In the Belgian capital city of Brussels, UNESCO-recognized structures include Victor Horta's early 20th-century Art Nouveau townhouses as well as guildhalls built around the magnificent Grand Place in the 14th century. With its immaculately maintained mediaeval alleys encircling peaceful canals, Bruges is a popular tourist destination that draws throngs of visitors every year.

Even while Bruges is by far the most visited location in Belgium, many other cities, especially Ghent and Mechelen, still have magnificent specimens of Middle Ages architecture. Many of the most significant events in the history of Europe took place in this small country, which has historically been at the centre of the action.

At the Battle of Waterloo, Napoleon found his counterpart in Belgium, and Belgium was forced into the front lines of both the First and Second World Wars. The Ypres Battlefields from World War I are now popular pilgrimage destinations and one of the top tourist attractions in the nation.

Whether you're interested in ancient or contemporary history, Belgium offers a sizable portion of European legacy in a small geographic area. With our list of Belgium's top tourist destinations and attractions, you can decide what to do while you're here.

1. Grand Place, Brussels: La great Place, also known as De Grote Market, is surrounded by great structures like guildhalls that have been meticulously conserved, showcasing the best of Belgian vernacular architecture.
   
   A magnificent example of Gothic architecture, the elegant mediaeval town hall, dominates one side. Due to Grand Place's exceptional portrayal of architecture from the late 17th century, it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
   
   At all times of the year, the area is crowded with visitors and locals, but it is most busy in August of every other year when the 75 by 24 metre flower carpet, consisting of more than 700,000 cut begonias, fills the centre.
    
2. The Canals of Bruges: Beginning on the Reie River's banks, Bruges expanded to include a network of waterways that connected it to the Zwin Estuary and the North Sea. One of the most well-liked ways to visit Bruges is by taking a sightseeing cruise along its canals, which serve as lovely reminders of the city's past.
   
   From March to November (and less frequently in the dead of winter), sightseeing boat cruises leave from five piers scattered along the main canal in the heart of the city and wind down its length. This is one of the best chances to capture images of some of Bruges' finest structures as well as the city's renowned canal-side terraced house architecture.
   
   The tour boat operator offers umbrellas when it's raining, and tours take place rain or shine. The public sightseeing boat trips don't require reservations; just show up at the dock and pay for your ticket as you board.
    
3. The Battlefields of Flanders: The primary reason people travel to Belgium is because of its involvement in World War I's front lines, particularly the Battlefields of Flanders near Ypres.
   
   The battlefields are an important pilgrimage site in addition to being significant historically. Kilometres of restored trenches surround the town of Ypres, and this region is also dotted with sizable cemeteries for the thousands of men who lost their lives here.
   
   Both the German War Cemetery in Langemark and the British Tyne Cot Cemetery serve as sombre reminders of the bloody warfare that took place here during the Great War.
    
4. The Belfry of Bruges: This stunning belfry (formally known as Belfort met Beiaard), which dominates Bruges' main square, is one of the country's most well-known landmarks.
   
   This 13th-century tower from the Middle Ages is affixed to a beautifully preserved structure that was formerly the major market hall for the town. It gives visitors a genuine sense of the Middle Ages' architectural prowess. One of the most well-liked tourist attractions in Belgium is the belfry, where visitors can ascend the 366 twisting, slender stairs to the observation deck, which is 83 metres high. Once at the summit, the views of church steeples and spires offer one of the most recognisable panoramas in the entire nation.
    
5. Ghent's Gravensteen and Old Town: The counts of Flanders originally resided in this incredibly beautiful fort, which they built after being inspired by the massive castles the Crusaders erected in Syria. Gravensteen has been remarkably well kept and is currently one of Europe's best examples of a moated stronghold.
   
   Right in the centre of the old town of Ghent, its walls rise above the rooftops of the neighbouring streets, robust, impressively thick, and tall.
    
6. Basilica of the Holy Blood, Bruges: Make sure to visit this church if you only visit one in Bruges. The Basilica of the Holy Blood is impressive not only for the way Romanesque and late Gothic architecture have been combined, but also for the holy relic that is maintained there.
   
   The well-known vial from which the church derives its name is kept in the upper chapel; it is purported to contain a drop of Jesus Christ's blood that was returned to Belgium after the Second Crusade. Even if you have no interest in holy relics, the church's interior, which is a dazzling riot of gild work that was completed in the 16th century, is enough to warrant a visit.
    
7. Meuse Valley: The Meuse Valley, located south of Brussels, is among the greatest locations to experience Belgium's rural interior. The Meuse River provides Belgium's most picturesque river excursion prospects, with hilltop castle and fortress ruins intermingled with deep wooded scenery, small waterfront towns, and limestone cliffs on each side.
   
   For help planning your river journey, go to Namur or Dinant. These two little towns serve as entry points to the area. For tourists looking to add some sports to their trip, the Meuse Valley is also home to a variety of hiking and cycling paths.
    
8. Mechelen Old Town: While Mechelen's old town area doesn't have as many well-known monuments as the tourist hotspot Bruges, it is an excellent place to experience mediaeval Belgium because it still has many fine ancient houses and gabled structures.
   
   The Town Hall and Lakenhall, two particularly beautiful structures, round the centre Grote Markt, while the majestic Sint-Rombouts Cathedral, with its lofty clock tower, rises up behind. A tour into the centre, away from the main plaza, will also show a lot of traditional guild house architecture that history buffs are sure to want to see.
    
9. Ghent's Canals: Take to the water for simple sightseeing in Ghent. Many businesses provide sightseeing cruises (both public and private alternatives) on Ghent's waterways, which travel through the city's mediaeval old town neighbourhood and past some of the city's monasteries and churches as well as the renowned guildhall façade that line the canals.
   
   The majority of canal tour options last 40 minutes or an hour. From roughly March through November, departures are consistent throughout the day, with fewer departures in the winter. In addition to the sightseeing tours, a few businesses also rent kayaks, allowing you to explore the canals at your own pace.
    
10. Waterloo: Yes, history buffs, that Waterloo; the location where Napoleon lost the illustrious fight. The area where the battle once raged is now a pastoral scene of agricultural fields, but to mark the occasion when Napoleon's army was eventually defeated, a man-made hill rises up from the surrounding flatlands. A monument lion sculpture is perched atop the hill.
    
    The peak offers stunning vistas of the surrounding area. Waterloo continues to be a crucial stop on the tour for anybody interested in the history of Belgium and more broadly, of Europe.