A SOFT ATMOSPHERE BELGIUM
GROUND OF CULTURAL ATTRACTION
 THE TREASURES OF ITS AREAS

Discovery

Belgium will surprise you by his wealth so much this country bordering can be different from France. Art occupies there a great importance and the many museums are there to testify some. Architecture is very inspired by the Gothic movement except for some exceptions like Bruges with the romantic variation. A travel in Belgium plunges you in the middle of the European directions. Visit Brussels, seat of the European institutions or Namur, seat of the Walloon Parliament. Stop in Liege for its architectural heritage or Bruges whose historic center is classified with the world heritage of UNESCO. A travel in Belgium will astonish you by his cultural diversity and artistic.

Identity

Sheltering the principal institutions of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium is known to be the capital of Europe. Modern and artistic city, Brussels is the first tourist destination of the country. Its many centers of historical and cultural attractions emit a radiation of international scale indeed. Its hundreds of museums, architectural monuments and works of art testify to an authentic folklore and a rich history, with the image of the great men there having lived like Victor Hugo or Karl Marx. But Belgium hiding place many other treasures in its areas of Flandres and Wallonia, as the 11 sites already classified with the World heritage testify some to UNESCO: belfries, cathedrals, museums, historic centers, places and other works architectural. Moreover, Belgium also has a landscape of an exceptional variety. Between discovered and excursions of all kinds – on foot or with bicycle, one can visit there animalist caves, caves, parks, gardens and nature reserves. Without forgetting the Flemish beach, with its fine sand littoral and its seaside resorts of charm to the multiple activities. 

How to speak about Belgium without mentioning its passion for the cartoon, her gastronomical wealth – inter alia its hundreds of beer collections of which famous Pilsner – and its chocolate. Manufactured by more than 500 chocolate sellers and distributed in nearly 2000 shops through the country, the Belgian chocolates are part of the best ambassadors of brand of the country. As many assets which contribute to bring happiness visitors. Vis-a-vis their increasingly massive arrival, Belgium developed a modern infrastructure and a very dense transport network jointly which privileges the accessibility in its urban areas.

Culture & Traditions

THE CARTOON

Veritable institution, the cartoon allured small and large in the whole world, and continues today to make dream the amateurs of bubbles and stripteases! D' Hergé with Franquin, via Yslaire and Philippe Geluck, band-drawn definitely found in Belgium its noble letters. The country continues to celebrate its heroes, giving birth to a little everywhere on its territory from the museums with glory from Tintin, Lucky Luke or the Sambre family. The capital itself is put at the time of band-drawn, with its street names registered in disseminated bubbles and its frescos a little everywhere.

GASTRONOMY

The Belgian cuisine abounds in delicious dishes which quickly put water at the mouth. It is initially necessary to start with most famous of them: famous mould-French fries. Regarded as the national dish of Belgium, it is impossible to pass to side when one visits the country at the season of the mussel. Not less famous the Waffles of Liege or Brussels will bring happiness the greedy ones. Belgium is also famous for its chocolate, which throws into a panic the papillae of the largest amateurs of softnesses, without forgetting the beer, which one finds between 400 and 800 different varieties in the country.

THE MANNEKEN-PIS

Meaning “the kid who pisses” as inhabitant of Brussels, it is a bronze fountain-statuette whose origins remain mysterious still today. It represents a little boy urinating. Symbol of the lifestyle of Brussels and guardian of many legends, the statuette of about fifty centimetres height is famous in the whole world. The tradition of the city wants that this statue gets dressed with costumes to honour a trade on special occasions.

 

THE CARNIVAL OF BINCHE

Recognized Oral and Immaterial Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2003, the Carnival of Binche is the oldest carnival of Belgium. Being held Fatty Sunday with the Shrove Tuesday, it constitut a true rite which gives the feeling to the participants to be single. During months, the population and the city prepare their carnival, in true communion. It is without any doubt the most important moment in the life of the Binche-native city. 

 

Essential

5° WINTER/ 20° SUMMER
EURO
FRENCH /FLANDERS / GERMAN
BRUXELLES
MUSSELS AND FRIES

Form your trip

The stages

BRUSSELS

Cosmopolitan city and emblem of the European Union, Brussels is the capital of Belgium. Its stores of delicacies, the heroes of cartoon whom one almost believes to cross with the turning of a street, or her musicians, are as many tourist attractions which bring charm and love of life to the city. Modern and avant-gardist, places, parks and gardens of the city relative of contemporary works of art. As many assets which make of Brussels the first destination of million visitors who flow each year to Belgium. Brussels also offers to its visitors of multiple exhibitions and animations of which the International festival of the Sculptures of Ice “Ice Magic”, the Living room of the Chocolate of Brussels, or the exposure of exceptional sculptures in LEGO “the art of the brig”.

THE ATOMIUM

Symbol of Brussels and indissociable of its landscape, Atomium is a sculptural and architectural monument exceptional. Conceived by engineer André Waterkeyn and built by the architects Andre and Jean Polak, it was intended for the World Fair of 1958. Impressive work and attracting the majority of the tourists of the territory, it culminates with 102 meters height. Very out of steel, it weighs 2 400 tons and fascine by the technical prowess put in work at the time of its design, but especially by its architecture. Indeed, it represents the atomic architecture of the iron crystal increased 165 billion times. Opened with the visits, it is composed of nine spheres 18 meters in diameter, connected between them by oblique tubes containing of the escalators. These spheres lay out each of two stages open to the tourists as well as stage lower booked than the service. During the visit of this wonder of modern architecture, benefit from the multiple exhibitions, animations, concerts, films, festivals and conferences which proceed there in quasi-permanence. A sphere is in particular dedicated to the children with various educational workshops – they will be able to spend the night even there. Also appreciate the many gastronomical receipts suggested in the restaurant of the higher sphere all while admiring an impressive panoramic view 

MANNEKEN-PIS

Meaning “the kid who pisses” as inhabitant of Brussels, it is a bronze fountain-statuette whose origins remain mysterious still today. It represents a little boy urinating. Symbol of the lifestyle of Brussels and guardian of many legends, the statuette of about fifty centimetres height is famous in the whole world. The tradition of the city wants that this statue gets dressed with costumes to honour a trade on special occasions.

THE BIG PLACE

It is the central place of the capital of Belgium. Originally place on the market room at the 12th century, it is registered with the World heritage of UNESCO since 1998. She testifies to the architectural richness, artistic and cultural of the city and the area. The diversity of the styles of architecture of the buildings which furnish this place indicates also the history of the city. The Town hall, vestige of the Middle Ages going back to 1455, has a Gothic tower at the top of which a statue is held of the archangel Saint-Michel. The House of the King, rebuilt in the neo-gothic style in 1873, shelters as for it the museum of the city. You will be able to thus visit about forty buildings and historic houses of a great architectural beauty like the House of King d' Espagne, the House of the Brewers, the House of the Dukes of the Brabant, the House of the Horn or the House of the Swan… Many shops and restaurants of luxury occupy today the ground floor of the houses of the place. On the occasion, do not miss the immense carpet by flowers with which the site gets dressed every on August 15th.

MUSEUMS OF BRUSSELS

The avid visitors of historical and cultural discoveries will be filled by the innumerable museums and monuments of Brussels. A walk in Brussels indeed makes it possible to benefit from a historical heritage and architectural of exception, spaces of greenery (8000 ha of parks, wood, forest of Look after,… etc), of a tasty gastronomy, the whole in the softness of the folklore of Brussels. The city also has more than hundred museums of which most known are those of the car (Autoworld Brussels), the Cartoon, the original figurine (MOOF) or the most classical Royal Museum of Beautiful arts. Do not miss non-plus the house-museum of Victor Horta, all as an Art Nouveau, and the brilliant museum of the music.

BRUGES

Also called “Venice of North”, it is a town of lovesong where it is good to walk on foot, with bicycle or in boat. Medieval city, it is let discover with the liking of the channels which surround its downtown area, rich in monuments and historic sites. This last is classified with the World heritage of UNESCO since the year 2000. Discover inter alia the tower of the belfry of Belfort with its 83 meters height, its extraordinary clock making mechanism and its 47 bells. The Church Holy-Anne with her multiple decorations and Groeningemuseum exposing more than 6 centuries of Flemish painting, are part of other curiosities of this city. Also re-elected for its lace, Bruges was seen decreeing the title of European capital of the culture in 2002.

FLEMISH BEGUINAGES

You cannot leave Flandres without to have seen impossible to circumvent the béguinages Flemish who are also registered with the World heritage of UNESCO. They are fields of monastic style in which houses, churches, dependences and green spaces are assembled, to come to form true miniature cities.

ANVERS

 

By its cultural and tourist notoriety, it is the second big city of Belgium after its capital. It is also the second larger wearing of Europe after that of Rotterdam. Antwerp attracts many annual visitors thanks to the variety of its landscape – beaches, campaigns –, its zoo of exception, its museums, its many churches of time, like its sublimes architectural monuments. Discover inter alia its town hall of Renaissance style. Tourist destination of choice, it proposes also multiple attractions such as Aquatopia (a giant aquarium), the arboricolous park of Arboretum de Kalmthout, many fields and parks dedicated to the leisures and the relaxation. But Antwerp is also a modern and connected city whose many shops and restaurants will enable you to decorate your walks of culinary discoveries and purchases of memories.

LIEGE

Also known under the names of Athens of North and burning City, Liege is a city whose architectural richness always impresses its visitors. Indeed cash not less than 391 protected buildings, it preserved many styles of architecture which testify to a glorious past. The travellers will not fail to visit Archéoforum which is the greatest archaeological site of Europe. Admire the many vestiges which were put at the day since 1907 and plunge in the adventure of its underground gallery. One can admire also there the Palace of the Prince-Bishops, the Collegial St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre, the Saint-Jacob Church and the Cathedral Saint-Paul.

NAMUR

Capital of the Walloon region, it allures the visitors thanks to his gastronomy and its cultural wealth. Its lifestyle east impresses of an authentic folklore which charms its many visitors. Ideal for nonchalant ballades, one can visit many sites there, in particular, the Museum Félicien Rops which makes it possible to admire works of the painter and Belgian engraver, like his artistic course. And of night like day, do not forget admire the marvellous Citadel of Namur which was one of largest of its time.

THE AREA OF THE ARDENNES

This area will surprise you by the diversity of its attractions and tourist wealths. Its natural landscapes of a great beauty, its intact fauna and its flora propose with curious about many activities. You will discover forests of leafy trees and coniferous tree there, small valleys and hills, rivers and cascades, caves and caves. Leave on a tour of this destination 100% nature in the canoe or with horse, or with the conquest of the tops at the time of parcous of climbing. In winter, you will be able to practise there many sports like the ski, the toboggan, or the snowmobile. Between excursions with topics and attractions in any kind, the area of the Ardennes will receive warmly you certainly in one of its many picturesque villages where the traditions and the crafts knew to keep their importance. And on the occasion, visit one of the many castles, castle-forts and citadels which testify to glorious last to the Inhabitants of the Ardennes.