Outdoorsy types tend to head straight for the Ardennes, Belgium's year-round outdoor playground. Here you can ski in winter and in summer kayak or go hiking or mountain biking (using a vélo tout terrain, or VTT) along a good network of forest tracks. Another worthy attraction are the prehistoric limestone grottoes and caves in the area (particularly around the towns of Han-sur-Lesse, Rochefort and Dinant), which offer plenty of scope for subterranean explorers.

Traditional Catholic celebrations aside, Brussels' most festive months are July and August. On the first Thursday in July there's the Ommegang pageant, a huge parade of nobles dressed in historic costumes. Belgium's colourful National Day is July 21, which also marks the start of the month-long Brussels Fair.