Belgian Holiday Markets Brussels to Brussels

Brussels, the cosmopolitan capital of Belgium, enchants with its UNESCO-listed Grand-Place, extraordinary Art Nouveau architecture, and a culinary tradition that rivals any European capital — from hand-peeled shrimp croquettes to artisan pralines on the Sablon. Visitors should not miss exploring the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and taking a day trip to medieval Bruges or art-rich Ghent. The city is at its finest from April through October, when café terraces spill onto sunlit squares and the temperate climate invites long afternoons of wandering between chocolate ateliers and neighbourhood brasseries.

The port of Ghent, a historic trade hub with medieval architecture, is a vibrant gateway to Belgian culture. Don't miss savoring local dishes like "stoverij" and "waterzooi," or wandering the picturesque canals. The best time to visit is during the summer months, particularly during the lively ‘Gentse Feesten’ festival.

Antwerp has been one of Europe's great mercantile capitals since the fifteenth century, when it commanded the world's first commodity exchange and Peter Paul Rubens made it the artistic capital of the Baroque world — a legacy preserved in the magnificent Rubenshuis studio and the soaring Cathedral of Our Lady, whose nave houses four of the master's greatest altarpieces. Today the city leads global fashion from the acclaimed Antwerp Six design school and remains the diamond capital of the world, with 84% of the world's rough diamonds trading through its storied district. Visit in spring or autumn; Brussels and Bruges are each under an hour away by train.

Hasselt is Belgium's jenever capital, home to a National Jenever Museum, Europe's largest Japanese Garden, and a fashion scene that belies its provincial size. Visit April through October via Uniworld River Cruises for cherry blossom season in the Japanese Garden, artisanal spirit tastings in historic distilleries, and the unpretentious Flemish culinary culture that makes this Limburg capital one of Belgium's most rewarding secrets.

Maastricht is a two-thousand-year-old Meuse River city in the southern Netherlands, where Romanesque basilicas, Burgundian culinary traditions, and a vibrant cultural quarter converge in one of Europe's most refined yet unassuming destinations. Savour the slow-braised *zoervleis* stew and explore the medieval fortification tunnels for experiences found nowhere else in the Low Countries. Late spring through early autumn offers the finest conditions, with the celebrated asparagus season in May and long golden evenings along the Vrijthof square.

Antwerp has been one of Europe's great mercantile capitals since the fifteenth century, when it commanded the world's first commodity exchange and Peter Paul Rubens made it the artistic capital of the Baroque world — a legacy preserved in the magnificent Rubenshuis studio and the soaring Cathedral of Our Lady, whose nave houses four of the master's greatest altarpieces. Today the city leads global fashion from the acclaimed Antwerp Six design school and remains the diamond capital of the world, with 84% of the world's rough diamonds trading through its storied district. Visit in spring or autumn; Brussels and Bruges are each under an hour away by train.

Brussels, the cosmopolitan capital of Belgium, enchants with its UNESCO-listed Grand-Place, extraordinary Art Nouveau architecture, and a culinary tradition that rivals any European capital — from hand-peeled shrimp croquettes to artisan pralines on the Sablon. Visitors should not miss exploring the Royal Museums of Fine Arts and taking a day trip to medieval Bruges or art-rich Ghent. The city is at its finest from April through October, when café terraces spill onto sunlit squares and the temperate climate invites long afternoons of wandering between chocolate ateliers and neighbourhood brasseries.