Try something new and travel through Belgium in your rental car
Everyone knows Belgium; but few know a lot about this beautiful country. While Europeans are widely familiar with the host country of most major EU institutions Americans remember it only faintly as the site of horrific World War One massacres.
The tiny country has a population of only 10.5m, and is comparable in size to Colorado, yet it has all the charm, diversity, and history of the big neighbors of France and Germany, paired with the tranquil quirkiness of small neighbors like the Netherlands, making it a popular destination for families who enjoy the culturally rich towns as much as 40 miles of sandy beaches along the North Sea.
Book your rental car and drive along the Belgium coast line.
You might not realize it but you already know the characteristics and history of one of the two major regions in Belgium. The fields of Flanders still bear those red poppies and the larks flying above the crosses and war monuments contribute to the memory of those who were lost in the mindless trench war of WWI.
Brussels is the country’s capital and also the main city in Flanders. Contrasting the beastly history of the first half of the 20th century it is now often considered the capital of the European Union and the place where the nations of Europe come together and regulate life on the continent peacefully and with great care.
The city’s landmarks include the Atomium, a 335 ft monument built for the World Fair in 1985 as well as the unlikely Manneken Pis, a 23 inch bronze sculpture of literally a little peeing man.
Visit all of Europe in one day!
Brussels also offers a great preparation for a trip all across the continent: Mini Europe is a miniature park where you can walk from Lisbon to Moscow on a 1:25 scale model.
Having seen Brussels you should visit Ghent as well. Just roughly 40 miles from the capital this is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe, featuring magnificent architecture along the river banks. Gravensteen Castle is certainly the greatest Romanesque castle in Belgium and sreets like Korenlei and Graslei take you right back to the 14th century. The most prominent landmark of Ghent is the almost 300 ft belfry, a bell tower built roughly 600 years ago, once representing the town burghers’ power opposite the church, then used for defensive purposes. This belfry along with 24 others all over Flanders was admitted to the list of UNESCO World Heritage in 1999.
Next to Flanders the other region is Wallonia, characterized by vast green lands, rugged hills, clear rivers, and remote heath lands.
Get some fresh air in the Belgium outdoors
In the south the
Ardennes uplands make for a great playground for outdoor fans, in winter occasionally offering nice conditions for skiing. The hills, up to 2100 feet high, are crisscrossed by hiking and cycling trails and resemble a Swiss cheese on the inside. Countless stalactite caves wait to be explored, the best among them the
Neptune Grotto close to Couving and the Han-sur-Lesse grottos, a vast network of 1.8 miles of caves featuring the 23 ft “trophy” stalactite. A national park around the caves is the natural habitat of brown bears, wolves, bisons, and lynxes. Book your rental car in Belgium today!
