Located inside the Historium Brugge building in the center of Bruges, the Duvelorium Grand Beer Café offers a relaxing space to have a drink and a bite following a Historium tour. Belgian-beer aficionados will want to spend some time at the bar, which is open to the general public and offers excellent people watching and Market Square views.
A historic event center that's used for everything from business meetings to private functions, the Old St. John Site (Site Oud Sint-Jan) is also a tourist attraction. Along with a variety of temporary exhibitions held by XPO Center Bruges, the site attracts visitors with a permanent exhibition featuring hundreds of works by Picasso.
Set in the private home and studio of the late Victor Horta—a pioneer of the art nouveau movement—Brussels’ Horta Museum (Musée Horta) is a fascinating window into the early-20th-century architect’s work. Marvel at the two buildings’ interiors, facades, and furniture exemplifying Horta’s love of fluid curves and organic forms.
Right in the center of Brussels, a stunning art nouveau and neoclassical building is home to a vast collection of musical instruments from around the world. The Musical Instruments Museum (aka the MIM) showcases everything from Western keys and keyboards to classical instruments from medieval times through the late 1800s.
Located just a 10-minute walk from Brussel’s bustling Grand Place, Grand Sablon Square (Place du Grand Sablon) is a historic square at the heart of the Sablon quarter. It feels a world away from the busy city center, with striking medieval townhouses, stylish restaurants, terrace cafés, and a lively antiques market.
A petrolhead’s dream, Autoworld showcases the evolution of motor cars through a collection of more than 250 impeccably maintained and restored vehicles. Visitors can trace the history of automotive engineering and design, from horse-drawn carriages to Italian race cars and royal limousines.
From Paris’ Eiffel Tower and London’s Big Ben to the canals of Venice, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Acropolis of ancient Athens, the Mini-Europe theme park in Brussels presents all of the major sights and famous buildings of the European Union countries—in miniature.
The MOOF—Brussels’ unique museum of famous figurines—is a must-visit for travelers even slightly interested in the cultural impact of cartoons and comic strip art. With more than 650 original figurines on display throughout the museum space and 3,500 pieces in the whole collection, the MOOF is a testament to the lasting importance of pop culture memorabilia.
One of Belgium's Royal Museums of Fine Arts, the Magritte Museum is devoted to the works of Belgian surrealist René Magritte, whose innovative creations are said to have influenced artists like Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns.
Dedicated to Antwerp’s rich history of books and publishing, the Plantin-Moretus Museum explores the life and legacy of Christophe Plantin, who established a printing workshop in his 16th-century townhouse. Today, the UNESCO World Heritage Site has been designed to appear as if the workers have just left it and is a top draw for bibliophiles.
One of World War II’s most notorious battles took place at what’s now the star-shaped Mardasson Memorial, which pays tribute to the 80,000 US soldiers killed or wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. Now called the Battle of the Bulge Monument, it’s a solemn place of reflection and remembrance.
Historium Brugge lets you travel back in time and experience Bruges as it was during its Golden Age. Through multimedia and special effects, medieval history comes alive in this interactive museum—one of the city’s most popular attractions—as you explore themed rooms with an audio guide, climb a Gothic tower, and peruse historical exhibits.
Located directly beneath Brussels’ Place Royale, the Coudenberg Palace comprises the archaeological remains of what was one of Europe’s grandest palaces between the 12th and 18th centuries. Incorporating the relics of the palace’s basements, the site provides a fascinating window into a lost chunk of Brussels’ history.
Located in central Ypres, the In Flanders Field Museum chronicles the history and horrors of World War I as they were played out in the Flanders’ countryside surrounding the city. Named after the WWI “In Flanders Fields” poem; it tells the story of the key battles that occurred nearby through artifacts, testimonials, photographs, and audio-visuals.
A haven for fans of graphic novels and retro comics, the Belgian Comic Book Center was opened to showcase the variety and artistic vibrancy of European comic book art. Housed in a protected Art Nouveau building, it looks at the history and evolution of comic books and their beloved characters and has a reading room and a research library.
One of Bruges’ most distinct churches, the Jerusalem Church (Jeruzalemkerk) is part of the Adornes Estate, built by a wealthy merchant family 600 years ago, and still in the care of the family’s descendants. Consecrated in 1429 and said to be inspired by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the chapel is an architectural standout.
Housed inside the Schaerbeek Railway Station, Train World is an interactive museum dedicated to all things train related. Here you'll find vintage trains and steam engines that visitors can board; educational railroad exhibitions and ephemera, many with an interactive spin; and rail-related art.
Part of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, the Museum of Natural Sciences of Belgium in Brussels is dedicated to natural history through the ages. Charting the planet’s evolution from before prehistoric times, it showcases everything from dinosaur skeletons to minerals in one engaging family-friendly attraction.
Situated in Brussels’s expansive Parc Cinquantenaire, the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History features a number of military-related pieces. Come to browse old armor, armored tanks, and aircraft, or to do some research in the library, complete with military files and photographs and a collection of trench maps.
The Dodengang (Trench of Death) was one of the most dangerous locations for Belgian troops on the Western Front during World War I. It is a network of revetments, saps, and dug-outs near Diksmuide in Flanders and was only 164 feet (50 meters) from a German bunker. The Belgian Army was here to prevent the German troops from advancing toward France.
Often overlooked in favor of its bigger and bolder neighbors, Mons is a Belgian city with timeless charm. A former mining town and the site of the notorious Battle of Mons in World War I, it has a long history, but today, it’s best known for its lively art scene—Van Gogh once called the city home—and its annual dragon festival, the Ducasse de Mons, which is held each spring.
A major World War I battle site, Sanctuary Wood stands in what was the Ypres Salient–a bulge of land taken by Allied forces that protruded into the German frontline. Visitors roam the Sanctuary Wood museum and its adjoining British-built trenches before visiting the nearby military cemetery and memorial to Canadian forces, all of them sad testament to the horrors of the war.
Antwerp's status as a global fashion capital makes MoMu - Fashion Museum Antwerp an essential stop for those interested in Belgium's stylish evolution. The museum continually rejuvenates its exhibits using its vast collection of 25,000 objects, which spans clothes, shoes, and accessories—some of which date back to the 16th century.
Founded in 2013 to showcase Belgium’s contemporary beer scene, today the Brussels Beer Project (BBP) has taprooms in both Brussels and Paris. In the Brussels location, you'll find 17 taps with a number of BBP classic brews, along with a few new beers and a handful of offerings from outside breweries.
As the home of Stella Artois, this working brewery in suburban Leuven provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Belgium’s beer-based industry and culture. Guests can tour the factory floor to see firsthand how the lager is brewed and bottled, sample fresh draughts in the rooftop bar, or choose tasters to take home from the on-site gift shop.
Ghent, or Ganda as it was originally called, is full of scenic places with water views. Portus Ganda Marina is one such spot where yachts bob alongside riverside boardwalks packed with restaurants and bars. Pedestrianized plazas and promenades in the revitalized marina, opened in 2005, offer space for strolling and picnics. The Van Eyck swimming pool is another draw.
There are two cities synonymous with the diamond trade in Belgium: Antwerp and Bruges. Diamonds have been polished and traded in the city of Bruges for centuries—and in fact, the technique of polishing diamonds is thought to have been invented in the city in 1450. Learn more about this history of the Diamond trade in Belgium at Bruges’ small yet informative Diamond Museum.
Escape the bustle of the Belgian capital in this English-style royal park, just north of central Brussels. Sprawled between the Brussels Expo and Notre Dame de Laeken, the 459-acre (186-hectare complex boasts expansive lawns, world-famous greenhouses, and some surprising architecture, making it a top draw for families, nature lovers, and sightseers in the city.
About 85 percent of the world’s uncut diamonds pass through Antwerp’s Diamond District, a compact commercial enclave jammed with diamond dealers, cutters, polishers, and showrooms. It's a fascinating place to see Belgium’s centuries-old diamond trade in action, browse jewelry displays, or pick up an engagement ring or other sparkly bauble.
Radically transformed by the opening of the Museum of Contemporary Art Antwerp in 1987, the former industrial zone of Het Zuid is now fashionable, replete with independent boutiques, cozy cafés, and craft-beer breweries. Its location a short walk along the river from Grand Market Place makes it easily accessible from central Antwerp.
