The Olympic torch has touched down in Europe on its last relay leg of the world's five continents before the Games get underway in Athens next month.

Athens Olympic flame back to Europe

The torch was handed over to Belgian officials and athletes at Brussels International Airport by Spiros Lambridis, head of the Athens 2004 delegation, which is staging relays in Olympic cities around the world.

The torch will go in a convoy of six BMWs to the port city of Antwerp, home of the 1920 games. From there, it will make a European tour of 17 cities, including all those which have previously hosted Olympic games.

The torch arrived in Belgium from Montreal, Canada, which hosted the 1976 Summer Olympics and was the flame's last North American stop.

The flame began its trek on March 25 in the games' ancient birthplace at Olympia in Greece. It will return to Greece on July 9, and make its way to Athens for the start of the games on August 13.