Belgium punches well above its weight for a country of its size. Here are the places and experiences that make it worth the trip.
Brussels — The capital is more interesting than its bureaucratic reputation suggests. The Grand-Place is one of the finest squares in Europe. The Art Nouveau architecture (especially Victor Horta's houses), the comic strip museum, the Magritte Museum, and the sheer density of good restaurants and beer cafes all reward a few days here.
Bruges — A medieval city preserved in amber, with canals, belfries, and some of the finest Flemish Primitive paintings in the world (the Groeningemuseum). Go on a weekday, or stay overnight — the day-tripper crowds thin out dramatically after 5pm.
Ghent — Less polished than Bruges and better for it. The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb altarpiece in St Bavo's Cathedral is one of the most important paintings in Western art and recently restored. Ghent also has a real student city energy and excellent restaurants and bars.
Antwerp — Belgium's second city and arguably its most cosmopolitan. The diamond district, the Rubens House, the fashion scene, the port, and the cathedral all make it a compelling destination. The central train station alone is worth a look.
The Ardennes — The hilly, forested southeast of the country is a different Belgium: slower, greener, more French. Dinant, Durbuy, Bouillon, and Bastogne (WWII history) are all worth visiting. Good for hiking, cycling, and kayaking.
The WWI Battlefields — The area around Ypres is one of the most affecting war memorial landscapes in the world. Hundreds of cemeteries, the Menin Gate (where the Last Post is sounded every evening at 8pm), the In Flanders Fields Museum. Not to be skipped if you have any interest in the First World War.
The Belgian Coast — The 67 km coastline from De Panne to Knokke is connected by the Kusttram, the world's longest tram line. Oostende is the main resort town; Knokke is the chic end. Windy and unpretentious, it's nothing like the Mediterranean, but it has its own appeal.
Belgian Beer — Over 1,500 beers are brewed in Belgium, and UNESCO has recognized Belgian beer culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. Trappist monasteries still brew some of the best: Westvleteren (the rarest), Chimay, Rochefort, Orval. In Brussels, the lambic and gueuze tradition — spontaneously fermented beer, aged in oak — is completely unique.