The furthest point in the country from the capital is little more than 100 miles away in the very southeast beside the border with Luxembourg, itself a scenic region. Many of the larger Belgian cities like Antwerp, Brugge and Ghent are better explored in their own right rather than as a daytrip for visitors that have the time.

Mons: about one hour by car from Brussels, Mons is a town with a very impressive town hall and central square, featuring its ornate Belfry as a backdrop, the only Baroque-style structure of its kind in Belgium and a World Heritage Site.

Namur: less than two hours by bus or car from Brussels, this ancient city features an old citadel with its many underground passages and lofty position overlooking the rest of the city. Visitors can take a guided tour of the citadel and subterranean tunnels. On Saturday’s the city centre transforms into an open-air market, the perfect excuse for a lazy weekend stroll.

Dinant: close to Namur, this little riverside town also features an impressive, old citadel accessible via a scenic cable car ride. The highlight of Dinant is its stunning waterfront, dominated by its ancient colourful buildings and impressive domed church and adjacent cliff face on top which sits the old citadel.

Hasselt: capital of the province of Limburg, in the east of Belgium, close to the Dutch border, Hasselt makes an intriguing day trip from Brussels that takes about one hour by road or rail. This is a waterfront city on both the Albert Canal and Demer River with a centre almost free from traffic except for the free bus services.

Attractions here include the beautiful Japanese garden as well as an urban fashion museum and there is also attractive architecture on display, including St Quentin’s Cathedral and Virga Jesse Cathedral. The city also hosts one of the biggest alternative music festivals on the continent and another event, Wrinklerock, dedicated to the over 50s.