 Belgium is a land of impressive architecture, lively nightlife, delicious cuisine, castles and cathedrals. Sometimes called ‘Europe’s most eccentric country’, Belgium is unique and a bizarre little place. If you’re looking for something offbeat, you’ll find it here, whether it’s among the wild and wacky festivals or simply the daily life.
 From fine dining and hearty country cuisine to decadent chocolates and delicious beers, Belgians have a keen sense for the good things in life. The country also has an extensive range of accommodation from luxury five-star hotels to small family inns. Public transportation is inexpensive and efficient.
 Belgium has one of Europe’s richest art histories, having been ruled for centuries by ever-changing European powers. From the Flemish Primitives and strokes of surrealism to Gothic masterpieces and Art-Nouveau jewels, all are magnificently presented.
 Brussels, the capital of Belgium and the European Union, is a city full of contrasts. Laissez-fair locals give a casual air, while the busy Bureaucrats remind us of Brussels’ important position in the EU. Give yourself time to explore its monumental architecture, interesting shops, café culture, fine restaurants and fabulous museums. Antwerp has attitude, attracting fans of fashion and party kings and queens. Beautiful Brugge, Belgium’s prime tourist destination evokes medieval charm. The forested Ardennes is where peaceful stone villages nestle in bucolic river valleys.
 Belgium’s countryside is rich in historic cities, castles and churches. Bordered by France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands, Belgium’s features are the great forest of Ardennes and the wide, sandy beaches of the northern coast, which run for over 60km. The landscape varies from numerous rivers and gorges in the Ardennes to the rolling plains of the countryside.
History
 Belgium is one of the newer countries of Western Europe, having gained its independence less than 200 years ago. For the previous two millennia it was a playground and often also a battleground for the great powers of Europe and virtually every one of them held sway over it at one time or another.
 When Julius Caesar conquered Gaul the people he found living in present-day Belgium were the Belgae, one of various Celtic tribes of early Gaul. The Romans called their new province Gallia Belgica. In the fifth century, as the Roman Empire was slowly fading the Germanic tribe of Franks, threw the Romans out of Gaul. Several centuries later Charlemagne reunited Gaul and added most of the rest of Western Europe to his empire. Apart from the wars he fought in order to expand his empire his reign was also notable for his fostering of commerce, arts, and classical learning. However, his successors were not equal to the task of keeping the empire intact and gradually Belgium was split: Flanders, the north-western part, fell to France and the south-eastern part went to Germany.
 This split heralded the beginning of the power of the Counts of Flanders. Cities on important commercial routes such as Brugges, Ghent and Ypres became very prosperous; with the result that Belgium consisted of strong fortified and virtually autonomous cities in Flanders, and less unified cities in the south. The golden age for Flanders started: England wool was imported and woven into fine cloth and sold throughout the European continent.
France wanted to extend its control to the north of Belgium in order to acquire the wealth of Flanders. This antagonised England, which led to The Hundred Years’ War. The war came to an end in 1384 with Burgundy, an ally of England, becoming the ruler of Flanders.
In the middle of the 16th century a long period of instability began. In 1648 the Treaty of Munster was signed, not only granting independence to the Netherlands, but more disastrously for Antwerp, allowing the closing of the Scheldt River to navigation. This meant that Antwerp gradually lost its commercial status.
Over the next hundred years or so, starting with the rule of Louis XIV, France made several attempts to extend its control over Belgium. None of the other powers in Europe wanted to see this happen resulting in many battles fought over Belgium.
Eventually, in 1713 the Treaty of Utrecht was signed where France agreed to leave Belgium to the Habsburg rulers of Austria. This meant virtual independence for Belgium, but not for long as infighting among the Belgians and the rise of Napoleon returned Belgium to French rule.
After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo the powers of Europe decided to merge Belgium with the Netherlands. However, a revolution soon started and on 20 January, 1831 Belgium was finally granted its independence of today.
 The Belgians chose as their first king Leopold of Saxe-Coburg. During his reign Belgium started to flourish economically and culturally. His son, Leopold II, hired Stanley to explore and colonize the Congo in Africa which remained a Belgian colony until 1960.
The next two kings, Albert I and Leopold III, each had to face a world war. In particular World War I was devastating for Belgium as it was mainly fought on Belgian ground. After the end of World War II, Leopold III, who had surrendered to the German army rather than fleeing to London along with his government, was confronted with substantial opposition upon his return from Germany and eventually abdicated in favour of his son Baudouin. Upon the Baudouin’s death in 1993, his brother Albert II succeeded him to the throne.
After World War II Brussels took on a leading role as co-founder of the European Community, and became the capital of what is now called the European Union (EU). It is also the headquarters of NATO. In 1957 Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg founded the Benelux Union.
Weather
 Belgium has four seasons similar to its neighbouring countries. Warm weather lasts from May to September (15 to 23°C), while snow is likely during winter months from December through February (3 to -2°C). There is a small amount of rain year-round so it is advisable to pack light rain gear, no matter when you visit. The most rainfall tends to be in July.
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