Brussels, is an unlikely “capital” of Europe, but it is nevertheless a popular destination for its monuments, museums, gastronomy and adventure spots. It is much less known, for its 8,000 acres of parkland which contain a biodiversity that is extraordinary for a capital in the old continent.
It is easy to get fresh air, as this moderate-sized city has parks and green spaces are managed in an exemplary way. From an ecological point of view, for example, no pesticides are used in the parks.
Residents and tourists can enjoy the Green Walk. This path, stretches more than 60 km allowing pedestrians and cyclists to discover the region and its numerous parks and protected nature areas. Plant lovers, may also go to the botanical and Parc du Cinquantenaire gardens.
All these advantages made Brussels a formidable candidate for the title of European Green Capital in 2015, the other finalists were Bristol – eventually the winner – Glasgow and Ljubljana.
FOCUS: Discovering Germany’s green capital: Freiburg im Breisgau
Since 2010, each year a European city is given the title of ‘the European Green Capital of the year’ by the European Commission. This award is for the European city that has demonstrated lasting results for compliance with environmental standards and is committed to continuing these efforts in ecology.
Other cities which have been awarded this prize previously include Stockholm, Hamburg, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Nantes and Copenhagen.
So if you’re curious to see how a green city looks like, take a short break in Brussels. In addition to its environmental benefits, the habitants are extremely friendly; this is a city that wins the popularity vote each year with many visitors from around the world.