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Fabulous medieval treasures, spectacularly lit.

Valuable collection of Art Nouveau artifacts.

There were tens of thousands of lace-makers in 19th-century Belgium, many of them living in penury. That industry was undermined by the invention of lace-making machines, and to some degree it still is. If you want to buy proper, hand-made Belgian lace, go to a reputable shop, insist on a label of authenticity, and expect to pay a high price.

Lager, or pils , is a bottom-fermented beer: the yeast remains at the bottom of the brew (stronger, heavier ales tend to be top-fermented, which seals in more flavour). Although such light beers may be sniffed at by connoisseurs abroad, in Belgium they are brewed to a high standard. Despite its ubiquity, Interbrew’s famous Stella Artois, brewed at Leuven, is a good-quality lager.

In the valley of the Senne, the river that flows through Brussels, there is a natural airborne yeast called Brettanomyces . For centuries, brewers have simply left their warm wheat-beer wort uncovered during the winter months, and allowed air to deliver the yeast into it. The fermenting beer is then left to mature in wooden casks for a year or more. This creates a very distinctive beer, with a slightly winey edge, called lambic – the quintessential beer of Brussels.

A chic disco offering world music, two bars and a restaurant serving world food, on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bistro serving French-style cuisine by candlelight. The bric-à-brac decor echoes the nearby antique and junk shops.

The beautiful glasshouses of Brussels’ botanical gardens were built in 1826–9. Cunning conversion of the interior has provided what is now a key venue for a wide range of cultural activities, including theatre, dance and concerts of all kinds.

Although its 1000 post code suggests central Brussels, this hotel is halfway along Avenue Louise, close to the Musée Horta. Its mixture of elegance and efficiency is reflected in its room prices.