A large plaza with one central monument that is dedicated to the Belgian revolution of 1830. It's…read moreall cobblestones and not very even, with the monument raised by a few steps and then a crypt below that is exposed. Worth a visit to pay respects to those who came before us and moved Belgium towards what it is today, but not if it's way out of your way.

A calm place just next to the busy shopping street. A good place to take away your hägendaz…read moreicecream or exkil food to eat in the sun on a sunny day. It's such a surprice to suddenly be surounded by all those white old buildings. Definitly place to stop at one of the many benches. There is not much more to do here than to enjoy the calmness and silence. Nice place!

Ornate city hall that offers hour long tour's during the week. Inside city hall the Mayor's…read moreoffice, City Council Room, All ceremonial offices, Maximilian Board Room, Wedding Hall, Gothic Hall, Portrait & Grange Gallery can be found. City hall was built in the early 1400's and is the only remaining medieval building of the Grand Place. The Grand-Place was damaged during the bombardment of Brussels in 1695. The 315 ft tall in Brabantine Gothic style tower was completed in 1455. Above the roof is pinnacled octagonal openwork. At the summit is a 16 ft tall gilt metal statue of Saint Michael, the patron saint of the City of Brussels, slaying a dragon.

My BFF's civil wedding was held here in May, and I was positively delighted to enjoy the…read moreopportunity to step inside for an enchanted European-style wedding. It was absolutely stunning inside, and beyond my wildest expectations!

I love surprises. Unexpected surprises are the best. Take that back...unexpected surprises where…read moreyou don't remember what happened but keep coming back for more are really the best. Walking around Leuven one afternoon, I turned into a side street. It was a normal, quiet side street, until you turn the corner and see a few students...then more students...then you see bar stools and more students. Oude Markt is a pedestrian area that comes alive with beer, students, and more beer. After my first visit here, I knew if was not going to be my last. I'm glad I remembered how to get here the next day.

Leuven's beating heart, any day of the week. Everybody will find a bar to his liking, be it brown,…read moretrendy, dance, alternative or hippie. There is even the underground "Bierkelder": not for the faint of heart.

This is the official palace of the King & Queen of the Belgians in the center of Brussels. However,…read moreit is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family live in the Royal Palace of Laeken in northern Brussels. The first building on the Coudenberg hill was built around the second half of the 11th century. We visited the remains underground. r, King Leopold II, who judging the building to be too modest for a king of his stature, kept on enlarging and embellishing the palace until his death in 1909. During Leopold II's reign, the palace doubled in size. The houses located between the different buildings were destroyed & gave way to 2 galleries which widened the length of the building. A Grand Staircase, the Throne Room and the Grand Gallery were added. The palace plays a pivotal role in the receptions of international personalities. Currently, the very many ambassadors accredited to Belgium are received by the king in the Hall of Mirrors. During the WWI and on the initiative of Queen Elisabeth, it became a military hospital of the Red Cross. During state visits, the royal apartments & suites are at the disposal of visiting heads of state. Ambassadors too are received there with state ceremony. New Year's receptions are held for NATO, EU ambassadors and politicians. Royal wedding banquets take place in the palace, and after their death, the body of the deceased king lies in state there.