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Belgium✨ 10 best things to do in Belgium

Things to do in Belgium

1. Stand in the Grand-PlaceTake in Brussels' gilded guildhalls, one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, especially when lit at night.
2. Cruise Bruges' canalsGlide past medieval brick houses and hidden gardens in the city often called the Venice of the North.
3. See the Ghent AltarpieceMarvel at the Van Eyck masterpiece 'Adoration of the Mystic Lamb' in St Bavo's Cathedral.
4. Sample Trappist beerTaste rich ales brewed under monastic supervision at a traditional Belgian café.
5. Join a chocolate workshopLearn how pralines were invented in Brussels and make your own.
6. Attend the Menin Gate ceremonyHear the Last Post played every evening in Ypres in memory of First World War soldiers.
7. Hunt for Art NouveauExplore Victor Horta's flowing ironwork houses in Brussels' Saint-Gilles and Ixelles.
8. Hike the ArdennesWalk wooded valleys, castles and river gorges in the hilly south.
9. Browse Antwerp's fashion and diamondsDiscover designer boutiques and the historic diamond district of Belgium's port city.
10. Eat proper fritesOrder twice-fried chips in a paper cone with mayonnaise from a local frietkot.

Belgium🗺️ Where to visit in Belgium

Where to go in Belgium

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  BrusselsCapital · culture & EUGrand-Place, comic-strip murals, world-class museums and the European Quarter in one compact city.
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  BrugesFlanders · medieval cityA UNESCO-listed old town of canals, cobbles and belfries that feels frozen in time.
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  GhentFlanders · student cityMedieval waterfronts, a castle and a lively university scene with fewer crowds than Bruges.
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  AntwerpFlanders · port & fashionRubens' house, a grand cathedral, cutting-edge fashion and a stunning railway station.
• 📍
  Ypres (Ieper)West Flanders · WWI historyThe heart of the Flanders Fields battlefields, memorials and cemeteries.
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  DinantWallonia · Meuse valleyA picture-perfect town beneath a cliff-top citadel, birthplace of the saxophone's inventor.
• 📍
  The ArdennesWallonia · natureForested hills ideal for hiking, kayaking and castle-hopping around Durbuy and La Roche.
• 📍
  LeuvenFlemish Brabant · university townA lively town with an ornate Gothic town hall and one of Europe's oldest universities.

Belgium🌦️ Weather & best time to visit Belgium

Best time to visit Belgium

Belgium has a mild, maritime climate with rain spread through the year. The coast is breezy, while the Ardennes in the south is cooler and can see snow in winter.

Typical daytime highs and rain in Brussels (approximate averages).

Belgium🎉 Festivals & events in Belgium

• February-March
  Carnival of BincheUNESCO-recognised carnival where Gilles in wax masks and ostrich-feather hats throw oranges to the crowd.
• July
  TomorrowlandOne of the world's biggest electronic music festivals, held in Boom.
• July
  Gentse FeestenTen days of free street concerts, theatre and partying in Ghent.
• August (even years)
  Flower CarpetBrussels' Grand-Place is covered with a huge carpet made of begonias.
• Late June-early July
  OmmegangA historic costumed pageant re-enacting a 16th-century procession in Brussels.

Belgium🧭 Belgium itinerary ideas

How many days in Belgium?

Belgium🎒 Backpacking Belgium – tips & hacks

Backpacker budget: about $70–100 a day

• Trains are fast and frequent; under-26 travellers can get discounted youth fares and weekend returns are cheaper.
• Ghent and Antwerp have good hostels and a younger, cheaper vibe than Bruges.
• Fill up on frites, waffles from street stands and supermarket picnics to keep costs down.
• Many museums have free entry on certain days, such as the first Wednesday afternoon of the month in Brussels.
• Bruges is easily done as a day trip from Ghent, avoiding its higher accommodation prices.

Belgium🛡️ Safety & money in Belgium

Emergency: 112 fire & ambulance · 101 police

Belgium🛬 Getting to Belgium

Brussels Airport is the main hub, with Brussels South Charleroi serving budget airlines. High-speed trains connect Brussels with Paris, London, Amsterdam and Cologne.

✈️ Cheap flights to Belgium: airports, flight times & best time to fly →

Belgium💡 Did you know? 5 facts about Belgium

• Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German.
• The saxophone was invented by Belgian Adolphe Sax.
• Tintin, the Smurfs and Lucky Luke all come from Belgian comic artists.
• The praline filled chocolate is credited to Brussels confectioner Jean Neuhaus.
• Brussels' Atomium represents an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times.

Belgium❓ Belgium travel FAQ

Belgium travel questions