Belgium Brussels Bruges Ghent Antwerp Ardennes Waterloo Complete Guide 2026
Browse more guides: Belgium travel | Europe destinations Belgium Complete Guide: Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and the Ardennes (2026) TL;DR Belgium packs more medieval squares, Gothic cathedrals, Trappist breweries and chocolate counters per kilometre than almost anywhere else in Europe. I spent two weeks crossing the country and came away convinced that this kingdom of 11.5 million punches far above its weight. Brussels gives you the Grand Place (UNESCO 1998) with its 14th-15th century Town Hall (1402-1455), the 53 cm bronze Manneken Pis (1619), and the 102 m Atomium from the 1958 World's Fair. Bruges (UNESCO 2000) feels like a medieval painting, with the 83 m Belfry from 1240 and Michelangelo's Madonna of 1504-05. Ghent layers a 1180 castle, the 1432 Van Eyck Altarpiece and the 91 m Belfry (UNESCO 1999). Antwerp shows off Rubens, diamonds (84% of the world's rough stones) and the 1905 Central Station. The Ardennes carry the 1944-45 Battle of the Bulge, while Wate...