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Belgium brings to mind images of exquisite lace, fine porcelain and melt in your mouth chocolates. Shouldering a legacy rich with culture, art and history, Belgium today is not just the seasoned traveller’s delight, but also a leading commercial and political centre of the European Union as also the headquarters of NATO.

It is a country of romantic beaches along the north, rocky highlands down south and rolling green countryside in between.

Whether it is Brussels, the capital city of Belgium that beckons you with it’s blend of old and new, or industrialized Antwerp the diamond centre of the world with it’s Gothic churches and quaint cobbled streets or a visit to a lace factory in Brugge - this and more, will make you want that visit to last forever. The land of van Eyck and Rubens is as ravishing now as the masterful brush strokes that captured and immortalized it centuries ago.

Belgium is the world’s largest diamond centre.

Ever wondered who is the versatile artist behind the comic charcaters in Adventures of Tin Tin? It was Belgian called Herge. This comic strip has kept readers enthralled for over 80 years and continues to do so even today. Incidentally, Belgium is the largest producer of comic books!

There are 800 kinds of beer brewed in Belgium with an average consumption of 150 litres per person per year. The Belgians really know their beer and sure can down the mellow yellow liquid!

Historically Speaking

With neighbors like France, Germany and England, Belgium couldn’t help but make history. Constantly invaded by its bullying neighbours – first by the tribes of Germany and later ruled by the French duke of Burgundy during the 14th century, Belgium enjoyed its golden days of glory under the latter’s regime. Art and literature flourished, as did trade and commerce. Antwerp in particular emerged as a crucial port through the Flemish cloth trade. However, in the centuries that followed, the Spaniards invaded Belgium, and this somewhat stifled the country’s quest for prosperity. Christianity had been infused in the Belgians, starting with the 7th century, and the Catholic enforcement by the Spaniards did not go down too well with the people, leading to much unrest and revolt against the rule.

A full scale war erupted in 1568, fought by all the Low Countries under Spanish rule. The revolt lasted almost a century, and treaties, political unifications and divisions took up another 100 years or so. In 1815 the famous Battle of Waterloo took place here where Napolean suffered defeat at the hands of the Duke of Wellington. By 1830, Belgium was recognized as an independent state by all its neighbours.

In close coordination with countries like Luxembourg, Belgium maintained a neutral stand in the years to come. But the insistent German armies still invaded the country during World War I, and again in 1940 – with the acquiescence of King Leopold III.

After the Axis defeat, Leopold was executed, but the people willingly accepted his first born, Baudoin, as their emperor. Baudoin lived to serve as head of state till as recently as 1993, and was then succeeded by the current monarch King Albert II.

Habitat

From the gorgeous beach resorts of the North Sea coastline or the scenic Ardennes covered by cliffs to the dense woods in the southern part of the country - Belgium has many choices.

The flat plains in lower Belgium are criss-crossed by a huge network of canals, lined by trees and greenery all the way. The green expanse of the rolling Bruegel country is punctuated by rocky caves and ravines and make for some exciting exploring and hiking expeditions.

The two chief rivers of Belgium are the Scheld and the Meuse, both rising in neighbouring France.