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Cimetière Saint
Just 5.5km east of Mons, this small cemetery is one of the most peaceful and thought-provoking in Belgium. The resting place of roughly equal numbers of German and British soldiers from WWI, it includes the tombs of the first and last Commonwealth soldiers to die in the conflict.
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Flagey
The marvellous 1938 ‘liner’ building, Flagey, originally conceived as the national radio building, is now the centre of an up-and-coming nightlife area. With its distinctive round ‘periscope’ tower, it’s an art-deco classic that hosts a hip cafe, a cinema and various music venues.
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Kasteel Zonnebeke
In the centre of Zonnebeke village is a lake-fronted Normandy chalet-style mansion. It was built in 1922 to replace a castle bombarded into rubble during WWI. Its stables host a stylish restaurant-cafe, while inside there’s a tourist information booth and the Passchendaele 1917 mus
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Vismarkt
The stone slabs of the colonnaded 1821 fish market still accommodate fish stalls most mornings, along with trinket sellers later in the day. Several seafood restaurants here back onto pretty Huidenvettersplein, where archetypal Bruges buildings include the old tanners’ guildhouse.
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Old Hoegaarden Brewery
The Old Hoegaarden Brewery has been converted into a slick, interactive museum experience celebrating the iconic white beer. Buy tickets from the attached 19th-century Kouterhof brasserie-restaurant (www.kouterhof.be) and return afterwards for two free beers (one to take away).
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Palais Stoclet
The radically geometric exterior of the 1911 Palais Stoclet is an early premonition of art deco: the architect was instructed to produce a Gesamtkunstwerk (‘total work of art’). The building is closed to the public, but its dazzling interiors feature work by Klimt and Khnopff.
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Dënzelt
The delightful town square’s pinched waist is given character by this distinctive, modestly sized former law-court building that has 14th- and 15th-century origins, though the arcade, statues and corner turrets that give it its current neo-Gothic appearance date from an 1895 rebuil
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Plancenoit
In 1815 a crucial sideshow battle between French and Prussian armies engulfed this pleasant country village 6km east of Waterloo. There’s a hidden Gothic-black Prussian memorial 500m north of the village’s steeply sloped central square. Bus 36 connects to Braine-l’Alleud station.
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Musée Ducal
Below the castle, this museum spreads over two historic houses and incorporates an antique smithy. Displays highlight Godefroid de Bouillon’s life , the First Crusade, the local metallurgy industry and local artist Albert Raty (1889–1970). The folklore section is only open in summe
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Plan Incliné de Ronquières
This 1.4km-long slope, or sliding lock at Ronquières is a curious 1968 contraption that lowers boats down a steepish gradient in a giant bathtub. It’s strangely mesmerising to watch it trundling oh so slowly into action. The two-hour visit includes a 3D film and views from the top.
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Parc de Sept Heures
With a picturesque Léopold II–era pavilion and wrought-iron marketplace hosting Sunday morning flea markets, this charming park features minigolf, pétanque and pony rides in summer. The park’s north side slopes very steeply up through splendid beech woods to the Thermes spa complex
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Musée de la Banque
Where better than Luxembourg to spend an hour browsing through a Bank Museum? Its housed in the headquarters of the Banque et Caisse dÉpargne de lÉtat, one of Luxembourgs 180 banks, and traces 140 years of tradition and innovation in banking, from piggy banks to ATMs and bank robbe
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Parfumerie Guy Delforge
This specialist perfume-maker fills an old stone house with floral aromas and classical music. While its mostly a shop, there are tours of the cavern-based perfume laboratory on Saturdays at 3.30pm (€3.50), plus Mondays to Fridays during school holidays. Open until 6pm April to Oct
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Parc à Gibier
This is typical of several Ardennes animal parks designed to introduce children to local wildlife, notably deer, wolves and wild boars. Its around 2km northeast of La Roche, most interestingly reached on foot starting out along the path up to tiny Ste-Marguerite Chapel above the ca
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Château de Chimay
Off the Grand Place, a stone archway leads to this 15th-century castle, much damaged, altered and renovated over the years. Its the traditional home of the princes of Chimay and well worth a visit – self guided, with an iPad providing video and audio information; theres also a 3D f
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Musée d’Ansembourg
Less a museum than a magnificently furnished 1755 Regency mansion with original stucco ceilings and some gilded leather ‘wallpaper’, highlights include four original 17th-century Oudenaarde tapestries. Explanations are very cursory so you could easily see all 18 rooms in around 20
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Justitiepaleis
Antwerp’s 21st-century law courts have a distinctive series of gleaming titanium ‘sails’. Designed by Richard Rogers, famous for the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the building is pleasant enough but failed to find the architectural cachet the city hoped for and there’s little for visit
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Brasserie dAchouffe
Despite the silly gnomes on the labels, some of the Ardennes’ best beers are brewed by La Chouffe. The name is a mild pun on Achouffe, the pretty Ourthe Valley village where it’s brewed. Brewery visits are mostly by appointment (sign up online) and the three weekly drop-in tours ar
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Musée de la Bataille des Ardennes
Waxwork scenes, maps, and the odd video provide a competent, if unsophisticated, explanation of La Roche’s involvement in the wintry Battle of the Bulge, when 114 villagers perished and 90% of La Roche’s buildings were flattened. The personal remembrances of local women are especia
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Musée Archéologique
Mementoes of Arlon’s Roman and Merovingian history are displayed in the rich, but rather static, Musée Archéologique. A combination ticket (€6) also allows you to visit the attractively furnished Maison Gaspar across the road, with sculptures, photos and a notable 15th-century alta
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