Five ideas for guided tours in Belgium

• Bruges

  Bruges, located in West Flanders, will captivate you with its splendor and charm. You will not get tired of strolling through its old cobbled streets where beautifully restored Flemish style buildings remain; the Begijnhof monastery, the Church of Our Lady or the Belfry, this high tower of 83 meters that you will climb after 350 steps is located on the Grand Place. Your visit will take you along the romantic canals of the “Venice of the North“. They are the result of a tidal wave in the 13th century that opened the city to the sea. If you have time, there are several museums, including the Museum of Folk Life, where you can see everyday objects from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Groeninge Museum exhibits paintings by Flemish artists.

• Bouillon Castle

  The imposing fortress of Bouillon is located on 3 rocks overlooking the river Semois in the southwest of Wallonia. This is where the famous Godefroy de Bouillon lived. He sold the bastion to finance the first crusade to the Holy Land in 1099. The museum “Scriptura” is entirely dedicated to his pilgrimage. The setting is very touristy as well for its thousand-year-old castle, its surrounding walls, its drawbridge, work of the military architect Vauban around 1680, as for its enchanting natural environment. In its charming little village nearby, you can attend falconry shows from March 1 to November 11.

• The Lesse valley

  For a sporty getaway in Belgium, head to the Lesse Valley and paddle down its river that runs through the Ardennes. The kayak trip is accessible to all and can be done from the towns of d’Houyet to Anseremme over a distance of 20km. The whole region offers a beautiful spectacle where you will cross forests The whole region offers a beautiful spectacle where you will cross forests, meadows and pebble beaches with very interesting views, such as Walzin, a small town near Dinant with its castle perched on a promontory overlooking the river Lesse, or the Furfooz reserve, which has both natural assets with its limestone plains and its great variety of plants, but also discoveries linked to history, such as the ancient remains of caves inhabited during the Paleolithic era, traces of thermal baths and a fortress from the time of the Romans.

• Brussels

  Go for a long weekend in the Belgian capital and enjoy a city atmosphere on a human scale where the architecture mixes between medieval suburbs and more modern aspects. The district where most of the monuments to be seen are located is called the Pentagon, but there are many others. For example Saint Gilles where many art galleries have opened, Les Marolles and its famous flea market, Le Heysel and its large green spaces. It would be difficult to be exhaustive so if you don’t want to miss anything have a Belgian tourist guide accompany you.

  Some must-sees not to be missed:
  – The famous Manneken-Pis is a small fountain built in 1619. It has become the emblem of the city and symbolizes the humor of its inhabitants. The little man is regularly dressed in all kinds of costumes.
  – The King’s Palace is the residence of the Belgian monarchy, which works there and receives all the participants of the nation’s institutions. Every summer the building opens its doors to tourists.
  – The Grand-Place is the center where all the travelers and the inhabitants of Brussels meet, it contains a multitude of emblematic buildings among them the oldest building, the Town Hall, masterpiece of Gothic art, its construction dates from the very beginning of the 15th century.
  – The Atomium, built for the 1958 Universal Exhibition; it consists of nine spheres linked by tubes representing an iron atom. You can walk through them, admire the magnificent panorama at the top and even eat in the restaurant located on the highest sphere (95m high).

• The Hallerbos Forest

  The Hal Forest, also called the Hallerbos Forest, is located just 15 kilometers from Brussels. This magical and wonderful place attracts thousands of visitors every year. They come to admire the flowering of blue hyacinths and wild anemones which takes place from April onwards. The Blue Forrest is discovered season after season under surprisingly different attractions and colors. Coming to walk there is a true happiness. You can go for a walk, a bike ride or even a horse ride through its 550 hectares of diverse forest scenery where charming walks have been marked out such as the Sequoia road where huge trees have been planted or the “Achtdreven” walk adapted for people with reduced mobility. To enjoy the show more quietly, we advise you to come outside the weekend.