Parc de Bruxelles

Brussels is well endowed with outlying forests and parklands, but in the inner city it's a different story. The largest central patch of greenery is Parc de Bruxelles, an old, formal park flanked by the Palais Royal and the Palais de la Nation. Laid out under the auspices of the dukes of Brabant, it's dotted with classical statues and framed by trees with mercilessly trellised branches. Lunchtime office workers, joggers and families with kids love it in summer.