Belgium Travel Advice Is Necessary To Plan Your Visit

Although Belgium is famous for chocolate and beer, it has much more to offer the visitor than those two delights. The country has many unique and interesting venues and this article will introduce six top attractions that Belgium has in store for you. Seek professional Belgium travel advice before you go. It will help to ensure that you get the most benefit from your holiday.

Together with its Dutch neighbour, Belgium has long been associated with the exciting world of diamonds. The Belgian city of Antwerp has long being regarded as the center of the diamond trade in Belgium and, not surprisingly, is home to the world's largest Diamond Museum. A visit to the museum is a must for any lover of diamonds. There are sound and light displays depicting the journey that a diamond makes from the time it is mined until it is cut, polished and becomes part of an item of jewellery. For many the most fascinating exhibit will be the replica of the British crown jewels, including the two largest diamonds in the world, the Koh-I-Noor and the Cullinan.

The word spa is associated with many areas in the world where there are baths and springs of water said to have healing properties. The original Spa is a city located in the beautiful Ardennes region of Belgium. At Spa the tourist can relax in the same waters that the aristocracy of Europe bathed in when Spa was the place to go for healing waters in the 18th and 19th centuries. As well as the famous baths Spa is home to one of the most exciting Formula One Grand Prix circuits in Europe at Spa-Francorchamps. Once a year the area is inflated with visitors who have come to be enjoy the thrills and excitement of motor racing. Spa has many other attractions to offer the tourist, apart from spas and motor sport. For example, the street where the betting house is located was built in the 1920s and looks as if Agatha Christie's Hercules Poirot might just come out of one of the buildings. (the fictional Poirot was "born" in Spa).

Most people will recall learning about the Battle of Waterloo in their school history lessons. The city of Waterloo where the battle took place in 1815, is located not far from the Belgian capital, Brussels. For visitors wishing to find out more about the events of 1815 there are museums and monuments commemorating the Duke of Wellingtons victory over the Emperor Napoleon. The battlefield has been preserved and it is possible to wander over the fields where the battle took place. A panoramic view over surrounding area can be had from the top of "La Butte du Lion", a mound with the statue of a lion at the top, said to have been built as a symbol of the the allied forces' victory. The Wellington museum, housed in the former allied army headquarters and reputed to be where Wellington stayed during the battle, has many exhibits of items from the time.

Sometimes called the Venice of the North, the town of Bruges in the Belgian province of Flanders, is famed for its historical center enclosed by the many canals. Bruges is an ancient town and a large number of old medieval buildings are still standing, adding to the beauty of the place. As a center of lace-making, Bruges is still probably the most well-known and highly regarded town. Lace products of the highest quality are on sale in just about every shop and lace makers can be seen sitting in their doorways engaging in their craft. There are demonstrations of bobbin lace making at the Kantcentrum near the center of the city. Other notable attractions are the four windmills which are the only ones remaining from the many that were built into the ancient city walls. Each one has a small museum.

One of the largest and well-known collections of Flemish art can be found at The Royal Museum of Fine Art in Brussels. There are more than 20,000 works ranging from Flemish and Dutch Old Masters to paintings from the present day. Flemish paintings by such illustrious figures as Rubens and van Dyck are well represented and include 20 works by Rubens. These are housed in their own salon. Paintings by many Dutch Old Masters such as Rembrandt are also featured. This is a very large collection of art, spread over two buildings, and if you want to make the most of it you will need to allocate plenty of time.

Among the many fine museums to visit in Belgium, the Groeninge Museum in Bruges needs to near the top of the list. This museum specializes in paintings of artists who lived and worked in Bruges although there the works of painters from many other areas are also on display. The Groeninge Museum has what is probably the best collection of paintings of the group of artists known as the Flemish Primitives. Artists in this group include painters of the calibre of van Eyck. There are also many examples of more modern works including the Herbert Collection of expressionist paintings.

Choosing the six places to visit in Belgium was not easy as the country has so many attractions to offer the tourist. Belgium does not yet have the popularity as a tourist destination as some other countries but it is hoped that after reading the above you will be keen to find out more about what the country has to offer the visitor. To help you in your preparations for your holiday don't forget to obtain reliable Belgium travel advice so that you are aware of any special requirements you need to comply with.


------

If you want more great tips try my new Belgium travel advice site