Tour operators who arrange both transport and accommodation may offer significant advantages in cost. A reliable tour company will offer a good choice of hotels and courier back-up on the ground. When looking for specialist tours, it’s best to do some research on the internet.

Belgium’s rich art history – from Jan van Eyck to the Surrealists – is on display in all four cities. Some specialist tour groups are accompanied by lecturers. Cox & Kings organize a tour of Bruges and Ghent focussing on Flemish art and architecture, while the “Flemish Painting” tour offered by Martin Randall Travel covers all four cities.

Check with tourist offices (For further details see General Information) for details of gastronomic tours. Some tour operators offer trips centred on Belgian beer or chocolate. American company InTrend Travel has a seven-day “chocolate-lovers’ paradise tour” of Bruges, Brussels and Antwerp. The itinerary includes chocolatemaking demonstrations at various chocolate producers and chocolatethemed meals. BeerTrips. com run escorted tours and short breaks.

Ypres is the focus of many tours incorporating World War I battlefields, trenches, cemeteries and memorials. Specialist battlefield tour operators organize complete trips, including transport and accommodation. Guided day trips or specialized tours are also offered to Waterloo.

Local tourist offices (For further details see City Tourist Offices) organize regular guided walks around all four city centres.

Buses, some with multilingual headphones, tour all the main sights – a very effective way of getting a quick overview of a city.

Despite being inland, both Bruges and Ghent were once thriving ports by virtue of their canals – or rather, their canalized rivers. Today, canal trips are popular ways to tour the cities. Tour boats leave from various points in the city centre. You can also take trips on the more industrialized canal of Brussels.

It is possible to travel through Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp city centres by horse and carriage, or horse-drawn tram. This is particularly popular in Bruges, a city well suited to such transport. Although it is expensive and short-lived, the experience is unforgettable.

Tourist offices can arrange for a private guide to show you around a city, or take you to see a particular aspect of a city. Most of these guides belong to one of the professional guide associations.

Guided walks and car tours have a wide range of themes, including Jewish history, industrial architecture, and beer. ARAU in Brussels offers many tours focusing on Art Nouveau.