Distance from base: 250 km

Apart from its famous chocolates and beers, there are almost 90 museums, beautiful parks, architecture, bars and much more. Beer is a big thing in Belgium and Brussels. The Belgian Brewers even have a small beer museum at the Grand Place that plays a video about the history of beer and the beer-making process. At the end, they will also serve you a cold beer.

FLOWER CARPET:
Upon arrival you have time to stroll across the Grand-Place, the historical heart of Brussels. Here Gothic style can be seen adjacent to opulent baroque, neo-classical as well as neo-Gothic. The Grand-Place is regarded by its admirers as “the most beautiful central square in the world”! Its construction began in the 15th century, with halls, guild houses and a Town Hall. It was virtually razed after 3 full days of bombardment by the French Army in 1695, yet was rebuilt in less than 5 years, notably by the different guilds. Inhale the fragrant scent of the begonias and admire its details. This extraordinary spectacle is made complete by a visit to the balcony of the Town Hall (admission fee is not included), which offers a wide-angle view of the work. This summer the theme of the Flower Carpet is “Mexico”.

Fun Fact:

• The first Flower Carpet of Brussels was created in 1971 and has been a showstopper every two years on the Grand-Place since 1986.
• Every two years, the non-profit association Tapis de Fleurs brings together a committee of professionals (illustrators, graphic designers, landscape architects) who come up with scale projects, with each edition illustrating a different theme (the commemoration of major events, a country, a continent, the coat of arms of a city, etc.). Once the theme has taken shape in the form of a model and symbols, the number of flowers is calculated and the combinations of colours are established. More than 100 volunteer gardeners put together this giant floral puzzle in less than eight hours.
• Belgium is the world’s largest producer of begonias: 35 million bulbs each year! 80% of the total production, cultivated almost exclusively in the area of Ghent since 1860, is exported, primarily to the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.