belgium Travel Guide
Right in the middle of Western Europe, this small multicultural country is loaded with history and is well known to the world for its famous exports of chocolate, frites, waffles, and most importantly beer. Belgium has countless beautiful towns and cities, medieval belfries, magical market squares, iconic stepped gabled houses, a number of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and some brutal scars of modern history with the battlefields of WWI and WWII.
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 Belgium |
Top 5 Destinations in belgium |
 Bruges |
 Ghent |
 Antwerp |
 Brussels |
 Dinant |
Top 5 Nature Destinations |
 Signal de Botrange |
 Tombeau du Géant |
 Hoge Kempen |
 Hallerbos |
 Caves of Han |
Other Destinations |
Population Centres
- Brussels – the capital of Belgium, unofficial capital of the EU, and a beautiful city center.
- Antwerp – with a giant cathedral, medieval streets, artistic heritage, and a lot of history.
- Liège – a city with a long history, but more recently a industrial city, offering a lot to see.
- Ghent – one of the most beautiful cities in Belgium with a load of history.
- Charleroi – one of Belgium’s newer cities, though still with a number of interesting sights.
- Bruges – one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The entire centre is a UNESCO site.
- Namur – the capital of Wallonia, at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers.
- Leuven – a small yet vibrant city with a beautiful historical center.
- Mons – a city with two thousands years of history. Home to three UNESCO sites.
- Mechelen – famous for its 15th century St. Rumbold’s Cathedral with its 97m high tower.
Other Destinations
Caves of Han – a limestone cave complex, created by erosion of an underground section of the Lesse river. Access is only possible via a vintage streetcar.
Dinant – a beautiful little city on the banks of the Meuse River, backed by steep cliffs, on which is perched a centuries-old fortified citadel.
Hallerbos / The Blue Forest – a forest which is covered in a beautiful purple carpet of bluebells mid-April every year.
Spa – the original spa town and namesake to spas the world over.
Ypres/Ieper – a city that was destroyed during World War I in the five Battles of Ypres. The city was rebuilt and today it’s surrounded by numerous memorials and cemeteries.
Rock Werchter – one of the biggest rock festivals in Europe. (June or July)
Tomorrowland – one largest and most notable music festivals in the world.
National Parks |
Hoge Kempen – this, Belgium’s only national park, mainly consists of heathland and pine forest, and to a lesser extent deciduous trees, dunes, marshes, streams, dry valleys, and ponds. The park has a network of over 200km of hiking trails.
UNESCO Sites |
Cultural (12)
Belfries of Belgium and France (1999, 2005)
Flemish Béguinages (1998)
Historic Centre of Brugge (2000)
La Grand-Place, Brussels (1998)
Major Mining Sites of Wallonia (2012)
Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta, Brussels (2000)
Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes, Mons (2000)
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai (2000)
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex (2005)
Stoclet House (2009)
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)
The Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and their Environs, La Louvière and Le Roeulx (Hainaut) (1998)
Natural (1)
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe (2007, 2011, 2017)
Typical Costs |
Accommodation
Hostels: €16-30
Hotels: €45+
Activity Costs
Most Belgium cities offer city cards allowing free or discounted entry to almost everywhere of interest. These cards are a great value for money if you plan to visit more than a couple of sights. City cards generally last for 24h/48h/72h.
Eat/Drink
Beer: €3.50
Coffee: €3.80
Sitdown Meal: €10+
Tipping: Not expected.
Belgium Top 5: Eat/Drink
Beer
Chocolate
Frites
Hot Chocolate
Waffles
Transportation
Belgium has an excellent rail network with very reasonable prices. Most destinations tourists are likely to visit will be connected by rail. Where train don’t go, buses do.
Budget
Tight: EUR40
Relaxed: EUR60
Guidebooks |
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Useful Websites |