1 chocolates : Commonly known as "Belgian chocolates" or "chocolate bonbons" in English-speaking countries, they are chocolate pieces filled with a soft fondant centre. They were first introduced in Belgium in 1912.There have always been many forms and shapes in Belgian pralines. They nearly always contain a hard chocolate shell with a softer (sometimes liquid) filling. The filling can be butter, liquor, nuts, marzipan, or even a different kind of chocolate. They are usually wrapped as a gift. Today, Belgian pralines are still very popular in Belgium, as well as in other countries. The largest manufacturers are Neuhaus, Godiva, Leonidas and Guylian.
2 Atomium : The Atomium is an iconic building in Brussels originally constructed for '58, the 1958 Brussels World's Fair. It stands 102 m (335 ft) tall. Its nine 18 m (59 ft) diameter stainless steel clad spheres are connected so that the whole forms the shape of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.
Tubes connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre. They enclose escalators and a lift to allow access to the five habitable spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels.
3 Tintin : The Adventures of Tintin (French : Les Aventures de Tintin) is a series of comic albums created by Belgian artist Georges Remi (1907–1983), who wrote under the pen name of Hergé. The series is one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century, with translations published in more than 50 languages and more than 200 million copies of the books sold to date.
Other magical places...
4 Brussels Fries : Belgians say that fries originated here and that the term “French fries” was introduced when American soldiers arrived in Belgium during World War I. Originally Belgian or not, they sure know how to make them. They are made with Belgian Bintje potatoes, cooked twice and served in a paper cone. A great way to sample frites is from a friterie or fritkot – one of the many street vendors specializing in fries and other deep-fried delights.
5 Antwerpen's Brabo fountain : The monumental fountain in front of the city hall depicts the legendary hero Brabo after his defeat of the giant Antigoon. The fountain was sculpted at the end of the 19th century by local artist Jef Lambaux.
6 Warandepark in Brussels : Parc de Bruxelles or Warandepark, is the largest urban public park in the center of Brussels. The area of the rectangular park is 13.1 ha (32 acres). It is surrounded by the Royal Palace of Brussels, the Belgian parliament and the U.S.A. embassy. In the summer, free parties are organized every weekend in the heart of this park.The park was created between 1776 and 1783 on the site of the gardens of the former Coudenberg palace. The park was designed in a neoclassicist, geometric style by Gilles-Barnabé Guimard and Joachim Zinner.
7 Manneken pis in Brussels : The famous Manneken-Pis remains the emblem of the rebellious spirit of the City of Brussels. His wardrobe counts more than 900 suits. The Museum of the City of Brussels presents one hundred of these suits. A multimedia database allows the visitors to consult the whole wardrobe of the famous 'ketje'.
8 Bruges belfry : The most important of Bruges’ towers stands 83 metres tall. It houses a treasure-chamber, an impressive clock mechanism and a carillon with 47 silvertoned bells.Your reward after a climb up the tower’s 366 stairs is a breathtaking and unforgettable panoramic view of Bruges and her surroundings
Photo J.Dhont
9 The battle of Waterloo : The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, 18 June 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. An Imperial French army under the command of Emperor Napoleon was defeated by the armies of the Seventh Coalition, comprising an Anglo-allied army under the command of the Duke of Wellington combined with a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard von Blücher. It was the culminating battle of the Waterloo Campaign and Napoleon's last. The defeat at Waterloo ended his rule as Emperor of the French, marking the end of his Hundred Days return from exile.
10 The Lys river of Ghent : Ghent (French: Gand) is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of northern Europe. Today it is a busy city with a port and a university.
