louisa

I am planning to take my kids( 18 and 16) with me to belgium for easter. What is there for them to see? My kids went with me to london last year and loved it so I am thinking of taking the weurostar to london too.

Sam

The children should do what interests them. Some like to shop. Others enjoy seeing sights. I've been to Brussels several times but never got to see the Atomium.

Ruth

If you do visit the Atomium, you should also consider mini-Europe and Oceade. The first is models of all the "sights" of Europe, the second is quite a good pool complex with wave machine, slides etc. Together these might make the trip to the Atomium more worthwhile (the Atomium itself takes perhaps 45 min to climb and look around). You can get a combined ticket for these (and I think there is a big cinema in the same complex). We enjoyed it, but my child is much younger.

Myriam

This is a difficult question to answer. All depends on what your kids are interested in. History? Architecture? Museums? Theme parks? Sports activities?<BR>Belgium is more than just Brussels! <BR>You could take them to Brugge (Bruges) as this is the best example of a medieval city in Belgium. <BR>Or to the open air museum of Bokrijk, that is at the top of the best open air museums in Europe. <BR>Or Ieper with the In Flanders Fields museum dedicated to the first world war. <BR>Or Durbuy, the smallest city in Belgium and the perfect place for kayaking on the river Ourthe or for mountain-biking.<BR><BR>Just a few ideas. If you need more information, please email me.

Mike

I would go see the Atomium. They have a nice little village there and the best movie theater I have ever been in.<BR><BR>Feed them french fries with mayonnaise!! Yummie.<BR><BR>A short trip to Waterloo (just on the outskirts of Brussels) to visit the battle grounds and the panaramic museum would be awesome and historical for teenagers.

BTilke

An 18 yo is not a young child; don't try to drag them to things really geared for children. Mini Europe and the Atomium are more kitsch than anything else. The Kinepolis (the big movie theatre near Mini Europe) is impressive, but why go see a movie after having flown all the way from another country? <BR>Tell us what your teenagers are interested in so you can get better suggestions. And as soon as you arrive in Brussels, pick up a copy of The Bulletin (the weekly English language newsmagazine for Brussels, etc.) and check out the What's On section to find out what activities/exhibits will be around that week. <BR>I would also skip Waterloo. Unless the kids are seriously into military history or Napoleon, they'll probably find it a long, somewhat boring trek. And the town of Waterloo itself is mostly an enclave for American expats. <BR>Take them to Brugge for the day, definitely, but since you're talking about Easter, be prepared for crowds. If the weather's good, a bike ride along the canals near Brugge would be interesting. <BR>In Brussels, take them to the Grand'Place, perhaps the chocolate museum on the Place and up to the Sablon. <BR>The hip shopping is really in Antwerp. Since they have already seen London, why not do a day trip to Paris on the Thalys? Very easy to do. <BR>BTilke (Brussels)

PB

Louisa,<BR><BR>If they're interested in any kind of comic book, take them to the Comic Book museum in Brussels on the rue des Sables... if you enjoy Art nouveau architecture, you'll love the building by Victor Horta.<BR><BR>Maybe they'd enjoy the museums at the Cinquantenaire - One has a fabulous antique car collection, the other is the Air Museum.<BR><BR>PB

Herman

Agree about the comic book museum. Lucky Luke, Tintin and many others are Belgian. Don´t forget to try the local beer, especially curiosities like kriek (cherry beer), and trappist (strong beer brewed by monks).