Belgium is a stunning country full of rich history and culture, but often overlooked by its neighboring countries. This post shares some information on what to know about Belgium before you travel.
Where is Belgium?
Belgium is located in northern Europe surrounded by France, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
How do you get there?
Airplane
Brussels is the largest airport in Belgium. If you are flying in from North America, you’ll find the most options into Brussels. Your other option is to fly to a nearby airport hub such as Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt or London and take a train.
If you fly in to Frankfurt, consider taking an extra day to explore the city. Read How to maximize One Day in Frankfurt
Train
Trains are an incredibly fast, easy and generally comfortable way to travel throughout Europe. Unless you are connecting directly from an international flight, the train is usually faster, or takes the same amount of time as travel to/from the airport plus the flight.
Here are a few nearby routes and time to between cities:
- Paris to Brussels – 1.5-2 hours
- London to Brussels – 2-2.25 hours
- Frankfurt to Brussels – 4 hours
- Amsterdam to Antwerp – 1.5 hours
Traveling within Belgium
Public transportation is your friend not only in Belgium but throughout Europe. Many cities within Belgium are an hour or less by train (and longer by bus).
Train distances within northern Belgium
- Brussels to Ghent – 30 minutes
- Brussels to Bruges – 50-60 minutes
- Antwerp to Brussels – 40-50 minutes
- Ghent to Bruges – 20-30 minutes
- Ghent to Antwerp – 1-1.5 hours
Buses and/or trams within the country are generally clean and easy to navigate. In Brussels you can purchase a pass that works on the bus and subway. All of northern Belgium (the Flanders region) uses the same public transport system. If you buy a pass in Bruges it will work in Ghent or Antwerp (and vice versa). Multiple passengers can use a single pass, you just need to tap upon entry for each passenger.
- Tickets in Flanders are € 17 for 10 rides, € 7.50 for 1 day unlimited, or € 2.50 for a single ride. Find pricing and route information here.
- Tickets in Brussels are € 16.80 for 10 rides, € 8.40 for 1 day unlimited, or € 2.40 for a single ride. You’ll also need to purchase the card to load your rides, the cost is € 5. Find pricing and route information here.
What is the culture of Belgium?
Belgium has a very unique culture and history. The country is separated into 3 different regions that are very distinct.
Flanders is the northern region of Belgium, and is culturally similar to the Netherlands. The official language of Flanders is Flemish, which is a dialect of Dutch. English is widely spoken, but French is more limited.
The Walloon region is the southern portion of the country, and is culturally similar to France. The official language of this area is French, but there are a few small communities on the border of Germany that mostly speak German.
The capital, Brussels, occupies its own region, which acts as a neutral entity within the country. Brussels is a dual language region which recognizes French and Flemish, but nearly everyone speaks English in the Brussels city center.
Fun fact: Brussels is also home to the European Union, making the city a political hub for both the country and Europe.
When is the best time to visit Belgium?
Like most of Europe, summer is the busiest season to visit Belgium. Summer is when the weather is warmest and driest. The shoulder season (late spring and early fall) are great times to visit. The weather will be cooler, but the amount of visitors will also be lower. The winters are typically rainy but not as cold as other cities. Winter can be a great time to visit if you love checking out the Christmas markets across Europe.
What to Know about Food & Drink in Belgium
Belgium is well known for their rich hearty foods. You shouldn’t leave the country without trying these things:
- Fresh frites (french fries) – if you want to be truly Belgian, you’ll eat them with fresh homemade mayo.
- Fresh waffles – you can find them available from food trucks for around € 5. The waffle windows have more topping options and are lighter and fluffier, but they can cost € 10 or more for a single waffle.
- Chocolate – Belgium has world renowned chocolate, and you can find shops everywhere throughout all the major cities. I suggest getting a sample box to get a full experience and variety of flavors.
Belgium is also known for its storied beer heritage that goes back centuries. Belgian beer is known to be strong in flavor and alcohol content. Here are a few beers to be aware of:
- Trappist Beer – brewed in a monastery by Trappist Monks in the same style for centuries. The monks brew various types of beer.
- Witbier – lighter beer with a cloudy look, typically with orange and/or spice flavors
- Blonde – similar to the witbier but generally more fruity flavors than citrus
- My favorite is La Chouffe
- Dubbels – general a brown ale with a malty flavor
- Tripel – strong pale ale with high alcohol content
- I enjoyed the Westmalle Trappist Tripel
- Quadrupel – extremely strong typically ranging 10-13% alcohol content
- Lambic – very unique beer with a sour, and often fruity, flavor. It comes in a larger bottle and has a cork like champagne.
- A Framboise is a raspberry flavored lambic
Will my Phone Work in Belgium?
If you are using an international plan through your cell phone carrier the service while visiting Belgium works perfectly. Please check costs with your local cell phone provider.
For more information on using your phone while traveling abroad read How to Use Your Phone while Traveling Internationally
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