Table of Contents
1 Experience Belgium 6
14 Ultimate Experiences 8
What's Where 14
Belgium Today 16
What to Eat in Belgium 18
Belgium's Best Beers 20
Best Castles in Belgium 22
Best Museums in Belgium 24
What to Watch and Read 26
Belgium with Kids 28
2 Travel Smart 29
Know Before You Go 30
Getting Here and Around 32
Essentials 37
Contacts 43
Great Itineraries 44
On the Calendar 49
Helpful Phrases in French 52
Helpful Phrases in Flemish 54
3 Brussels 57
Welcome to Brussels 58
Planning 61
Lower Town 65
Upper Town 79
Cinquantenaire and Schuman 88
Ixelles and Saint-Gilles 95
Laeken and Schaerbeek 104
Day Trips from Brussels 110
4 Antwerp and the Northeast 121
Welcome to Antwerp and the Northeast 122
Planning 125
Oude Stad and Het Eilandje 128
Meir, Diamond Quarter, and Centraal Station 141
South of the Center 150
Mechelen 155
Lier 158
Limburg Province 159
5 Ghent and the Leie 163
Welcome to Ghent and the Leie 164
Planning 166
Ghent 169
Leiestreek Villages 186
Dendermonde 192
Vlaamse Ardennen 196
Kortrijk 202
6 Bruges and the Coast 207
Welcome to Bruges and the Coast 208
Planning 211
Bruges 213
Damme 231
Knokke-Heist 233
De Haan 235
Oostende 236
Koksijde 239
Ypres 240
7 Western Wallonia 245
Welcome to Western Wallonia 246
Planning 249
Mons 251
Tournai 261
Ath 267
Lessines 271
Nivelles 272
Waterloo 273
Louvain-la-Neuve 277
La Louvière 278
Binche 282
Charleroi 285
Chimay 290
8 The Meuse and the Ardennes 293
Welcome to The Meuse and the Ardennes 294
Planning 296
Liege 298
Spa 308
Huy 311
Hautes Fagnes 312
Malmedy 313
Stavelot 315
Namur 316
Dinant 323
Rochefort 326
Bastogne 328
Durbuy 331
La Roche-en-Ardenne 332
Bouillon 334
9 Luxembourg 337
Welcome to Luxembourg 338
Planning 340
Luxembourg City 343
Esch-sur-Alzette and the Redlands 357
Remich and the Moselle 361
Echternach and Little Switzerland 365
Luxembourg Ardennes 368
Index 377
About Our Writers 384
Maps
Lower Town 66-67
Upper Town 82-83
Cinquantenaire and Schuman 90-91
Ixelles and Saint-Gilles 96-97
Laeken and Schaerbeek 106
Day Trips from Brussels 110
Oude Stad and Het Eilandje 130-131
Meir, Diamond Quarter, and Centraal Station 114-145
South of the Center 151
Ghent 170-171
Bruges 214-215
The Coast and Nearby 232
Mons 252-253
Western Wallonia 282
Liege 300-301
The Ardennes 315
Namur 318-319
Luxembourg City 344-345