Belgium holidays

Set your own pace and walk or cycle along hundreds of miles of footpaths and disused railway lines in the Ardennes. Enjoy boating along Belgium’s canals and waterways. Wander the windswept sand dunes and beaches lining the Flemish coast. Visit the Zwin, a nature reserve near Knokke-Heist and enjoy a gourmet meal at a rural restaurant.

Visiting Brussels on a budget? This city of diplomats maxing out their expense accounts is not known for its money saving credentials but there are still plenty of free attractions.

• Grand-Place, one of Europe’s most beautiful squares, now hosts a daily market, concerts and special events such as the Flower Carpet. Nearby is the iconic fountain statue Manneken Pis and his equally irreverent counterparts Jeanneke Pis, which depicts a urinating girl, and peeing dog Het Zinneke.
• Many of Brussels’ best museums are also free. The House of European History tells the story of a fast-evolving continent from 1789 to 1914 in each of the European Union’s 24 languages. Visit the Parlamentarium for an interactive immersion into how European democracy works. The European Parliament’s visitor centre includes a 360-degree digital film, an interactive floor map and the chance to ‘meet’ its 705 MEPs. Additionally, many museums offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month.
• Also free is a stroll around the 300-acre park Bois de la Cambre. The park offers plenty of diversions, including horse stables, a roller-skating rink, an English lawn, playgrounds, a theatre and rowing boats. Another free attraction is the St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral. This 11th Century Romanesque cathedral has splendid stained-glass windows dating from the 16th Century and a vast organ with 4,300 pipes.
• Fancy taking in some free art? Follow the trail of 14 murals dotted around the city celebrating the work of Flemish painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder.
• Another affordable hotel is the Moxy Brussels City Center. Bright and contemporary, it has a lively lobby complete with a state-of-the-art video wall and food and drink available 24 hours a day.
• A further budget option is the NH Brussels Stephanie, a hotel set on a peaceful side street in the heart of the Avenue Louise shopping area. Unwind with a Belgian beer in the comfy lobby bar and enjoy the 24/7 self-service Open Bar serving snacks, sandwiches and drinks.