They call it Brussels Charleroi but this airport is actually 30 miles away from the Belgian capital. It is a busy international airport to the south of Brussels, specialising in budget short-haul flights to Belgium. It is however, closer to the French border than the capital. Visitors who hire a car at Brussels Charleroi Airport will be able to get to Brussels easily. The network of Belgian motorways links the airport to all parts of the city thanks to the wide southern loop of the Brussels Ring Road, and the airport is conveniently placed for visitors to Charleroi, Namur and Mons too. The immediate surroundings include the Aeropole, a commercial science park, and Gosselies - a village with important industrial headquarters.
The airport is just three miles from the largest city in Wallonia. Charleroi is an industrial region but, if you hire a car here, the city is a great location to explore. It stands on the River Sambre, a tributary of the Meuse, and the heart of the city has some monumental historic buildings. Look out for the domed St Christophe Church and the grand City Hall. Busy markets in the tree-lined Charles II Square are worth a detour. The Square is overlooked by the Belfry Tower, a World Heritage site. Further afield, the attractions of Brussels are in easy reach, as are the historic towns of Namur and Mons.
