Belgium

Discover the wonders of Belgium with our handy travel guide. Learn about the country's weather patterns and the ideal times to plan your visit. Find out how to navigate Belgium's cities and regions with ease. Explore top destinations like Brussels, Bruges, and Antwerp, along with the delicious foods you must try, from waffles to chocolate. Our guide also reveals Belgium's secret spots that most tourists miss, giving you a complete picture of this charming European gem.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Brussels & Central Belgium: May to September offers pleasant temperatures (15-25°C/59-77°F) and longer days. June and September are ideal for fewer crowds while enjoying outdoor cafés and parks.

Flemish Region (Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent): April to June showcases beautiful spring blooms and comfortable weather. September and October offer golden autumn colors and harvest festivals.

Ardennes: July and August provide the warmest temperatures for hiking and outdoor activities. Winter months (December-February) are excellent for snow sports in this more elevated region.

Belgian Coast: June to August delivers the warmest sea temperatures and beach-friendly weather (18-22°C/64-71°F). May and September offer more tranquility while still providing mild conditions.

Wallonia: May to October offers the best conditions for exploring the region's castles and natural landscapes, with September providing beautiful foliage.

How to Get to Belgium

Belgium offers several international airports that connect travelers to its cities. Brussels Airport (BRU) serves more than 26 million passengers annually and is located just minutes from Brussels, with its medieval squares and famous chocolate shops.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (CRL) is a budget-friendly alternative that provides access to Charleroi and its riverside areas.

Antwerp International Airport (ANR) is conveniently situated near Antwerp, known for its diamond district and fashion scene. 

Liège Airport (LGG) primarily handles cargo operations and is located close to historic Liège.

For those interested in Belgium's coastal region, Ostend-Bruges International Airport (OST) offers easy access to the seaside city of Ostend and the canal-lined Bruges.

How to Get Around

Belgium's transportation system makes exploring the country as easy as enjoying a fresh waffle on a Sunday morning. Trains, run by SNCB/NMBS, connect cities like Brussels, Antwerp, and Bruges with trains that come and go so often you'll hardly check the schedule. The country is small enough that you can breakfast in Brussels and lunch in Liège; most train rides take less than two hours.

In cities, buses take you to corners where trains don't reach. Brussels, Antwerp, Charleroi, and Ghent have trams too, with Brussels adding a four-line metro that zips underneath the capital's busy streets. Along the coast, the Kusttram (coastal tram) runs the entire shoreline, giving riders sea views as they travel between beach towns.

Taxis will get you exactly where you need to go, though your wallet might feel lighter afterward. For trips across borders to Luxembourg and nearby countries, Flibco runs airport shuttles that make the journey simple. 

Travelers watching their euros might like BlaBlaCar Bus, which offers cheaper rides between Belgian cities and into neighboring countries.

Food Scene

The smell of hot oil and potatoes fills the air at Maison Antoine in Brussels, where locals line up for double-fried frites, golden-brown and crackling with each bite. They come in paper cones with dollops of fresh mayonnaise. 

In Antwerp, Frituur No.1 serves them the same way families have enjoyed for generations. 

Sunday mornings at Brussels' Marché du Midi bring hundreds of vendors and thousands of shoppers together. Cheese mongers cut samples, bakers stack loaves, and coffee steams from paper cups. 

In Ghent, Vrijdagmarkt fills with tables of produce still carrying dirt from nearby farms. Fishermen's catches arrive before dawn at Bruges' Vismarkt, where you can eat what was swimming hours earlier.

Regional Specialties:

• Flanders' carbonade flamande simmers beef in dark Belgian beer until it falls apart with just the touch of a fork.
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• In Liège, boulets à la liégeoise — hearty meatballs — come swimming in a sweet-sour sauce that locals debate the recipe for.
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• Along the coastline, steaming pots of moules-frites arrive at tables with the briny scent of the North Sea.
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Hidden Gems

1. Hallerbos

For a few weeks each spring, the ancient beech trees of Hallerbos stand guard over a sea of bluebells that carpet the forest floor. The sunlight filters through young leaves, spotlighting patches of purple-blue flowers that stretch as far as the eye can see. Mid-April to early May brings this natural phenomenon to life. 

Photographers set up tripods before dawn, when morning light plays on dewdrops and fewer footsteps have disturbed the delicate blooms. The forest sits just 2 km (1.2 miles) from Halle station, accessible by a pleasant walk or quick bus ride. 

Go on a weekday morning when you might have whole sections of this woodland for yourself.

2. Gravensteen Castle, Ghent

In the heart of Ghent, a 12th-century stone fortress rises above the canals. Children peek through arrow slits while parents examine the medieval weapons collection. The castle's audio tour tells the story of Count Philip of Alsace and his stronghold through unexpected humor that makes history come alive. From the ramparts, the red rooftops and church spires of Ghent spread out in all directions. 

Tram lines 1 and 4 stop nearby, making it an easy visit from Ghent Sint-Pieters station. The late afternoon light turns the gray stone walls golden, and the crowds thin as closing time approaches.

3. Le Grand-Hornu, Mons

Outside Mons, brick buildings arranged in a perfect oval once housed coal miners and their families. Today, contemporary art hangs where industrial machinery once roared. The contrast between the 19th-century neoclassical architecture and modern exhibitions creates unexpected conversations between past and present. 

Sunday afternoon tours reveal how coal powered Belgium's industrial revolution, and how this thoughtfully preserved site gives new purpose to industrial heritage. 

Bus 7 makes the 7 km (4.3 miles) journey from Mons station, though cycling there offers glimpses of a landscape shaped by centuries of mining history.

Scenic Routes

Belgium packs a remarkable variety into its small borders. From city streets lined with centuries-old buildings to quiet forests where time seems to slow, the country reveals itself best when traveled slowly along these five routes:

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• Brussels to Bruges: The train from Belgium's busy capital to Bruges cuts through Flanders' countryside, where farmhouses dot green fields and occasional windmills still turn in the breeze. In autumn, the trees turn copper and gold. The train's large windows frame the changing landscape like moving paintings. 

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• Namur to Dinant: The Meuse River carves its path between rocky cliffs topped by ancient fortresses. When spring arrives, wildflowers spread along the riverbanks. The train hugs the water's edge, offering views you'd miss by road. 

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• Ostend to De Panne: The coastal tram (the longest in the world) runs the full length of Belgium's shoreline. It passes sand dunes and elegant 19th-century buildings. In summer, the sea breeze flows through open tram windows while beachgoers wade in the North Sea below. 

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• Antwerp to Ghent: Water connects these two ancient port cities. Boats drift past stone guildhalls and towering church spires reflected in the canals. Late spring brings color to the gardens that edge the waterways, visible only to those traveling by boat. 

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• Malmedy to Eupen: The Ardennes reveal themselves on this winding road: dark pine forests, sudden valleys, and small villages where smoke rises from chimneys. In winter, snow outlines every branch. In autumn, the forest floor becomes a carpet of fallen leaves. Having a car means stopping whenever a view calls for a closer look. 

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Events, Festivals and Local Markets

When December arrives in Brussels, the Grand Place glows with thousands of lights while wooden chalets fill the air with cinnamon and spice. People gather to watch light displays dance across historic buildings while sipping hot chocolate and browsing through over 200 stalls of handmade gifts and seasonal foods.

From November to January, Antwerp's centuries-old squares transform as locals and visitors glide across ice rinks surrounded by wooden market stalls. Craftspeople sell their handmade goods while the smell of fresh Flemish waffles and warm spiced wine drifts through the cold winter air.

In July, Ghent comes alive with the Gentse Feesten. For ten days, music flows from every corner as performers fill the medieval streets. Families, friends, and travelers move from square to square, enjoying free concerts and street shows that continue long into the summer evenings.

The cobblestone streets of Bruges become even more charming when the Christmas market arrives. Medieval buildings watch over visitors as they skate on frozen ponds, shop for gifts, and warm up with Belgian chocolates and fresh waffles. The scent of spices and the sound of holiday music fill the ancient city center.

Best Places to Visit

1. In Brussels, cobblestone streets tell stories of medieval guilds while modern glass buildings house Europe's decision-makers. The Grand Place reveals intricate stonework on guild houses where merchants once gathered. Nearby, the small Manneken Pis statue makes children giggle and adults wonder why such a modest fountain earned worldwide fame.

Between May and June or September and October, the weather cooperates with light jackets rather than winter coats, and you won't have to navigate through summer tourist groups to snap photos of the Atomium's silver spheres.

Throughout the year, Brussels keeps its calendar full. In February, light installations transform familiar buildings during the Bright Brussels Festival, changing how you see the city after dark. Weekend markets at Place du Grand Sablon fill with people hunting antiques and sampling waffles from street vendors. The Royal Museums regularly open new exhibitions where you can stand close enough to see brushstrokes on works from Flemish masters and contemporary artists.

How to get to Brussels

• -Direct flights to Brussels Airport from major international cities
• -Eurostar high-speed train connections from London, Paris, and Amsterdam
• -Extensive railway network connects to all major European cities

2. Ghent preserves its medieval heart without feeling like a museum. Canals reflect centuries-old buildings while university students cycle past, bringing modern energy. Inside Saint Bavo's Cathedral, the Ghent Altarpiece contains paintings so detailed that art historians still discover new elements centuries after its creation. At Gravensteen Castle, you can climb the same stone stairs knights once used.

Summer months provide long evenings for sitting beside canals with local beers, while spring brings color to parks throughout the city. Both seasons let you walk the car-free center without worrying about rain interrupting your exploration.

The Thursday Market has operated since medieval times, with farmers still bringing vegetables grown outside the city. Inside historic theaters with red velvet seats, musicians perform classical concerts, continuing traditions centuries old. Walking tours depart from the Belfry daily, where guides share stories not written in guidebooks.

How to get to Ghent

• -Direct train service from Brussels (25 minutes)
• -International buses from European capitals via Flixbus
• -Car access via the E40 highway with convenient park-and-ride facilities

3. Charleroi shows how industrial cities reinvent themselves. Former factory walls now display massive murals painted by international artists. The photography museum houses black-and-white images documenting the city's coal mining past alongside contemporary exhibitions. Here, hotel prices remain reasonable, and restaurants serve Belgian specialties to locals rather than tourists.

Summer and early fall months let you explore outdoor spaces comfortably, when former industrial sites bathed in sunshine look less harsh and more interesting. These months reveal how concrete and nature coexist in a city rebuilding itself.

Former coal mines and steel factories now host cultural events where guides explain how these spaces powered Belgium's economy. The BPS22 Art Museum presents rotating exhibitions in a former industrial hall where massive windows flood contemporary artworks with natural light. At monthly markets, local craftspeople sell ceramics, textiles, and foods specific to the Wallonia region, often explaining their techniques if you show interest.

How to get to Charleroi

• -Brussels South Charleroi Airport serves numerous budget airlines
• -Direct train connections from Brussels (approximately 1 hour)
• -Local TEC bus network connects with neighboring Belgian cities
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Tips for Traveling to Belgium

VISA & ENTRY

• EU citizens: No visa required, just an ID card
• Non-EU: Schengen visa for stays under 90 days
• US/Canada/UK citizens: Passport valid 3+ months beyond stay

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Greet with a handshake or three cheek kisses
• Use "please" and "thank you" frequently
• Tipping: Service included, round up for good service

MONEY MATTERS

• Currency: Euro (€)
• Cards are widely accepted; carry some cash
• ATMs are abundant in cities and towns

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency: 112
• No special vaccines required
• Travel insurance recommended
• Safe drinking water

TRANSPORTATION

• Efficient train network connects cities
• Local buses/trams in urban areas
• Consider the Brussels Card for public transport + museums
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