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The central marketplace of Bruges still retains much of its original outline flanked by old step-gabled guildhouses, but the Provinciaal Hof, the provincial government building on the eastern side, is actually a late-19th-century creation. The Markt remains the focal point of Bruges, and is the site of a large market on Wednesday mornings, and a small Christmas market (with ice rink) in December.

Hans Memling (1435–94) was one of the leading artists of Burgundian Flanders, and the St John’s Hospital ranked among his most important patrons. Now superbly renovated, with an excellent audioguide available with the entry ticket, the old medieval hospital wards display a fascinating miscellany of treasures, paintings and historic medical equipment; there is also a 15th-century pharmacy. The exhibition culminates in the chapel, which contains the hospital’s priceless collection of Memling paintings (see Two Museums of Bruges).

This is one of the most extraordinary museums in Brussels. Antoine Wiertz (1806–65) was an artist whose self-esteem far outstripped his talent. As a young man, he was egged on by patrons, and success went to his head. This grand studio was built so he could paint works on a scale to rival Michelangelo. The grandiose canvases are interesting in themselves, but so too are the smaller works, many so macabre and moralistic they inspire wonderment and mirth.

Brussels is a city of grand old 19th-century mansions, or maisons de maître . This museum provides a rare opportunity to look inside one. The original owner, Henri van Curtsem, commissioned Victor Horta (see Victor Horta) to redesign the interior. In the hands of van Curtsem’s adoptive heir, sculptor Guillaume Charlier, the mansion became a centre for Brussels’ avant-garde. On his death in 1925, Charlier left the house to the city, and it retains much of the decor of his era. There are works by leading artists of the time, such as James Ensor, Léon Frédéric, Fernand Khnopff and Rik Wouters, plus an impressive collection of antique furniture.

It’s well worth the trek to this southern suburb for this small but unusually choice municipal art collection. It has a number of minor works by great masters, including Rembrandt, Delacroix and Picasso, as well as an excellent collection of posters by Toulouse-Lautrec. This is also a good place to see more work by Symbolists such as Léon Spilliaert and Léon Frédéric, and the much-cherished sculpture and Fauve-style painting of Rik Wouters.

Constantin Meunier (1831–1905) was one of the great sculptors of the late 19th century, famed for his instantly recognizable bronzes of working people – especially puddleurs (forge workers). The museum occupies his former home, and contains excellent examples of his work.

This beautifully preserved Art Deco home has excellent furniture and stained glass, as well as contemporary paintings.

The famous “MIM” collection of historical musical instruments has recently been rehoused in the remarkable Art Nouveau department store known as “Old England”. Take the children too: easy-to-use infrared headphones bring the exhibits to life by showing visitors what the instruments sound like when played (see Musée des Instruments de Musique).

The trams of modern Brussels are the last vestiges of a transport system that has formed an integral part of the city’s character. Visitors cannot fail to be won over by this extensive collection of over 60 trams, from the horse-drawn “hippomobiles” of the 1860s to sleek expressions of 1960s modernity, all housed in an old tram depot. Tickets include a 20-minute ride in a historic tram to (and from) Tervuren (and the Africa Museum) or the Parc Cinquantenaire.