Belgium can be a very nice place to visit for vacations if you know what to see and do once you are there. The country sits between France, Luxembourg, Germany, and Netherlands, and is essentially at a crossroad between major Western European capitals, and thus has many influences from them on its culture.
Brussels is its capital, and has quite a few small museums of interest for visitors from all around the world. It is also the informal capital of the European Union, and you are able to find many related buildings here. Antwerp has a lot of cathedrals and offers medieval structural design, and is hence great for knowing more facts about Belgium’s heritage. Liege and Dinant are great places to visit that should not be missed if you have an interest in hikes and the outdoors. Once Bruges used to be the world’s largest city, but is now turned to be the largest ancient city in the world.
There are many worth attending festivals in Belgium. The Graspop Metal Meeting is a festival for heavy metal bands held in June in Dessel. The Carnival De Binche is hosted for three days in February in the town of Binche, and has parades, fireworks, and even oranges being thrown by the Gilles at spectators as part of its proceedings. This festival is now a part of the world’s cultural heritage.
The Gentse Feesten is the largest street festival in Europe. It includes theater, music, and parties as well. Other festivals include the Rock Werchter and Dour Festival. There is also a bicycle competition that is held in October every year in the city of Louvain-La-Neuve. This is a huge party with the cycling only as a pretext to drink lots of beer.
When in Belgium, do not forget to visit the Atomium which is a huge atomic cell that was constructed for the World Fair in 1958. It is 335 feet in height, and is in fact a cell of an iron crystal magnified by 165 billion times. In addition to this make sure that you purchase and try the Belgian chocolate which is well-known all over the world due to its amazing process of refinement that keeps it separate from all other chocolates. You should also have a look at textiles in Bruges which are worth buying.
When trying local food, make sure to include mussels which are very popular. You should also try French Fries which are actually a Belgian invention. These are sold and served with mayonnaise instead of ketchup, so you must be ready to try the many different combinations. Waffles are a huge favorite, and come in a light and heavy variety. These can be found in most cities at corner stands.
Belgium is also home to some of the best beers in the world. Make sure, you try the local beer called Abbey beers which are made in monasteries like in the olden times. Some are mass produced like Stella Artois, Duvel, Leffe, Jupiler, and Hoegaarden.
Belgium is filled with things to do and places to see, and is a wonderful tourist destination for the summers if you are interested in festivals, music, and good food. Make sure you explore it to discover the little known things about it that will make your trip even more enjoyable.
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