Quick Facts

Capital City: Brussels (pop: 970,000)
Population: 10.3 million
People: 55% Flemish, 33% Walloons (French Latin) and about 10% foreigners.
Language: Dutch, French, German
Religion: 75% Roman Catholic

Stacking Your Postcards

Royal Museum of Fine Art, Antwerp
The Royal Museum of Fine Art in Antwerp houses a vast collection of paintings from the 14th century onwards. These include Antwerp’s most significant painters - Rubens, Van Dijck and Jordaens. Apart from the superb art collection, the neoclassical architecture of the museum is magnificent. Built as a ‘temple to fine art’ for the 1894 Antwerp World Exposition, the building is decorated with Corinthian columns and two large bronze hoses.

Waterloo
The battle of Waterloo on June 18th, 1815 ended the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon I was defeated by the Duke of Wellington. Immortalised by Victor Hugo in "morne plaine” as well as by ABBA in their 1974 hit, the site is now a very popular tourist attraction. There is plenty of battle paraphernalia to visit including the Lion of Waterloo victory monument (Butte du Lion), a huge man-made hill topped by a 28-ton lion. For those energetic enough to climb the more than 200 steps, the lion provides a commanding view of the site. Visit the battlefield site, the H.Q. of Wellington and Napoleon, the Column of Victor Hugo and the Wellington Museum for an audio-visual reconstruction of the battle.

The Groeninge Museum, Flanders
The Groeninge Museum houses an extensive display of six centuries of Flemish, Dutch and Belgian paintings. The museum's many exhibitions include the world-famous collection of 'Flemish Primitive' art, works by an array of Renaissance and Baroque masters, a collection of paintings from the 18th and 19th-century Neo-classical and Realist periods, milestones of Belgian Symbolism and Modernism, masterpieces of Flemish Expressionism and many pieces from the city's collection of post-war modern art.

The Ypres War Memorials and the Flanders Battlefields
The town of Ypres is synonymous with the First World War. Scattered throughout the surrounding countryside are silent memorials to the dead of the 1st World War. Visit the authentic trenches in Sanctuary Wood, the life-sized reconstructions of scenes from the War in the Hooge Crater Museum and the bunker of John McCrae where he wrote the poem "In Flanders Fields", etc. The most moving sites include the 170 British military cemeteries located around Ypres. The Tyne Cot cemetery alone has nearly 12, 000 graves of soldiers from around the world, many unidentified.

Tongeren
Tongeren is the oldest town in Belgium. Originally a major Roman stronghold, the town was destroyed twice. Once by the 4th century Norsemen and then by the Salian Franks in 881. The Gallo Roman Museum in the town centre, which is built on the remains of a large luxury Roman villa, provides an amazing insight into the town and its history and culture. The remains of a 4th century Roman tower can also be visited. One of the most remarkable monuments of Tongeren is Our Lady’s Basilica with its majestic 64-metre-high bell tower. This marvelous Gothic church has a long history, since its first stone was laid in 1240. Also worth checking out are the Church of Notre Dame with its Romanesque cloisters, the town’s Roman walls and its many houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries. There is also a great weekly Sunday flea market.

Destination Guides

Antwerp Antwerp is known for its diamonds and artists. Located on the Scheldt River, 55 miles from the North Sea, it is Europe's second-largest port and a major center of finance, industry and, of course, the diamond trade.

More carats are cut and traded in Antwerp than in any other city, and the diamond industry employs about 18,000 people. Antwerp also has a history of producing artists (Rubens, Van Dyck, Jordaens, the Brueghels and others).

Brussels The capital city of Belgium is home to a population of almost one million French and Flemish speaking people. Brussels is a cultural melting pot of historical colonial buildings from various European countries, which have invaded over the centuries. Modern day Brussels is a highly developed city with many attractions, including galleries, museums and many activities of the arts. Brussels is home to the European Parliament and many international businesses now have their headquarters based in this sleek city

Ghent Ghent, known as the flower city of Belgium, is the main city of East Flanders. The town offers numerous museums, beautiful squares, luxurious cafés and fascinating architecture. See the "Three Towers of Ghent," the Saint Nicholas Church, the Belfort and Lace Hall, and the Saint Baaf Cathedral.

Liege Liège, daughter of the Meuse river. Liège is called 'La cité ardente' (the fiery city). A city at the crossroads of Northern and Southern European culture. Liège is an old industrial center which faces the challenge of adapting to the 21st century.

Nowadays Liége is a rapidly changing city where old meets new. Take a walk through the old city center and discover the typical traffic-free alleys and shopping streets where terraces abound.