Belgium´s third-largest city and Wallonia´s most dynamic urban center (pop. 200,000; metro area 600,000) is about an hour from Brussels by car or train, and while historically industrial, it's evolved into a lively cultural city with a strong student population. It feels less polished than Flemish cities, but more authentic and "lived-in" rather than the sometimes museum-like feel of the more touristed Flemish cities. The Gothic while modern landmarks such as the La Boverie Museum, and Santiago Calatrava´s soaring, modern Liège-Guillemins Station give it a mix of grit and energy. Other draws include the 15th-century Cathédrale de St.-Paul; the dramatic Montagne de Bueren staircase and overlook; Archéoforum, an underground medieval and Roman archaeological site and museums such as the Grand Curtius, of archaeology and art housed in a 17th-century mansion, the Musée de Beaux Arts, the Musée d´Armes (antique weapons, Europe´s second largest collection), and the Musée de la Vie Wallonne, all about Walloon traditions and culture.
Read more in my post 7 Allures of Wallonia, Belgium´s Overlooked, French-speaking South.
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