A high-speed hop from London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Cologne, the city at Europe’s crossroads is as distinguished, diverse and distinctive as any continental capital. Home to the Surrealists and the Breughels, this living monument to art nouveau enjoys a gastronomic reputation second to none -- complemented by boundless bar crawls and style-conscious shopping sprees. Using local journalists, writers and experts,Time Out Shortlist Brussels offers an informed and detailed excursion around the city and its attractions, from the Gothic and Guildhouse past of the Grand Place to Brussels' present-day role as Europe’s capital, taking in its beers and its boutiques, its markets and its mussels, and its comics and its chocolates along the way. Beyond Brussels, the guide also delves deep into the three main metropoli of Flanders: fashion-conscious Antwerp, medieval Ghent, unsung and underrated; and Bruges, Belgium’s biggest tourist draw. Day-trips dip each side of the French/Flemish divide, from the coast around Ostend to Liege nestling on the Dutch and German borders.