Belgium, small but packs a punch. Not known among its fellow Europeans as a destination hub nor among those beyond the continent but look close and you will find some hidden gems. A confusing country with 3 official languages! We're here to help you navigate it and find the best best places in Belgium. 

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Lying on the North Sea coast, Belgium's immediate neighbours are France, Luxembourg, Germany and the Netherlands. The small nation of Belgium might leave you surprised by its rich and gorgeous heritage. It boasts a number of fascinatingly historic cities packed with medieval and Art Nouveau architecture and famous for their long traditions in arts, fashion and fine dining. If you've seen the best of them, the Belgian countryside offers anything from sandy beaches to the densely forested hills and ridges of the Ardennes. Brussels, the country's vibrant capital, is a modern world city with a highly international character. It combines massive postmodern buildings in its European Quarter with impressive historic monuments, such as the World Heritage listed Grand Place, surrounded by guildhouses and the Gothic town hall. There's Laken Castle and the large St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, dedicated to the cities patron saints. The Royal Palace is a more recent but no less grand structure. One of the city's most famous landmarks is the Atomium, a remarkable steel structure and remnant of the 1958 World's Fair.

Belgium

Some Belgium itinari picks

A view of Rome and its historical ruins with the sun setting in the distance.

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Once the core of the mighty Roman Empire, and the cradle of the Renaissance, it is also home to the greatest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, including high art and monuments. Italy is famous for its delicious cuisine, it's trendy fashions, luxury sports cars and motorcycles, diverse regional cultures and dialects, as well as for its various sceneries from the seas to the Alps and Apennines, all reasons why it got nickcoded Il Bel Paese (the Beautiful Country). One of the great things about Italy is that its long thin shape means that when you get fed up with sightseeing you are often a relatively short distance from a beach. In many of the more popular areas, large sections of beach are reserved as paid beaches. Italy is full of differents cultures you can see: Etruscan Italy, The Greek influence, Roman ruins, Christian Italy, The Byzantine cities and The Renaissance.

Italy

White sand and clear waters on the shores of Sardinia

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Spain is famous for its friendly inhabitants, relaxed lifestyle, its cuisine, vibrant nightlife, and world-famous folklore and festivities, and its history as the core of the vast Spanish Empire. The most popular beaches are the ones along the Mediterranean coast and on the Canary Islands. Meanwhile, for hiking, the mountains of Sierra Nevada in the south, the Central Cordillera and the northern Pyrenees are the best places. Historically, Spain has been an important crossroads: between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, between North Africa and Europe, and as Europe began colonizing the New World, between Europe and the Americas. As such, the country is blessed with a fantastic collection of historical landmarks. The Spanish are very passionate about their cuisine, based on great food and wine. Spanish food can be described as quite light with a lot of vegetables and a huge variety of meat and fish.

Spain

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San Sebastián

Santander

A Coruña

Comillas

Sanxenxo

Ribadeo

Villaescusa

Cudillero

Ribadesella

Cangas de Onís

San Vicente de la Barquera

The Basque country is a natural paradise, made of numerous valleys and fishing ports... and is even crossed by a portion of the 'Camino' to Santiago de Compostela. Amongst its local delicacies, you will find multiple varieties of wine and sparkling wines, as well as its very typical goat cheese. If you are more of a culture lover, you will certainly not want to miss the San Sebastián film festival or a visit to the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao. 

The region is unfortunately also well known for its conflicts and demands for independence. Today, the area has achieved a relative political stability, within the framework of an autonomous region. An important change, that now allows the Basque people to freely express their identity and culture.

Basque Country

It is a paradise for outdoor activities thanks to a maritime climate that is mild throughout the year. Relatively sober rather than flamboyant, this region is not yet as well known to the general public as other, sunnier, regions that attract more tourists. And yet, far from the crowds and mass tourism, it is a delightfully green area offering rest and relaxation to those in search of authenticity. Its archaeological sites dating from the Palaeolithic era and the cave art of its prehistoric grottoes have earned the region classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cantabria

Principality of Asturias

Despite its isolation, it quickly entered history when the Romans discovered its mineral-rich lands. It has been able to preserve a strong identity that is reflected first and foremost in its own language – Galician. This remote zone has had no choice but to turn to the ocean early on, and the influence of the sea is reflected in its economy, focused on fishing, in the typical fishing villages that adorn its coasts, and on a cuisine rich in prawns and scallops.

Galicia

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Hidden gems along Spain Atlantic coastline

Cinque Terre

Palermo

Agrigento

Cefalu

Syracuse

Piazza Armerina

Castelvetrano

Monreale

The island has been a crossroads between civilisations for millennia. It is a paradise for history buffs, rich in Greek temples and Roman sites dating back to Antiquity, as well as in Byzantine style buildings. The names of Syracuse and Taormina alone awaken the desire to visit the island. Its gastronomy gives pride of place to citrus fruits, fish and oriental flavours. Situated at a stone's throw from the African continent, it enjoys sunshine almost year-round, a warm climate and a volcanic terrain (with Mount Etna as the largest active volcano in Europe) that is well suited to agriculture.

Sicily

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Ancient temples, theatres, ruins and churches: the best of Sicily

Nicolosi

Realmonte

Noto

San Vito lo Capo

Alcara li Fusi

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The remote corners of Sicily: volcanic nature and beaches under the sun

Paris

France as a country is like a superlative: It’s the largest country in Western Europe, bordering six other nations. It’s also the oldest country in Europe, existing in its present form since the 15th century

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Some come to follow the trail of France's great philosophers, writers and artists, or to immerse in the beautiful language it gave the world. And others still are drawn to the country's geographical diversity with its long coastlines, massive mountain ranges and breathtaking farmland vistas. France has been the world's most popular tourist destination for over twenty years. People come to France for many a reason: its cities contain some of the greatest treasures on the continent, its countryside is prosperous and well-tended and it boasts dozens of major tourist attractions. France is one of the most geographically diverse countries in Europe, containing areas as different from each other as urban chic Paris, the sunny French Riviera, long Atlantic beaches, the winter sports resorts of the French Alps, the castles of the Loire Valley, rugged Celtic Brittany and the historian's dream that is Normandy. France is a country of rich emotions and turbulent politics but also a place of rational thinking and Enlightenment treasures. Above all, it is renowned for its cuisine, culture and history. Whatever you want from a holiday, you're about to find it in France.

France

Close to 20% of the national population lives here and the region is home to many international companies and prestigious universities and 'Grandes écoles' in France. The principal sectors are those of finance, consultancy and other high value-added services. Moreover, the worldwide attractiveness of Paris and the presence of the Disneyland theme park are also substantial sources of revenue. The region's road and rail transport networks are extremely well served, facilitating trade and travel. But all is not urban sprawl, however: the region is also known for its natural beauty, in the form of parks, forests and river land. The region is also one the most touristic of the country, but not by french people. With Paris as one of the most visited city of the world the region has a real touristic power all over the world.

Île-de-France

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Your first trip to Paris, Ville Lumière

Verdun

Les Champeaux

Colleville-sur-Mer

Arromanches-Les-Bains

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As the name suggests, this is a large region of eastern France, fronting the entire border with Germany and Luxembourg, and significant portions of the Belgian and Swiss borders, too. It is unsurprising that everything of the region's culture, from the architecture and languages, to the food and wine, is a pleasing mix of Gallic and Germanic. Visitors come to explore the battlefields of the Ardennes and Verdun, to quaff glasses of champagne, gobble up quiche and sauerkraut, hike or bike the Vosges, or to glide lazily down the mighty Rhine. Devotees of gastronomy know it for its famous 'Wine Route' and come to taste the famous Rieslings and Gewürztraminers, but it is also renowned for its sauerkraut, sausages and other dishes that are reminiscent of the neighbouring Germany. The region is also renowned for an other  gastronomy speciality, the leading product of course being none other than the famous champagne, synonym of luxury and festivities the world over. Travellers seek out the region to amble through its small medieval towns, go walking along its plains interspersed with forests and valleys, or take a tasting tour of its legendary champagnes.

Grand Est

Enjoying a temperate maritime climate, its rugged coastline is marked by windswept cliffs. Its economy, in the past as today, is based on agriculture and livestock breeding and takes advantage of the presence of two of the most important ports in France. The region, and more particularly Giverny, was the home of the famous painter Claude Monet, father of French Impressionism; various museums are devoted to an appreciation of this very distinctive period in the history of painting. Most of the region is a rural zone, sparsely populated, with abundant farmland and pastures; the region is also the birthplace of Camembert cheese. Tourism is well developed thanks to the dynamism of its beach resorts, such as Deauville.

Normandy

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World war memorials and historic sites

Pisa

Siena

Florence

Castiglione d'Orcia

Tuscany

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Two weeks at the heart of Tuscany

Ribeauvillé

Hunawihr

Riquewihr

Eguisheim

Mittelbergheim

A beautiful village in Eastern France with traditional clocktower in a historical town.

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Beautiful villages in Eastern France

Welcome to the capital of Belgium! Known as the heart of the European Union, Brussels is absolutely buzzing. Modern neighbourhoods sit side by side with Art Deco buildings and historic landmarks. 

Brussels

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A week-end trip with your family in Brussels

The most romantic city in Belgium. Bruges has beautiful sights around every corner!

Bruges

Welcome to the rolling dunes and open beaches of Belgium’s coastline. West Flanders is, you guessed it, Belgium’s most western province. It’s most popular in the summer when everyone is looking for a coastal escape. 

West Flanders

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Bruges, Venice of the North

Toulouse

It has several villages classified as among the most beautiful in France, but also to the Pyrenees mountain chain and the Spanish border (to the south-west). It is also bounded by the Massif Central to the north. Its Mediterranean climate and fine vineyards produce world-renowned wines, particularly in the areas around Béziers and Narbonne. Subject to the Mistral and Tramontane winds, it offers generous amounts of sunshine all year long, which counts as the top tourist destination favoured by Parisians. It is a land of tradition and terroir that has also developed a strong offering in terms of the arts, theatre and festivals. Toulouse, its principal city, boasts a remarkably youthful, lively and student population and also serves as the region's economic motor.  Its landscapes are varied, ranging from the high altitudes of the Pyrenees mountains to the plains and plateaus of the north.

Occitania

The French city of Toulouse during golden hour, with a view of the city's bridge over the calm waters.

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Toulouse, French Pink city, perfect spot for a short break

Marseille

Provence-Alpes-Côte D'Azur

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Marseille, gateway to the Mediterranean sea

Avignon

Les Baux-de-Provence

Cannes

Antibes

Creissels

Nîmes

Gordes

Les Salles-sur-Verdon

Saint-Paul-de-Vence

La Palud-sur-Verdon

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

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The landmarks of Le Midi, Southern France

Zagori

Acharnes

Alonnisos

Dion-Olympos

Sfakia

Resen

Amfikleia-Elateia

Anogeia

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Much of the country consists of peninsulas and islands in the Aegean, Ionian, and Mediterranean Seas. It borders Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Ancient Greece was one of Europe's first urban civilizations, and the origin of much of the arts, language, philosophy, politics, and sports of western society. The cultural heritage and spectacular mountains and beaches draw tourists from far away. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres. The country consists of nine geographic regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands, Thrace and Crete. Few countries can pride themselves on a heritage as important to Western civilization as Greece. A range of first class historic landmarks remind one of the days when the great Greek emperors and writers made their mark on the development of science, literature and democracy. No less than 17 of those monuments are listed as World Heritage Sites. However, the many charming little islands, sandy beaches and picturesque whitewashed coastal towns are at least as much a reason to come for the millions of tourists that this Mediterranean country receives each year.

Greece

Among your priorities should be a visit to the city of Athens to see all the heritage of the ancient greek culture and of course the Parthenon, Greece’s most famous attraction. There are also many more places to see. Do not forget to check the “Modern sites” of Athens such as the Panathinaiko Stadium or the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Once you finish sightseeing, give yourself a relaxed day among the beaches on the south of Athens which you can easily reach in a very short time. You can also go on a cruise to see the islands around. The region also offers parks and nature all around the city. Make sure you climb on the hills to see Lycabettus and Pnyx, Philopappos hill and Ardettos hill for one of the best panoramic views of the whole city.

Attica

Irakleio

Ioannina

In this city you can see some huge fortress and its Archaeological Museum, located inside the fortress. The most important monument of the region is Hosios Loukas Monastery, a historical place that is today in UNESCO's World Heritage Sites liste. The region also has a great variety of nature like everywhere in Greece, where you can find your own little beach to enjoy. However, the region also has many mountains, like Mount Parnassus or Mount Giona, and also the Mornos lake in Phocis. But one off the most known places of the region is Thermopylae. It’s a narrow coastal passage very famous, since it’s the place where took place the historical battle that opposed the Spartans with its leader, Leonidas and the Persians ( 300 movies).

Central Greece

Thessaloniki

Larisa

The landscape of the region is divided into two different types: one mountainous with the Baba mountains, and the other flat with the eponymous plain. If you are a nature lover, stop by the National Park Pelister, Krusevo Lake or Marble Lake. If you like history, there are also many places to visit such as Heraclea Lyncestis, the Shirok Solak Street, the Clock tower of Bitola, the Treshaver Monastery, the Tose Proeski Memorial house and Saint Archangel Michael Monastery.

Pelagonia

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Hiking in the beautiful natural parks of Greece

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Brittany, land of mysteries and legends

Puy-en-Velay

Cahors

Moissac

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Aiguilhe

Estaing

Nogaro

Montcuq-en-Quercy-Blanc

Nasbinals

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Nouvelle-Aquitaine

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The Way of Sint James in France: landmarks along via Podiensis

León

Léon

Leon

Burgos

Santiago de Compostela

Ponferrada

Astorga

Sarria

Villafranca Del Bierzo

Portomarín

Pedrafita do Cebreiro

Frómista

Castrojeriz

Hontanas

Hornillos del Camino

Guanajuato

Castille & Leon

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The Way of Sint James through Castilla y León and Galicia

Pamplona

Logrono

Nájera

San Millán de la Cogolla

Puente la Reina

Roncesvalles

Esteribar

Chartered Community of Navarre

Oak and beech forests situated at high altitudes give way to olive trees as one travels towards the plains and hills of the north. Small villages perched high in the mountains, seemingly outside of time, are ideal rest spots for visitors who wish to visit its hidden corners. Lastly, the historical legacy of La Rioja is far from insignificant: the zone is host to a number of monasteries classed as world heritage sites, including one known for having been the home of the first poet in history to write in the Castilian language.

Rioja

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The Way of Sint James through Navarra

The second biggest city in Belgium, known for its fashion scene and of course diamonds! This city is always changing and growing as it has since its golden days as the biggest port city in Europe. 

Antwerp

The diamond heart of Belgium with awesome cultural experiences and natural gems on its borders.

A taste of nature and outdoor activities in Belgium

From italian origins, I was born and grew up in Belgium. I got the travel virus when taking a 5-months travel break a few years ago. I believe that every place, every area is worth unveiling; to me, beauty lies everywhere.

Belgium

Italy

Spain

Belgium

Italy

Spain

Spain

Italy

Belgium

Belgium

Italy

Spain

Italy

Italy

Italy

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