Travel ideas for Belgium - unique sights, worth Guinness records

The Belœil Castle has been one of the most visited castles in Belgium for several years. The first mention of the castle dates back to the 13th century. At the end of the 14th century the castle became the property of the Princes of Ligne and was of great strategic importance until the 17th century. Later, the dark castle under the direction of owner was converted into the chic residence and was used as a venue for balls and official events. The nearby France has influenced the exterior of the building. Today, the building is surrounded by the wonderfully beautiful French garden, whose area is 120 hectares.
In the twentieth century, the castle was transformed into the art museum and presents visitors a unique collection of the old paintings, the age of some of which forms more than 500 years. You can also see the valuable collection of more than 20,000 ancient books in the castle. The adjoining territory is as well as its interior decoration as well worth seeing. During the excursion visitors can see a beautiful pond, as well as a lot of the old stone sculptures and the interesting landscape elements.
The experienced tourists strive to visit the castle at the beginning of corn. For several years it has served as the location of the beautiful flower festival 'Amaryllisfeerie'. In the course of ten days the guests of the castle can enjoy the wonderfully beautiful colors and participate in the exciting cultural events. At the end of August the castle welcomes the followers of classical music. The concerts of the most famous musicians and orchestras take place in the picturesque Schlossgarten. ... Complete sights collection

In Belgium there are quite unusual houses. One of the most famous among them is the design studio BHAM. The gifted modern designers have converted the old water tower, whose height is 30 meters, into a comfortable house. The diameter of the unusual house is also quite impressive and is 20 meters, and the general area of ​​the six-storey house forms 400 sqm
The water tower, built in 1938 in the town of Stinokkerzil, was expediently used until the end of the 20th century. In the course of this time, the tower became a distinctive architectural landmark, which is why the tower was deserted, the talented architects decided to give the second life to the tower. In 2007 the large tower reconstruction began, which lasted more than three years.
The original construction was completely restored, on the ground floor the garage was furnished. For the convenience of the residents the tower was provided with the elevator. The rooms were designed as minimalism. The modern furnishings of the old tower have nothing in common with the old traditions. The elegant colors and the strict forms weigh in the interior furnishing. The original house in the water tower is environmentally friendly and is designed with the natural materials. In addition, the house uses the alternative energy sources, which makes it even more unique. ... Complete sights collection

In Brussels is the unique building Atomium, which can hardly be called a typical building. The structure is a huge model of the iron atom and consists of the large metal spheres connected to the metal tubes. The original building in Brussels was built in 1958 on the occasion of the opening of the World Exhibition, symbolizing scientific progress. Nowadays, Atomium is used as the location of exhibitions and cultural events, most of which are devoted to technical progress.
The height of the construction is 102 meters. In the upper sphere of the gigantic atom, the viewing platform and the cozy restaurant, from which the wonderful panorama of the city opens. One of the spheres is specially designed for children. There are colorful recreation and games rooms. If desired, the parents with the children in one of the rooms can spend the whole day and even stay in it.
The unique building, whose design was developed by the outstanding architect Adre Waterkeyn, is today the landmark of national importance. The huge pipes that connect the spheres have not only a decorative purpose. Inside are the escalators and high-speed trains, with the help of which visitors of the 'atom' can move freely through their entire space. In 2006 the unusual building was completely renovated, after which it even looked more attractive. In the evening Atomium is illuminated by the wonderful illumination. The building is surrounded by the picturesque park with fountains and comfortable recreation areas. ... Complete sights collection

One of the most extravagant and original museums in the world is in Brussels. Celebrities Underwear Museum presents visitors with literally the most sensual and provocative exhibits. In the museum one can see the underwear of the showbusiness celebrities and the politicians. From some exhibits the museum founder has formed the very original photocollagen. It must be noted that all the garments presented in the museum were not only owned by the celebrities but were attracted at least once.
This important fact is confirmed by the special certificates, which can be seen alongside all the pieces of the original collection. The original collection of the Brussels Museum is not so extensive, it contains only a few dozens of exhibits presented in the only exhibition hall. The founder and owner of the extravagant museum is the Belgian painter Jan Bucquoy. For this reason, the exposition not only covers the small pieces, but also the unique art objects.
All collages presented in the museum are humorous and charming. One of the best collages is, according to the opinion of the museum founder, the collage depicting Nicolas Sarkozy. The talented painter does not want to stand still. He aims to expand the collection of the original museum and to prove to his guests that 'face to face all underwear are the same.' ... Complete sights collection

In Belgium you can also find the strange and little known sights. Such attractions include the fairytale Hallerbos forest. The extensive beech forest, whose surface is 5.5 sq km, is a fairytale because of the wild hyacinths. In the second half of April, these wondrous flowers with the blue bells cover the forest like a lush colorful carpet, forming a beautiful contrast with the young green leaves. The forest looks magical. Most tourists strive to visit it at the end of April or the beginning of May.
Most people who visit the Blue Forest Hallerbos are the locals. This natural sight is not so well known among foreign guests. The travelers, who want to visit the fabulous forest next spring, are to take a trip accompanied by the guide. It does not help to get lost in the unknown forest, and will also show the most interesting places where you can observe the forest inhabitants of the forest from afar.
The forest is located in the surroundings of the town of Dvorp and is only a 30 minute drive from Brussels. The fact that the sight is located in the immediate vicinity of the large industrial centers makes it even more strange. According to the approximate bills, the age of the unique Blue Forest forms about 400 years. The researchers believe that so extensive hyacinth thickening has formed on its territory in the course of a few centuries. Today, the forest is the unique ecosystem that serves as a location for rabbits, deer and rare birds. If you are lucky, you can meet the forest inhabitants during the hike. ... Complete sights collection

Another great way to enjoy delicious dishes on the heights - to book a table at the popular Brussels Dinner Dinner in the Sky. This open-air restaurant is a small platform with transparent canopy which has the height of 50 meters. Once the platform can receive 22 visitors. The guests are served by 4 employees of the restaurant - the waiter, the cook, the security man and the musician.
The original restaurants, where you can dine in heaven, was opened in 2006 and has been incredibly popular since the first days. At the moment there are similar restaurants in the other European cities, but Belgian dinner in the Sky remains the most popular and famous among them.
Despite the impressively high prices, the restaurant has never lacked the customer. To book the platform for a few hours, you must pay at least 20,000 US Dollars. On a special order, a platform next door can be raised, on which the piano is set up. The more frugal guests can dine with the violin. The second most populous restaurant of the network is in Vienna and was opened a few years ago. Dinner in the Sky is an excellent restaurant for those travelers who want to get hungry after new impressions and change their everyday life. ... Complete sights collection

Montagne de Bueren (The Soldier's Staircase) is one of the main historical landmarks of the Belgian city of Liege. The staircase begins in the Or Chateau district and rises to a hill, where a fortress was located a few centuries ago. Today the park of the citadel is located here. This is a historical complex, which includes the surviving elements of construction and fortress walls. To see it, tourists need to go through 374 steps. The legendary Soldier's Staircase was built in 1875.
The story of the name of the staircase is quite unusual. In the 18th century there were a lot of entertainment and drinking places in the territory of the current quarter of Or Chateau. It was in these institutions that the soldiers from the fortress liked to rest. For them the stone staircase was the shortest route to long-awaited rest and fun. The purpose of the construction of the staircase was strategic. It was to allow the soldiers to quickly move to the center of the city if necessary.
Guests of Liege, who are not lazy to walk to the end of the stairs, will have an opportunity to admire not only unique historical sights. From the historic district, a wonderful panoramic view of the Maas river opens. Walking on the stairs will be comfortable and pleasant even for those who do not like long walks. On the stairs in certain places beautiful shops were established, where you can always relax. There is a cult place of interest in Liege with the official name "Buren Mount", it was named after the nobleman Vincent de Buren, who played an important role in the defense of the city. ... Complete sights collection

Among the outstanding landmarks of Ghent is an original sculptural house with a complex name Vogelenzangpark 17bis, which was specially equipped for the opening of the TRACK: A Contemporary City Conversion festival. Located on a tree, the model of a small cottage is an exact copy of the building that is next to the tree. After the end of the art festival it has been decided to preserve it.
The author of the project of an unusual sculpture is an artist from Antwerp Benjamin Verdonck. Among the variety of urban buildings, he particularly liked the building of a retired club, which can be called a classic architectural monument of the mid-20th century. A beautiful historic building managed to survive to this day. In combination with an art monument, the old cottage looks very impressive. The only drawback of the house on a tree can be considered its modest size, it is too small to accommodate even one person in its walls.
The monument is no less popular. Every day curious tourists come here to take interesting photos. The impressive sculpture and the adjoining old building are surrounded by an incredibly beautiful park, through which you can stroll at any time of the year. Here grow majestic, old trees, in the shadow of which comfortable recreation zones have been equipped with benches, as well as other no less remarkable sculptures. ... Complete sights collection

In Brussels, travellers have an opportunity to visit the most interesting "Mini Europe" park. It is located next to one of the most famous landmarks of the city – the "Atomium" sculpture. It is believed, that it is in this park of miniatures that one can see some of the most upscale and expensive models in the world, which represent exact copies of the most important European landmarks at a scale of 1:25. The park has a lot of interactive layouts. Everywhere you can see trains running on miniature railways, windmill mills with rotating blades and even erupting Vesuvius.
The park was opened in 1989. Today its area is about 24000 square meters. On this extensive territory the most important sights of 27 European countries were presented. Here, you can see the Arc de Triomphe, the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, and the Acropolis. You can also be photographed against the backdrop of the miniature Eiffel Tower and the Maestranza arena.
The park is famous not only for its variety of realistic miniatures, but also for its amazing landscape decorations. At its registration, beautiful lawn, various dwarf trees and bushes have been used. Enjoy this beauty is best of all in summer. According to approximate estimates, the Mini Europe miniature park is visited by about 375000 people annually. The annual income of the park is about three million euros. As a rule, tourists spend at least two hours on sightseeing. The park can be visited from early March to early January. ... Complete sights collection

In Belgium, travelers will have an opportunity to see one of the most beautiful empty castles in the world, Chateau Miranda. The last owners of this luxury castle were members of the Liedekerke Beaufort family. They were forced to leave their home in the Great French Revolution and moved to a neighboring farm. After the Second World War, the castle became the property of the national railway company, which has converted it into a camp for orphans.
Over the years, the cost of maintenance of the castle has been growing. In 1991, it has been finally abandoned due to lack of funding. Four years later, the historic building was seriously damaged by fire. At present, the Chateau Miranda officially belongs to the descendants of Liedekerke Beaufort family. They have long been taken out all valuables, including precious elements of decoration. In recent years, castle owners received several offers to sale their property, as wealthy businessmen planned to convert it into a hotel.
None of the transactions took place. In fact, a few years ago current owners of the castle provided a formal requirement for its demolition. Many amazing legends are associated with the gracious building. Its history goes back for more than 800 years. According to the available historical records, during its existence, the fortification was taken by assault just once.  The castle has witnessed many bloody battles. Despite the fact that the site was officially closed to the public, that does not stop visitors from the local community and tourists. Those who want to visit the Chateau Miranda, have to consider that the building is very dangerous, as it’s destroying at our eyes. ... Complete sights collection