Brussels is essentially a commercial city, whose early development profited from its ideal situation between Cologne and Bruges. The construction of the canal to Willebroeck in the sixteenth century boosted the city’s status and led to the development of its port district. In the nineteenth century, Brussels flourished as a market for luxury goods, and its mediaeval centre was transformed with beautiful shop-fronts and arcades. This tour shows both the grand and the more modest remains of the city’s commercial past and stresses the importance of commerce in its development.