Brussels, Belgium
Belgium assumed independence in 1830 after being taken over, and over and over, by its neighbors to the north and south—the Netherlands and France. Over-looked (Jacques Brel, french fries, and Johnny Hallyday are theirs, Belgians will tell you tersely) and underappreciated (it’s the flyover between Paris and Amsterdam), Brussels has a kind of runt-of-the-litter charm.