Manneken Pis: the most unlikely of national treasures, this small, bronze statue from the early 17th century features a young boy urinating into a fountain below. Hugely popular in Belgium, the statue now sports one of the most extensive wardrobes in the world with hundreds of different costumes featuring a strategically-placed hole. The Manneken Pis is often scene wearing the latest addition to this collection.

St Michael and Gudula Cathedral: on top of Treurenberg Hill, this magnificent Gothic structure dates back to the 11th century with extensive renovation works being carried out in the 15th century. With its impressive towers, the cathedral makes an appropriate place of ceremony, including the site of royal marriages and state funerals.

The views from the top are sensational. This national monument was renovated over a period and is now reopen for visitors.

Town Hall: in a region famed for its magnificent town halls, the Brussels version is perhaps as iconic as any, particularly at night when the structure is lit up against the night sky and surrounding Grand Place. Dating back to the 15th century, the building features a 100-metre Brabantine Gothic tower.

Basilica of the Sacred Heart: officially the fifth-largest church in the world, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart is a hugely impressive structure in an art deco style that was built at the very beginning of the 20th century.

Royal Palace of Belgium: open to visitors only the summer, the Royal Palace is the official residence of the Belgian monarch. The building features a splendid array of individually decorated rooms and pathways such as a monochrome hallway leading to the king’s office with paintings by Belgium’s Marthe Wery along with the painstaking detail of the Heaven of Delight, the ceiling of the mirror room, with more than one million Thai jewels.