Belgium sightseeing. Travel guide - attractions, sights, nature and touristic places

You will find many interesting places in Belgium. Nearly every town of the country is home to beautiful castles, churches and cathedrals, medieval buildings and museums. The best way to start your acquaintance with Belgium is to visit Brussels.

The old part of the city is the most interesting place for tourists. Locals call old town in a very unusual way – Pentagon. The district was called this way because of numerous circle shaped boulevards that were built instead of former protective facilities. Grand Place Square is a must visit place for all tourists. The building of City Hall is also located on the square. The Museum of Brussels is located on the opposite side, and the historic district of the city starts right after the square. That place is a must visit one for tourists, as the majority of centuries old buildings, churches and squares are located there. The Royal Galleries of Saint-Hubert are one of the most famous landmarks of Brussels. This is an architectural complex that combines theatres, art galleries and museums. There are several dozen of public places there.

Continue your travel in Belgium by visiting the city of Anderlecht. The most important sights of the city include the Museum of Erasmus of Rotterdam, Astrid Park, Gaasbeek Castle and Constant Vanden Stock Stadium. The city of Antwerpen is famous for its numerous museums. There are more than 30 museums in total in the city. The most famous ones are the Royal Museum of Art, Plantin Moretus Museum, Mayer Van Den Bergh Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of National Art and Ethnography, the Museum of Sculptures and Folklore Museum. There are also architectural places of interest in Belgium, the most famous ones being Bodenbond Tower and Royal Palace built back the 18th century. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The town of Lier is also worth closest attention. The most famous sights of the town are Zimmer Tower and old astronomy clock. Continue your travel, and you will reach Kalmthout Nature Reserve that is located nearby. The reserve features simply unforgettable combination of sand dunes and dense forests. Tourists, who wish to see more historic places, are welcome to visit Gent, the central part of which is a true open-air museum. Such magnificent sights as St. Bavo’s Cathedral, St. Peter’s Abbey, Van Der Meer Palace, St. Jacob Church and Royal Palace on Breydelstraat Street are definitely worth closest attention. Travellers, who enjoy going to museums, will be pleased as well as there are more than ten large museums in Gent.

History and Entertainment

Belgium is one of those countries that are considered as universal tourist areas. It will be very interesting for adherents of different entertainments to vacation here. The country is notable for its luxurious beaches, unique attractions and picturesque natural sites. The most famous beach resort is Ostende. The length of its sandy beach is 9 km.

The resort is quite crowded and noisy. Fans of peaceful recreation often prefer the neighboring town of De Panne. Fans of elite recreation usually visit the resort of Knokke-Heist. There are a lot of luxurious hotels and restaurants. Newport is very popular with surfers and yachtsmen. The resort is characterized by a well-developed sports infrastructure.

Belgium is one of the most interesting European countries for spending the Christmas holidays. The city is transformed already in early December. They are decorated with festive lights. There are Christmas markets and fairs everywhere. In summer, on 21 July, the important National Day of Belgium is celebrated.

For many years, Belgian cities have been a place where major international festivals are held. In summer, the jazz festival called Middelheim is organized in Antwerpen. Ostende is notable for its themed fests dedicated to antiques and photography. In June, Audenarde is always visited by connoisseurs of an amber drink. The Beer Festival is annually held here. The greatest festival is the Ghent holidays celebrated in July. For 10 days, Ghent is transformed into a big outdoor concert stage. There are theatrical, musical and dance performances in the city streets and squares.

Belgium has its incomparable food symbols, the most famous of which are waffles and chocolate. Sweet-teeth have an opportunity to visit special shops in any city or town. One of the most popular treats is chocolate from the historical Mary Chocolatier factory. At one time, this company produced chocolate only for the royal family. The most popular national drink is beer. Over 600 sorts of beer are produced in Belgium.