#1. Lier
Originally founded in 1258, this Unesco site is one of Belgium’s prettiest 'street' begijnhoven, a picture-perfect grid of cobbled lanes lined with archetypal houses around the baroque-fronted 1671 St-Margaretakerk.
Far greater than the sum of its minor 'sights', delightful Lier is one of Flanders’ overlooked historical gems. The centre retains a satisfying architectural integrity and it's ringed by a circular waterway followed by a walkable green rampart where the city walls once stood.