Our tours prove that the old saw about boring Belgium is entirely wrong-headed. In fact this area of the Low Countries was a nexus of tremendous artistic creativity and religious power from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance – while a modest little town in the heart of the country assumed huge and lasting significance on the English side of the Channel after a battle there in 1815.
The region’s magnificent architecture, from the church of St Gertrude in Nivelles and the cathedral at Tournai to the town halls at Brussels and Ghent, are testament to the historic wealth and vision of the Low Countries. And in this prosperous setting Flemish painters such as Jan van Eyck pioneered a jewel-like, naturalistic style that would have a profound influence on the development of Western art. These achievements are comprehensively celebrated on fascinating historic and artistic itineraries, while the Battle of Waterloo – covered on a detailed exploration of the battlefield – is a subject in itself.