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European metropolises have long been a popular weekend getaway destination for foreign tourists. Needless to say, each city has its own unique vibe and feeling, so choosing where to go isn’t exactly easy. City authorities are also aware of the competition and do their best to stand out by investing in new ways to lure in tourists.

There are as many ways to do sightseeing as there are travelers. The basic question is this: how to see as much as possible in a space of two days and still manage to experience the city’s real spirit? To the rescue come urban tourist trails which can vary significantly, depending on the available heritage and the foolproofness of the tourism campaign and cultural agenda. And so we can discover the city following the trail of its architectural gems or that of a famous historical figure. Then there are also culinary trails in which we get to know local cuisine, or, as is the case of Brussels, a comic book trail, and more specifically comic book murals.

Although Belgium is a relatively small country, it is known for being the EU’s headquarters, for making superb chocolates, and for being the birthplace of Art Nouveau. But few people know that this is also where the world-famous comic book characters such as The Smurfs, Tintin or Lucky Luke – the childhood heroes for many generations of kids – were born.

It was the desire to commemorate this curious heritage, but also the need to revitalize city districts, that in 1991 prompted Michel Van Roye, the then councilor for public space management and environment, to team up with the Belgian Comic Strip Center. The fruit of that cooperation was a unique comic book trail comprising more than 50 murals depicting famous Belgian and non-Belgian comic book heroes that now add color to what used to be the gray and unsightly walls of urban panorama.

Traveling through the city in search of the colorful images of Tintin, Asterix and Obelix, Lucky Luke and the Dalton brothers, but also the less known Ric Hochet or The Adventures of Nero, they now offer a new and interesting way to explore Brussels. The map of the trail is available in paper and online, which gives us a good amount of flexibility to plan our route. In a way, these pop culture heroes are the modern equivalent of tour guides explaining the history behind ancient monuments. Most of the paintings are located in the historic center of Brussels that’s also home to Grand Place with its neo-Gothic town hall building, the King’s House, the famous Manneken Pis and the beautiful art-nouveau tenement houses designed by Victor Horta.

As for the comic book trail itself, the idea proved to be a complete success, enlivening the city, attracting attention and commemorating the city’s unique heritage. Something similar was initiated in Poland by the city council of Łódź where the city was decorated with dozens of murals, or in Wrocław with its famous dwarf trail.

transl. Jakub Majchrzak