Following afternoon pickup from your Brussels hotel, leave the capital behind and travel one hour south to the city of Mons. Aboard your coach, watch a video about Mons' history, culture, development and industrial legacy to get a grasp of this important Belgian city.
When you arrive, begin with a visit to the Mus?e des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts) to view the 'Van Gogh au Borinage' exhibition. Follow your guide through the galleries studded with van Gogh paintings and learn about the time the Dutch artist lived in Mons, from 1879 and 1880, in a miner's house in the Borinage coal-mining district. See the paintings he created during this time, and hear how living here affected his creative output.
After your museum tour, set off on a guided city walk to discover the history and vibrant cultural landscape of Mons, and see why the European Union voted it the 2015 European Capital of Culture. View several UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the commanding
Mons Belfry, the site of the annual Doudou de Mons (or Ducasse de Mons) festival and the fascinating Mundaneum, a 20th-century data center that's considered a precursor to the Internet.
At the end of the afternoon, hop back in your coach for the return journey to central Brussels.