What's on in Belgium.

The "Beaufort" sculpture trail along the seafront is free and excellent. Try the shrimp croquettes at Mosselbeurs or take the 1907 De Lijn coast tram (the longest tram line in the world) along the entire Belgian coast.

Climb the 365 steps of the belfry (€8) for the view; combine with the BAM (Beaux-Arts Mons) or the Mons Memorial Museum on WWI/WWII. The city was 2015 European Capital of Culture and still benefits from that investment.

Population ~500 inside the walls. The old town is a 30-minute slow walk; cross the Ourthe to the topiary park (paid, €7); the adventure park (zip-lines, climbing, kayaking) is the main draw for families. Wim Vanderkeybus runs the gourmet restaurant scene above its weight class.

You can drive or walk up. The grounds are free; the Terra Nova interpretive centre is paid (€8). Excellent picnic spot on the ramparts, panoramic view back over Namur old town. The little tourist train from the city centre is a charming way up if you have kids.

Originally built in 1881 so soldiers could climb to the citadel without going through the (rough) Saint-Léonard neighbourhood. Now the city's signature climb. About 10 minutes up, 4 minutes down. Free, open 24/7, light up at night.

Six floors of toys from 1850 to today: railway sets, dolls, dollhouses, comics. Playful, not stuffy; younger kids get hands-on play areas. Easy combine with Mechelen's old town and Sint-Romboutskathedraal.

Saturday slots fill 2–3 weeks in advance in summer. Minimum age 18; under-18s can join the tour but can't taste. Tour available in EN/FR/NL/DE. Good combine with the Stadhuis (Leuven's gothic town hall) and the M-Museum.

Three or four exhibitions on at any time — from Magnum-era reportage to contemporary Belgian portrait work. Ground-floor café is one of the nicer spots in Zuid for a quiet espresso.

The cathedral holds four major Rubens altarpieces, including the Raising of the Cross and the Descent from the Cross. Entry is paid (the cathedral functions as both a working church and a museum) but discounted in late afternoon. Easy combine with a walk down the Grote Markt.

The 2019 audio guide by comedian Wouter Deprez is one of the funniest museum guides in Europe. The castle itself is impressive but small (90 minutes); combine with a walk through the Patershol quarter and a stop at the Gentse Feesten if it's July.

The 2018 reopening rewired the museum around a critical look at Belgium's colonial history in Central Africa. Strong ethnographic, natural-science and political sections. Park outside is free; entry to the museum is paid. Easy half-day from Brussels by tram 44.

About 70 stands, every Saturday 09:00–18:00 and Sunday 09:00–14:00. Skewed toward higher-end antiques and prints; not a flea market. Surrounded by chocolate shops (Wittamer, Pierre Marcolini, Neuhaus) so combine with a sit-down hot chocolate.

One Belgian institution, four programmes: music (Brussels Philharmonic resident), exhibitions, cinema, and literature. The exhibition wing usually has 2–3 shows on at any time. Worth checking the current programme; the building itself is a Victor Horta total work of art.

The park itself is free; pick one of the three on-site museums for a half-day. Autoworld is the easy win with teenagers; the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces & Military History is enormous and weirdly under-visited. The arch terrace is open weekends.

Walk around miniature versions of the Acropolis, the Eiffel Tower, the Berlin Wall and Big Ben — about two hours of strolling for kids who like trains, boats and the "let me push the button" gene. Combine with the Atomium for a full Heysel afternoon.

A perfectly symmetric 18th-century park with fountains, statues and a small playground for younger kids. Two seasonal café-kiosks open during warm months. Excellent five-minute escape between two museum visits — no ticket required, dogs on lead welcome.