To the west, this small city of 95,000, also about an hour from Brussels, delivers a more compact experience, with its elegant Grand Place, its Baroque, town hall, also Baroque UNESCO-World-Heritage belfry, and Gothic Sainte-Waudru Collegiate Church anchoring a historic center that has benefited from cultural investment, especially since its year as a European Capital of Culture in 2016; in fact, it´s considered Belgium´s cultural capital, with a rich artistic scene replete with galleries showcasing both traditional and contemporary works, along with museums such as Beaux Arts Mons (BAM); you can also get a dose of the region´s wartime history at the Mons Memorial Museum. And nearby are a series of charming small towns as well as another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old industrial coal mining complex and company town of Grand Hornu. Finally, if you can, book well ahead to experience the Ducasse de Mons (aka the Doudou), a folk festival held 57 days after Easter with its roots in the Middle Ages.
Read more in my post 7 Allures of Wallonia, Belgium´s Overlooked, French-speaking South.
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