Because it’s my home country I could tell you a lot more sights worth seeing, but let’s start with the major highlights!
Brussels is our capital and has a lot to offer. Here you can find historic buildings, museums, lots of restaurants, shops and so much more. In Brussels you can also find the Headquarters of the EU (European Union) and NATO. Here they speak Flemish and French.
One of the must-sees of Brussels is the Atomium. This project was made for the the international exposition in 1958, Expo 58. The Atomium is open daily from 10 AM until 6 PM, the entrance fee is 9 euros for an adult*, for more information, visit the official website.
Another highlight in Brussels is Manneken Pis, our most famous little statue. It’s a little boy peeing in a fountain, located on the corner of Rue de L’Etuve & Stroofstraat since 1619.
Than there is the Grand Place. It’s a big square with beautiful old buildings on each side. One of them is Town Hall, which was built in Gothic style. At this square everybody meets, it’s like a city center. Here is where there is a big Christmas market, fireworks at New year’s Eve,… Every two years the square gets covered by a Flower Carpet.
There are more historical buildings in Brussels such as Royal Palace, Palais de Justice, Cathedral of Saints Michel and Gudule… And our famous Rue de Bouchers, which is known for it’s many restaurants. It’s nice to walk through this street, but if you want to eat here, keep in mind it’s expensive. Information on all of these highlights can be found at Visit Belgium.
Don`t forget to check out my day in Brussels finding the best Belgian chocolates 🙂
Besides our capital, there are places like Ghent, Leuven and probably best known: Bruges.
Bruges, one of the many beautiful cities Belgium has. It has tons of historic buildings, canals through the entire city (Nice to make a boat trip!) and cobblestone streets. It’s not as big as our capital, but if you really want to see it all, you’ll need more than just one day. It has a cozy feeling to it with all the nice restaurants and shops. Lace is probably the most famous product of Bruges. And of course you can find our Belgian chocolates here too! If you`re on the lookout for an interesting attraction, then check this one out: the Historium.
Because places like Bruges can become crowded at times, it might be a good idea to visit some of the smaller cities or make a stop at the North Sea. This is probably not the first thing you think of when you come visit our country. But if you like the seaside, it’s nice to go there too. It’s only a 15 minutes ride with the train from Bruges. There are several nice beach places with shops, restaurants,… Like Oostende and De Haan.
Practical
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Visitor centers
Brussels Tourist and Information Office (TIB)/Town Hall
Grand-Place, B-1000 Brussels
Telephone: +32.2.513.89.40
Bruges Tourist Office
Burg 11, B – 8000 Bruges
Telephone: +32 50 44-8686
Email: [email protected]
website
Belgian Tourist Office in USA
780 Third Avenue, Suite 1501; New York
Telephone: +1 (212) 758-8130
Email: [email protected]
website
If you want to know more about Belgium, check my Belgium Travel Guide for practical information or you want to know more places to visit in Belgium, contact me, because I can help you with questions you might have about my home country!
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