Belgium: Leuven

Leuven is known as the home city of the oldest catholic university in the world, founded in 1425. Just like any other Belgian city – everything starts at Grote Markt square with perhaps the most ornate over-the-top city hall with 236 sculptures along its facade and spiky towers on the roof. Next to it is the Sint-Pieterskirk cathedral, and rows and rows of pretty Flemish buildings, most belonging to the university. Just around the corner is yet another square – Oude Markt – with the grand university building in the heart of it.