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For sheer architectural theatre, the historic centrepiece of Brussels is hard to beat – as it must have been three centuries ago (see The Grand Place, Brussels).

Brueghel, Rubens, Van Dyke, Magritte – this splendid collection takes the visitor on a tour of some of the greatest names in art (see Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts).

Newly rehoused in a magnificent Art Nouveau building, the “MIM” contains thousands of instruments – ancient, modern, ethnic and just plain wacky (see Musée des Instruments de Musique).

Victor Horta was the original Art Nouveau architect; his own house was the perfect expression of his art – down to the last doorknob. The building is now preserved as a shrine to Art Nouveau (see Musée Horta, Brussels).

The “Comic Strip Centre” reveals all about this very Belgian art form: Tintin and beyond (see Centre Belge de la Bande Dessinée).

The old centre of Bruges is an architectural gem – a small, intimate square surrounded by historic buildings, each one offering something of fascination (see The Burg, Bruges).

The great Flemish artists of the early 15th century, such as Jan van Eyck and Hans Memling, were among the first to perfect oil painting. These two unrivalled collections demonstrate conclusively their extraordinary skills, and show why they had such a profound influence on Italian art (see Two Museums of Bruges).

This large, multi-panel altarpiece created in 1426–32 by Jan van Eyck and his brother Hubrecht remains one of the great cultural treasures of Europe (see The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb)).

Antwerp’s Cathedral of Our Lady is the city’s main landmark, and the largest Gothic church in Belgium. Originating in the 14th century, its impressive interior is enhanced by two exceptional triptychs by Rubens: The Raising of the Cross and The Descent from the Cross (see Antwerp Cathedral).

Rubens’ mansion has been carefully restored to show how it might have been when he lived here (see Rubenshuis, Antwerp).