Brussels is a greener city than you might think. The capital of Europe has more than 8,000 hectares of green spaces: parks, woods, the Sonian Forest, cemeteries, sports grounds, etc.
That's half the Region! And it doesn't intend to stop there, since the city has launched its "Canopy" plan, a plan to re-vegetate the streets of Brussels that will run from 2020 to 2030. This ten-year planting plan will increase and diversify the range of plants and create "forest gardens" and "urban forests".
A "Green Promenade", which stretches over more than 60 kilometres, allows pedestrians and cyclists to tour the Brussels Region through its green spaces. The Promenade is divided into seven sections, which represent different facets of the landscapes of the Brussels region, from parks to gardens, and from lakes to nature reserves. Visitors can discover the Heysel plateau and the royal parks, the Sonian Forest and the south of Uccle, the Woluwe valley, between Senne and Woluwe, the Molenbeek valley, and the Pajottenland, between Vogelzangbeek and Geleytsbeek.
The Brussels Region has created a new website and a smartphone app. They include all the green spaces in the Capital, along with a series of details, all presented via an interactive map. It is the perfect way to enjoy and discover areas where nature still reigns supreme. For each site, there is a detailed explanation (the history of the park, the forest... its geographical location, the way it is managed, etc.) as well as a photo gallery.