BELGIUM.
I. Plan of Tour.
Belgium is flow so completely intersected by a network of rail¬
ways , that the traveller will rarely have occasion to travel by any
other conveyance; but a steamboat-trip on the Mouse, and a few
excursions on horseback or on foot in the neighbourhood of Liege,
Namur, Dinant, Spa, etc., should not be omitted; for these
are foremost among the many beautiful and historically-interesting
districts of which Belgium can boast. On the whole, however,
the works of the painter and the architect are Belgium's great attrac¬
tions ; and as a large proportion of the traveller's time will pro¬
bably be spent in the cities and larger towns, he is recommend¬
ed to select the spring or autumn in preference to the summer
for his tour. Those who are already acquainted with the towns
and their treasures of art, or whose object is retirement and re¬
pose , will find many delightful spots for spending the summer on
the banks of the Meuse, or in the environs of Spa.
The following tour, beginning at Ostend and terminating at
Antwerp, will serve to convey an idea of the time requisite for a
glimpse at the chief attractions of Belgium. Travellers entering
Belgium from France, Holland, or Germany, will find no difficulty
in planning other tours with the aid of the map.
Ostend and Bruges ....
Ghent.........
Courtrai, Tournai, Mons . .
Charleroi, Namur.....
Valley of the Meuse, Dinant .
Liege and Seraing ....
Maastricht and the Petersberg
Louvain and Brussels . .
Waterloo........
Malines........
Antwerp........
In order to prevent loss of time in exploring towns, the traveller
should carefully consult the plans before leaving his hotel, and if
pressed for time he had better hire a cab or vigilante by the hour,
dismissing it, however, when a prolonged visit to a picture-gallery or
museum is contemplated. The Handbook renders the services of
commissionnaires and guides entirely superfluous (half-a-day 2-3,
whole day 4-5 fr.), and the traveller is particularly cautioned
Permalink: http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/k8v7p
