Visit Belgium Better By Understanding These 9 Things

In a world full of wonderful and exotic destinations, the idea of needing to prepare for somewhere straightforward and familiar like Belgium probably seems unnecessary. You’ll likely be fine if you’ve travelled before and have some idea of how the Western world works. A handful of Belgium travel tips aren’t going to have you completely reworking your itinerary and save you from grievous harm.

Still, even with somewhere like Belgium, you need to prepare a little before you go. It is another country after all, with its own quirks and foibles. Wouldn’t you rather be armed with a little information on the things to do in Belgium to get the most out of your trip? With that in mind, I’ve put together an interesting collection of things to know before visiting Belgium so you feel like you’re ahead of the curve before you go.

1. An Underrated Destination

Given that it’s in the heart of Western Europe, arguably the most established tourist destination on Earth, it’s weird how underrated Belgium is. People seem to see it as a momentary stopping point, a chance to take in the Belgium highlights like Brussels and maybe Bruges, before moving on. That barely scratches the surface of the interesting things in Belgium, as I’ve tried to explain in posts like this.

I’m not saying it challenges Moldova for Europe’s least visited nation, just that Belgium is no mere blip. It’s a dense nation of destinations, with culture, history, and fun dripping from every pore. In recent years, I’ve visited Belgium three times and can easily see myself returning many more times.

It’s not just because I have friends there and have a long history with the place. Belgium has far more going on and much more to it than people ever really give it credit for. That destinations like Mons, Mechelen, and Tournai are still not widely known kind of boggles my mind.

2. Getting to Belgium

As another of the EU members and part of the Schengen Zone, travel to Belgium is about as easy as most popular destinations in Europe. You have the benefit of borderless immigration with its neighbouring countries, but also the ticking clock that comes with your number of days inside the Schengen Area. I make it sound like a trade-off but realistically it’s one of the easier, more generous visa policies in the world.

Then there’s the matter of getting to Belgium. Flying into Belgium will inevitably mean flying to one of the two Brussels airports: Brussels Zaventem or Brussels Charleroi. I find the idea that Charleroi is a Brussels airport pretty misleading given how far it is from the city.

There are also some smaller airports like Antwerp, but realistically there’s little chance you’ll ever use them. As a destination with a wide array of connections and pretty regular flight sales, flying to Brussels can be surprisingly easy.

Of course, your other main entry points into Belgium are its numerous land borders. Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France make up Belgium’s borders with good bus, train and road options for each. Not only does that make Belgium easy to add to itineraries that pass through these countries, but it’s even possible to fly in and out of airports like Rotterdam or Düsseldorf and catch the train in.

Perhaps most incredible of all of this is the fact that you can catch a train in London and arrive in Brussels 2 hours later. Yes, with the high-speed Eurostar, you’re taken through the Channel Tunnel and can make that journey with ease and comfort.

3. Getting Around

Once you’re in Belgium, what then? Well, you have your choice when getting around Belgium. Before that, though, it’s worth acknowledging just how small Belgium is. As one of Europe’s most compact countries, the distances between places are never too far. But distances can be deceptive, and things aren’t always as easy as they appear.

Let’s start with driving in Belgium. The country is covered with an incredibly dense web of highways and roads, so driving is always an option. It seems like there are a few possible routes you could cook up that would take longer than 3 hours. So renting a car in Belgium for your time there is certainly an option.

But that doesn’t take into account the traffic, and in Belgium that can make all the difference. I’ve heard plenty of stories about Belgium’s traffic, whether it’s the way Brussels gets brutally clogged up during peak hour, or a single accident creating massive gridlock across the country as people head for the beach in summer. That just sounds too stressful for me.

My approach has always been to make use of the modern Belgian train network. They may not always be the most direct routes, and connecting in Brussels can be a little tedious. I’ve even experienced my fair share of train delays. But none of that has ever caused me a real problem. What’s more, you have time to relax and watch the countryside pass by. With regards to tickets, if you’re travelling a lot, definitely look into rail passes and leverage cheaper weekend fares to save some money.

4. When to Visit Belgium

Call me crazy, but I think Belgium seems a little off when the sun is shining. It feels far more natural for me to see overcast clouds overhead than a great big blue sky. Belgium’s weather isn’t particularly great a lot of the time, and so it’s what I’ve come to expect.

Maybe because it’s been a while since I visited in summer. Last time I did, I remember glorious weather, with people everywhere outdoors in Ghent from the parks to the outdoor tables at restaurants and beer cafes. If that kind of atmosphere is what you’re after, then June through September is the best time to visit Belgium.

But don’t rule out a Belgium winter visit. My last two trips, as well as much of my time there as a child, were in the colder months. Rather than stopping me from sightseeing and exploring, I was motivated to make the most of daylight hours. Plus, after seeing all the Christmas decorations and markets that are still lingering around New Year’s Eve, I can’t wait to see Belgium in the lead-up to Christmas.

5. Language

Belgium is very much a multilingual country, making a visit both more interesting and easier. With a variant of Dutch known as Flemish, French, and a little German as the main official languages, listening to the people around you can be a fun exercise. Of course, all of that depends on where in the country you are. While it’s not this clear-cut in reality, Dutch is spoken in the region of Flanders, French in Wallonia, with a mix in Brussels.

English, though, is a pretty common second, third, or fourth language for Belgians, to the point where people are more fluent in it than you are. Sure, some people don’t speak any English, but the chances of running into them as a tourist are fairly small.

Now, just because English is commonplace doesn’t mean you should barrel into every conversation expecting it. As I always say, make the effort to communicate with people in their language, and they’ll appreciate the effort. You’re more likely to get a genuine human connection that way.

So to help you prepare, I’ll just include a few basics, and that way you’ll be ready when you arrive in Belgium.

• In Dutch, a few useful phrases to start with include Hallo, which means ‘Hi’; Goedemorgen for ‘Good Morning’; Ja and Nee for “Yes” and “No”; Dank u wel for ‘Thank you’; and Alstublieft for ‘Please’.
• As for French, those same phrases are Bonjour for both ‘Hello’ and ‘Good Morning’; Oui and Non for “Yes” and “No”; Merci for ‘Thank you’; and S’il vous plait for ‘Please’.

6. Belgian Beer

It’s hard to talk about Belgium tourism and not bring up Belgian beer. Of the things people know about Belgium, Belgian beer is surely a contender. And there is a reason for that. I genuinely mean this; the beer may be one of the best things about visiting Belgium. Yes, the people and the culture are great and make Belgium the place that it is. But beer is a part of that culture and a great part of that.

What makes beer so special here is the care and the heritage behind it in Belgium. Brewed for centuries, it’s become a part of life here. If you like beer, or even if you don’t mind beer, there’s plenty here for you to try. That’s because there are a staggering number of different beers in Belgium, let alone types of beer. There are even beers in Belgium that people who normally don’t like beer will like.

Rather than continue going on about Belgian beer, I’ll just point you to this article I wrote on things you should know about Belgian beer.

7. All the Food

Much like beer, you probably know a bit about Belgian food already. That’s because many of these Belgian treats are damn tasty! Things like Belgian waffles, Belgian chocolate and frites have become instantly recognisable. Chances are you’ve also heard of Belgium’s unofficial national dish, moules-frites, which is mussels with fries. So I get that those are probably going to be the first foods you go for upon arriving in Belgium.

But there’s plenty more cuisine to explore as well. On the sweeter end of the scale are speculoos, a spiced biscuit with cinnamon and ginger, and cuberdon, a sweet and gooey cone-shaped candy. For savoury, you can try stoverij, a beef stew made with dark beer, and waterzooi, which is a creamy chicken stew. As for a pub snack, cubes of sharp cheese dipped in mustard are a seriously addictive way to fill up as you enjoy a few beers.

So it’s OK to start with the Belgian foods you know and love, but make sure not to miss out on all the awesome Belgian foods you never knew existed!

8. Land of Cycling

While there are surely plenty of reasons why I could never claim to be a true Belgian, the one that sticks out to me involves bicycles. While I enjoy watching cycling events like the Tour de France, I’m not that big a fan of actually cycling. The problem is, Belgians are. Visit Belgium and bikes are simply everywhere! Whether it’s for their commute or just a weekend ride, Belgians seem to find cycling second nature.

This means that sightseeing with a bike is a truly authentic way to see Belgium. Many of the cities have city bikes like Blue-Bike, which is found in both Ghent and Brussels. That there aren’t helmet laws in Belgium, as in Australia, makes it easier to use these programs. Then there are the ingenious double-decker bike racks you find at train stations to cope with the sheer volume of people cycling to train stations.

Perhaps one day I’ll become a cycling convert and pedal through Belgium, but as it stands, I’m missing out on a staple of Belgian life.

9. The Belgian Sense of Humor

This may be the hardest thing about visiting Belgium to explain. It’s something I’ve experienced over and over, and yet wouldn’t have the first idea of how to put it neatly in words. You see, much like there is British humour or American humour, the Belgians also have their sense of humour. As best I can put it, the idea behind it is that nothing should be taken too seriously and nothing is sacred to be undercut with humour.

Two places where it seemed to come up, besides when talking to people, were through comics and at Carnival. Comics are a big part of Belgian culture, both for entertainment with Tintin and the like, but also as social commentary. Political cartoons are commonplace in Belgium, and rarely do they pull punches. The same can be said of the floats and costumes I saw at the Aalst Carnival, with plenty of political and social commentary infused into the event, even if I often needed things explained.

All of this goes to say that the Belgians can be a bit self-deprecating and at times provocative. Broadly speaking of course. It may not come up in your day-to-day interactions when you visit Belgium, but it’s worth understanding if it does.

Resources for Visiting Belgium

• Getting There: To find the cheapest and most convenient flights to Belgium make sure to check Kayak.
• Accommodation: Here you can find hotels, apartments and guesthouses across the country of Belgium, plus don’t forget Airbnb.
• Tours: There are so many different day trips and sightseeing tours available around Belgium.
• Car Hire: If you want to travel about as you please, consider renting a car to drive about independently.
• Guide Books: Lastly, if you’re after a physical guide to take with you then you can’t beat a Lonely Planet Guide.

What questions do you have about visiting Belgium? What things do you think people should know before going to Belgium? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.