Brussels has grown from a 10th-Century fortress town, founded by a descendant of Charlemagne, into a major world metropolis of more than one million inhabitants. More than just the capital of Belgium, it is the center of the European Union and has a wealth of attractions to uncover. For this private 8-hour tour you will be met at your hotel and taken by minivan to visit all the major sights of the city. See the imposing 19th-Century Palace of Justice and the elaborate Cathedral of the city’s twin patrons, Saints Michael and Gudule. Take in the modern buildings of the EU district. Architecture buffs will know Brussels for its Art Nouveau architecture. Many were designed by Victor Horta and you will visit one of his finest creations, the former Waucquez Warehouse. Now home to the Comic Strip Museum, it has inspired larger-then-life comic strip murals all over the city. Look out for some of them as you drive. Your personal guide will point out sights and fill you in on the rich tapestry of the city’s local characters. You will visit royal palaces and sample local produce, such as the lambic Gueuze beer. You will pass parks, witness a thriving fashion scene and see the notoriously tiny Manneken Pis. After a 3-course lunch, you will continue on foot to wander through the historic city center. You will go to the Grand Place to see its beautiful guild house gables, wander past the imposing 19th-Century Stock Market, and visit the Kathelijneplein, or Place St Cathérine.