Travel to Belgium

Strolling into an orange horizon along the River Scheldt, or just guzzling on refreshingly cold Belgian beer, Belgium is a medley that appeals to every traveller, alone or in a group, an art aficionado or a diamond merchant. It is believed that a smart traveller always befriends locals first. So here's what the country might look like to a local. The four C's that you are guaranteed here are an old world charm, ornate cathedrals, soaring castles and chocolates. Of course, you'll also find the charisma of the world's oldest diamond industry that dates back to the 15th Century. These and more provide enough reason to book a self catering holiday rental in picturesque Belgium, and soak up the fervour as the locals do.

If fashion is your culture, and culture is your fashion, then you might already know of the gems that are woven into the Belgian territories. While Belgian lace might top the list in popularity, The Museum of Tapestry and Textile Arts is not far behind. Interestingly, apart from witnessing some of the finest tapestry exhibits, this museum in Tournai also houses tapestry weavers, where you can see great hands and great brains at work at the Textile Art Research Centre. If exploring the realms of relics gives you an adrenaline rush, you will probably be on a constant high during your holiday in Belgium.

If this were not enough to satiate your thirst for variety, you could always witness the fashion finesse displayed by Antwerp's world renowned diamond cutters. It's no surprise that this city is home to the largest Diamond Museum in the world, where and image and sound' tour enhances your experience of this exquisite gem stone. Not far from this glittering experience are the Zoological Gardens. Home to almost 5,000 animals, it boasts of being the third largest zoological garden in Europe in terms of species.

This is just a peek into the grandeur and vivacity that awaits you in Belgium, a land that prides itself in producing a staggering 800 varieties of beer. Travelling in Belgium can be a story in itself. It is believed that the Belgian motorway system is the only man-made structure visible from the moon at night due to the lights all along the network. During your stay, the trams will prove to be an economical mode of transport.

It may help to keep in mind that Belgium has 3 official languages, namely French, Dutch and English.

Belgium is best explored from a private holiday home from a website such as holiday-rentals.co.uk. With plenty of space and privacy, you can relax with your own kitchen and living room while striking out to explore your surroundings feeling fresh every morning. If you are contemplating the best time to visit Belgium, do not waste time, for any time is good in Belgium. From exhibitions to beer festivals to carnivals to jazz concerts, every month is bustling with activity in this quaint little country.

A jester throws toy cats down from the belfry of Ieper on the second Sunday in May. Meanwhile in a parade, dozens of floats and 2,000 actors explore and present the role of the cat in history, literature, and folklore. This is the famous Cat festival of Belgium, an event which happens every 3 years. It is just one of the surprises awaiting the visitor who expects simple normality in this country which is often perceived as straight-laced as befits a city at the heart of EU sobriety.

You get the best of two worlds in Belgium. The north of the country is Flemish, while the south is French-speaking. Small wonder it?s the heart of the EU. Here, you can cut through the European red tape to sample beer, chocolate and other Belgian delights.

Here are 10 great reasons to visit Belgium to help start your holiday planning.

Belgium is a place that buzzes with cutting-edge design and a contemporary lifestyle, while retaining age-old traditions. You can be sitting in an old-fashioned coffee shop one minute and admiring the latest fashions in a trend-setting boutique the next. The country also has a quirkiness that never ceases to amaze - from cheeky statues to weird and wonderful festivals.

Cities: Brussels, with its stunning Grand Place and art nouveau heritage, and picture-perfect Bruges, with its pretty canals and medieval buildings, are the shining stars - but it is also worth discovering trendy Antwerp, historic Liege and quaint Ghent.

Chocolate: Forget the diet and enjoy some of the richest, smoothest chocolate to be found anywhere. Wherever you go in Belgium, you won't have to look far. The country has more than 2,000 tempting chocolate shops. Beer: Tickle the taste buds with over 400 different types of beer. Some of the best is made by Trappist monks.

Dining: Local favourites include waffles, mussels, and chips with mayonnaise. Gourmets are spoilt for choice. The country boasts more Michelin star-rated restaurants per head of population than France. Battlefields: Famous battlefields such as Passendale and vast cemeteries such as Tyne Cot are sober reminders of the Great War. The Last Post is sounded every evening at the Menin Gate in Ypres, where the excellent In Flanders Fields museum tells the story of the region's role in World War I.

Beaches: Have some family fun at over a dozen seaside resorts along the coast of Belgium. Top spots include Ostend and Knokke. Art: Belgium's great artistic heritage is reflected in the grand masters and also in famous cartoon characters. Rubens and Van Dyck lived in Antwerp. Brussels has museums dedicated to Magritte and comic-strip heroes such as Tintin.

Fashion: Funky Antwerp is the capital of cool. Home to one of Europe's leading fashion schools, the city boasts designer boutiques as well as stylish restaurants, bars and clubs.

Countryside: Head for the hills of the Ardennes and explore dense forest and deep valleys. Take a hike or bike ride through wooded trails or try the excitement of canoeing and paragliding.

Festivals: Belgians love to party. Few events are more unusual than the colourful Cat Parade, staged every three years in Ypres to celebrate all things feline.

Continuous availability of bargain flights to Belgium - plus rail too - is another reason to consider a visit to this great country of constant surprises.

When planning a holiday Belgium does not immediately spring to most people's minds. This is their loss as the country has a long and rich history and offers many fascinating destinations for the traveler to enjoy. It would be impossible to describe everything that this country has to offer the tourist in a short article so what follows is a glimpse into six of Belgium's most well-known attractions. As part of your planning for the visit make sure you seek reliable Belgium travel advice to help your trip go smoothly.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend so they say and if you like diamonds then a visit to the world's largest diamond museum in Antwerp is a must. The city of Antwerp in Belgium is now regarded as the center of the diamond trade in Belgium and it is said that about 80% of the world's diamond jewelry is made there. The diamond museum reflects the important role that Antwerp plays in this industry and has several inter-active displays which showcase the skills of the diamond cutters and polishers. There are also weekly exhibitions by expert diamond polishers. Popular exhibits include replicas of the British crown jewels and the Koh-I-Noor diamond.

The Ardennes region of Belgium is well-known as an area of outstanding beauty, ideal for touring and taking in the views. One of the major towns in the Ardennes is the town of Spa, whose name is now synonymous with baths and springs of healing waters. Spa has been on the map as a center for baths and hot springs since the 14 century and was considered as the resort to go to by the European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today Spa retains its old world charm but the baths have been extensively modernized and expanded. The main complex of baths is located at "Les Thermes De Spa", where the visitor can relax in the healing waters or take a sauna or massage. The modern world of motor racing visits Spa once a year as it is home to the historic Formula One Grand Prix circuit at Spa-Francorchamps. All in all an area to be included in any visit to Belgium.

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.

In the province of Flanders, near to the Dutch border, stands the ancient city of Bruges. The historic center of the city was one of the first tourist venues, attracting visitors from all over Europe in the late 19th century. The city center is surrounded and entwined by a series of canals and this has given rise to the nickname "the Venice of the North". The canals, together with the many narrow cobbled streets and lack of motor traffic, can give the tourist the feeling that he/she has stepped back in time. This feeling is further enhanced by the abundance of well preserved medieval buildings which seem to be on every street. As if these attractions were not enough, Bruges still has more to offer its visitors. In the world of lace making Bruges is probably the most well-known center, famed for the quality of its lace products. There are a multitude of shops and stalls selling lace souvenirs, many of them at bargain prices considering the work that has gone into the making of the items.

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.

Of course Belgium has many more sights to see than the six mentioned. Hopefully, however, after reading the above your appetite will have been whetted and you have been encouraged to consider paying a visit. If you can, seek Belgium travel advice from experts who know the country well. This way you can relax knowing that you have all the information that you need to have a good stay.