The City of Brussels

Brussels, the national capital of Belgium and of the European Union, is over 1,000 years old. This influential city also hosts the headquarters of NATO, EURATOM and many other significant official bodies. It is strategically located in the heart of Europe, nestled between the neighboring countries of France, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Brussels is ancient city, steeped in tradition, yet simultaneously vibrant, modern and cosmopolitan. It is a meeting point for many cultures –French-speaking Walloons, Dutch-speaking Flemish and a small minority of German-speakers – and that’s just the Belgians! Its population of one million inhabitants is roughly one-third foreign, being comprised of the three Belgian language-groups, joined by immigrants and expatriates from around Europe and the world.

The city is half village and half metropolis – a place where the corner baker knows your name, but also where the art, culture and nightlife rival those of Paris and other, much larger cities. The city features spectacular architecture of centuries past, precious national monuments and World Heritage Sites and museums and yet is completely modern in its infrastructure and economy.

Well-known for its fine cuisine and friendly population, visitors from all over the globe are welcomed into Brussels year round.

Brussels is surrounded by the landscapes that inspired the masterpieces of the Breughels and the engineering feats that led to the industrialization of a third of the continent of Africa, as well as the bloodiest fields of battle of the First and Second World Wars. Further afield, Brussels is well-linked by ultra-high-speed trains to Paris (1.5 hours), Cologne (2.5 hours), Amsterdam (2 hours) and London (3 hours). Brussels international airport has daily direct flights to and from every major (and quite a number of minor) city in the world.