Most people think they have Flanders - the northern half of Belgium - figured out: beer, chocolate and the EU are the standard tag lines. Once labelled 'boring', the region is now being radically reappraised. Author Emma Thomson introduces travellers not only to the World Heritage Sites of Brussels' Grand Place or Bruges' romantic canals but also to snug off-the-beaten-track spots, like the bewitched village of Laarne and Geraardsbergen, the real home of Manneken-Pis. Flanders provides something for everyone: the city-break or business tourist looking for restaurants and shopping; the wildlife and outdoor enthusiast after bird-watching and rural walks; the traveller wishing to seek out towns, villages and countryside off the beaten track; and the visitor who fancies a bit of luxury and pampering.
