Brussels

Brussels is the capital of Belgium, of Flanders and of the French Community of Belgium. The name Brussels can be used to denote the largest municipality of the Brussels-Capital Region officially called the City of Brussels (about 140,000 inhabitants), the Brussels-Capital Region (about 1,024,500 inhabitants) or the metropolitan area of Brussels (more than 2.5 million inhabitants). Brussels is one of the political centres of the European Union, the city is considered to be the capital of the EU. Many of key institutions of the Union are located in Brussels. Such organisations as NATO, the Western European Union and EUROCONTROL also have their headquarters in the city. The city is famous for its architecture (medieval, Gothic, Art Nouveau and Art Déco). It is a major cultural and political centre and it is worth visiting.

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The cities of Flanders

Flanders include Antwerp, Bruges, Gent, Leuven, Ypres and Mechelen. The cities are important for the history of Belgium. They are also popular tourist destinations.

Antwerp

is the second largest city of Belgium and the second largest port of Europe (the city is located on the right bank of the river Scheldt). Antwerp is an important economical and cultural centre. The world-famous diamond stock exchange is situated here. The Cathedral of Our Lady is located in Antwerp. It was begun in the 14th century and was finished in 1518. The church is home to three works by Rubens. St James’ church is the place where the tomb of Rubens is situated. St Paul’s church and other beautiful sights are also worth seeing. The Royal Museum of Fine Arts houses a collection of old masters (Rubens, Van Dyck, Titian) and prominent Dutch painters. The Plantin-Moretus Museum exhibits the house of the printer Christoffel Plantijn and his successor Jan Moretus. The Antwerp Zoo is one of the popular tourist attractions.

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Ghent and Bruges

are world-famous as the Belgian cities in which the medieval cultural heritage has been preserved. The beautiful canals and the splendid architecture are definitely a must-see.

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Leuven

is home to the university which is one of the oldest in Europe.

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The cities of Wallonia

include Namur (the capital of Wallonia), Liège (a cultural centre and an important student community), Mons, Charleroi, Durbuy (the smallest city in the world and one of the major tourist centres in the Ardennes), Spa (the world-famous health resort), Bastogne (an important historical place).

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The Ardennes

provide great opportunities for enjoying winter sports. The towns located here include La Roche En Ardenne, Rochefort, Han Sur Lesse and Bouillon.