Peddle power is the perfect way to get around the flat Flanders region of northern Belgium, with cycle lanes lining canals, linking cities and winding through countryside.

Further south, in French-speaking Wallonia, mountain biking is popular in the Ardennes mountains, with its intimate villages, picturesque castles and river valleys.

The Ardennes area offers other outdoor adventure possibilities including hiking, canoeing and caving.

No visit to Belgium is complete without indulging two of the nation's most calorie-laden exports - chocolate and beer.

While someone ingeniously attempted to marry the two, so much world's opinion is that chocolate beer remains something of an acquired taste.

There are over 2,000 chocolate shops in Belgium displaying delicately-sculpted chocolates and with an annual production of 172,000 tons, it is the country's most infamous and indulgent export.