Brussels is sumptuous, historic and luxuriously cozy. What makes Brussels special? For visitors, it's full of delights - Grand Place, mussels with chips, pralines, under crowded museums, intimate hotels, Art Nouveau, Horta, Tintin and unbelievable beers. Modern edifices are only a few steps from the cobbled streets, splendid cafés, and graceful Art Nouveau architecture that speak to the city's eventful past. The city's spirit survives in traditional cafes, bars, bistros, and restaurants. Whether elegantly Art Nouveau or eccentrically festooned with posters, curios, and knickknacks, such centuries-old establishments provide a warm, convivial ambience that is peculiarly Belgian.

Known as the 'Venice of the North', Bruges seems to have changed little from its 13th-century origins as a cloth-manufacturing town. With the city center closed off to cars, all the architectural and artistic treasures, folklore, chocolate shops, lace boutiques, and ambient restaurants of this unforgettable city can be easily explored on foot, by boat ride along quiet canals, or by horse-drawn carriage among cobblestone streets. The city center also made the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

Easygoing, liberal Amsterdam is "different." Its citizens, bubbling along happily in their multiracial melting pot, are not so easily poured into the restrictive molds of trade and industry. More important, you can enjoy Amsterdam, its culture, history, and beauty, without stretching the limits of your credit cards. Few skyscrapers mar the clarity of the sky and the populace mostly walks or bikes from place to place. The historic center recalls Amsterdam's Golden Age as the command post of a vast trading network and colonial empire, when wealthy merchants constructed gabled residences along neatly laid-out canals.

The world feels at home in Cologne, where people meet to enjoy a Kölsch. (Kölsch is a language, a philosophy of life and also the popular local beer.) The largest city in the Rhineland, Cologne is rich in antiquity. There is much to see from every period of the city's two millennia history: from the old Roman towers to the modern opera house. Cologne is also a bustling modern city with a decent shot at becoming the fine-art capital of Germany. The city of Cologne also hosts an annual Carnival.

For many, Frankfurt is primarily "Manhattan", city of finance and skyscrapers or only as a transit hub, but a closer look reveals a city of many charms: picturesque houses of the beautifully restored Römerberg in the city center, the unique "Museum Mile" along the banks of the Main river, traditional cider pubs in Sachsenhausen, shops galore in the elegant Goethestrasse and the "Fressgass", and a truly world-class cultural and arts scene. It boasts Germany's most spectacular skyline and Europe's tallest office building. Frankfurt throws more money at the arts than any other European city so you'll most likely catch a groundbreaking exhibition at one of its museums.

Luxembourg's diminutive capital is a delicious contrasting mix of the old and the new. Spend some time exploring the old city with its cobbled streets and imposing walls, and feast your eyes on ornate windows or jewel-like medallions. Come back to modern day as you pass contemporary constructions of glass and steel that house the many banking and business establishments in the capital. Take a lovely walk through Useldange where you can't miss the feudal castle surrounded by rolling plain.

Europe's largest and busiest port, Rotterdam is also the most modern city in The Netherlands. The symbol of the city is the Euromast Space Tower (605ft/184m) from which you have an excellent view over the city. One of Rotterdam's main attractions is Diergaarde Blijdorp, the extensive zoo that includes the impressive Oceanium, where visitors can walk through the huge shark tunnel surrounded by sharks and giant tortoises. Another worth visiting place is the Boymans-van-Beuningen Museum displaying a beautiful collection of painting, sculpture and design.

The capital of Alsace, Strasbourg is one of France's greatest cities and also one of France's major ports, only 2 miles west of the Rhine. It was wrestled back and forth between the Germans and the French, resulting in a curious - and often rewarding - mixture of language, culture and food. La Petite France is the most interesting quarter of Strasbourg. For a good view, walk along rue des Moulins, branching off from rue du Bain-aux-Plantes.