Antwerp, Belgium

The Belgian capital is also the capital of the European Union and the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It is one of Europe’s most important cities for business, politics and culture. The city possesses some 80 museums and, as the birthplace of a number of Europe’s most famous comic books, even has a Comic Book Route leading to exterior murals of familiar characters such as Tintin. One notable architectural site is the elaborate Guildhalls of Grand Place. Nearby Antwerp is famous for the World Diamond Centre, though which flow virtually all of the gem quality diamonds in the trade. Antwerp’s Central Station is also a gem, for connoisseurs of Golden Age railway architecture.