Navigate the Belgium travel guide:
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Belgium – the capital of Europe – is home to EU headquarters and EU Parliament in Brussels. It is also home to 15 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including La Grand Place of Brussels, and chocolate, waffles, fries, jenever, the Battlefields of Flanders, the Bruges canals, Ghent and its Gravensteen Castle and St. Bavo’s Cathedral (which houses the Flemish masterpiece The Ghent Altarpiece), Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child, art nouveau architecture, Waterloo, Antwerp, the Meuse Valley, and, of course, the over 800 varieties of beer! Did I mention chocolate?
Belgium has three official languages. Dutch is the official language of the Flemish Region, French is the official language of the Brussels-Capital Region, and German, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population.
Need any easy way to brush up on your French for your trip to Belgium?
Even through Belgians have more than one official language they share a common culture in addition to their communal cultures. Located in western Europe, Belgium is bordered by France, Germany, Luxembourg and Netherlands, adding to its diversity. The majority of Belgians are Roman Catholic, and all reside under a federal parliamentary democracy, like the U.K., under a constitutional monarch. Belgium is an egalitarian society so it is not uncommon for a woman to not change her name when married. Belgians are well-educated and all official languages are taught in schools. Belgians place high importance on the family. Belgians enjoy socializing at restaurants, but the home is mostly reserved for family or close friends.
Belgians enjoy a number of sports, the most popular being football, cycling, and tennis. Surrounded by many countries the Belgians are fortunate to enjoy a variety of international cuisines of neighboring countries, but it is best known for its chocolate, waffles, fries and beer, the national beverage. One of Belgium’s national dishes is mussels and fries (moules and frites) – very yummy. There is a rich history of art and architecture and depending on where and when you are in Belgium you can experience a festival that may focus on the season or their history. For a country that can fit into the southwest region of Virginia, it has a lot cultural diversity to offer.
Belgium uses the Euro (€). Exchange rates are usually favorable for Europeans but could fluctuate in the other direction. Check throughout your travel planning phase on any exchange rate changes.
Belgium has Bolt, Uber, Carpoolworld, and other possible regional ridesharing services and apps (research in advance if they are in your destination area). There are also taxis and rental cars, of course.
Belgium is also part of Europe’s incredible regional and inter-country bus and train services, including Thalys, so getting around and booking transportation is easy.
Traveling in a new country is easier when you know the country’s tipping etiquette in advance as each country has its own rules. That said, country rules and norms can shift, so here is an international tipping resource for over 70 countries to use as a general guideline that I have found is constantly updated.
What’s not on there is how to tip a concierge, beauty salons or spas, travel or tour guides, etc. For these extras, it is acceptable to tip 10% at minimum. Remember, tipping is for good service only.
Additionally, you should always tip in the local currency (if tipping in cash), and do not be offended if your tip is refused as it may not be the norm. I feel it’s always better to offer a tip for good service than not, unless I know it will be considered offensive, like in Japan.
A key activity to do in your early planning stage is to know, at minimum, the national holidays. I so suggest also looking into the local holidays. It’s a complete bummer to spend time and money to take the holiday of your lifetime and when you show up at one of your key attractions, it’s closed due to a holiday. It’s also not fun trying to travel and have a hard time accessing travel or other essential resources when no one is around because, yes, it’s a local holiday. So, take just a few moments to look at Belgium’s holidays.
Besides money, required ID and your ticket, Belgium voltage is 230V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz, so bring Type C and E adapters (it doesn’t hurt to bring 2 of each) for Belgium outlets and research if your electronics require a voltage converter, if not already included in the adapter; or, you can bring electronics already adapted for Belgium outlets or wait to purchase them there (I recommend just bringing the adapters with converter). Remember, most smart phones, tablets and laptops don’t require a converter, but double-check your device(s) before you leave home. If you are going to another country in addition to Belgium on your trip, you can check the global adapters list to make sure you’re prepared. I have also provided suggested adapters below for your convenience.
From the U.S., you will need a valid passport. Visa’s are not required if your stay is less than 3 months. Make sure your passport expiration date is greater than 3 months from your return to the U.S. The U.S. State Department always has their link up to date with pertinent information when traveling to Belgium. It is advised to always check there during your planning stage and again before you leave. If you are not from the U.S., please check your government’s website.
There are normally no vaccinations required for Belgium travel. The U.S. State Department always has their link up to date with pertinent information when traveling to Belgium. It is advised to always check there during your planning stage and again before you leave. If you are not from the U.S., please check your government’s website.
There are ways to reduce your eco and carbon footprint through air travel, accommodations, tours, and activities in Belgium. To help avoid greenwashing businesses, here are some eco-friendly or sustainable travel (also called responsible travel) tips and resources, you can use to book your travel.
Skyscanner provides a ‘Greener flights’ filter highlighting flights that emit less CO2.
Purchase carbon offsets through your airline or through a third party, like MyClimate.org, Carbonfund.org, or terrapass. Carbon offsetting allows you to buy a certificate to reduce carbon emissions, a major contributor to climate change, which in turn contribute community projects across countries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Try to avoid renting a car in Belgium by using Europe’s regional and inter-country bus and train services, including Thalys.
When booking a rideshare in Belgium, select the Bolt Green or Uber Green options instead of a traditional rideshare, or use Carpoolworld, to support the use of electric cars and carpooling for cleaner transportation in Belgium.
Bolt and Lime also have electric scooters to rent in Belgium for faster and cleaner commuting. Search Bolt and Lime for select city availability.
Look for accommodations with the following self and third-party assessed certifications when you book:
Green Globe – Green Globe certifies hotels, resorts, conference centers, transportation, attractions, tour operators, and other tourism businesses globally on sustainable operations and management. Look for Belgium and other European Green Global members.
Green Key Global is an internationally recognized environmental certification for the lodging and meetings industries, including hotels and hostels, campsites and holiday parks, restaurants and attractions in 65 countries. Search for Green Key awarded sites.
Living Building Challenge – if you want to stay in a true, sustainable building, find one certified by the Living Building Challenge. LBC’s certification directory shows all project types globally. Hopefully they will put in a filter soon to allow searching by hotels or hospitality type.
LEED Certified – the USGBC’s LEED Certified label on buildings, like many of the Marriott’s hotels, are those that have verifiably employed multiple and varying green building strategies to improve human and environmental health. Search the LEED directory for Belgium certifications.
Green Lodging Program – Audubon International has an environmental stewardship certification through third-party verification. Search its certified members directory.
GSTC Certified – the Global Sustainable Tourism Council provides global standards for sustainable travel and tourism, as well as international accreditation for sustainable tourism Certification Bodies. Booking sites that offer GSTC certified sustainable are bookdifferent, EcoHotels, and Transat.
Another way to find an establishments implementing eco-friendly or sustainable practices, certified or not, is through Booking.com in which you’ll need to find and review each establishment’s ‘Sustainable Initiatives’ within the booking process. Starting 2022, however, you’ll be able to filter searches for accommodations with the Travel Sustainable badge. Finally!
Belgium has ecotourism ideas available to explore for your next vacation.
Search Green Global and Green Key awarded members for eco-friendly activity providers in Belgium. Some may also have the GSTC Certified logo.
There are more ways to do your part for the planet in your responsible travel. Read my 10 Easy Eco-Travel Tips and view my suggested Eco Travel Resources to learn more.
For the most part, Belgium is considered a safe place to visit. Street crime is unlikely. Beyond any possible theft or pickpocketing, which could happen in most tourist places to be honest, there is nothing I can recall from Belgium making it more of a “safety concern” than traveling in my own home country, so my standard tips for female and solo travelers are:
Like other countries in Europe, Belgium’s high, tourist season, and most expensive time, is the summer (late June to August). Crowds are not as heavy in the Spring (April to early June) and Fall (September and October), and prices in these months are lower than the summer season. The least expensive time to go to Belgium would be November to March. For overall best weather and prices, try booking well in advance for Spring or Autumn but keep in mind the Spring weather can still be chilly (high 50’s to 60’s F) so, plan on wearing layers.
When I backpacked Europe in ’95, I was supposed to spend my last couple of days in Brussels before my U.S. flight departed. Unfortunately, I was having so much fun with my newly-made Aussie friend in Ireland, I only made it back to the Brussels’ airport late at night before my morning flight. Too late to do anything, I decided to sleep in the airport. Boring, right? It was quiet and uncrowded. Then, in the middle of the night, I caught some activity out of the corner of my eye. People were crowding in a circle around the ticket counter. Pictures were being taken. Then I could see who they were crowding around: Dikembe Mutombo. He was pretty hard to miss considering he is 7’ 2”. He was with his family, all dressed in beautifully colored clothing, heading home. I had to get in on the pictures. I waited my turn and he smiled at me. If you have ever seen Dikembe smile you’ll know it’s big and beautiful. I told him I had just moved from Boulder and knew he was a Denver Nugget. I asked if I could have my picture taken with him. He graciously put his arm around my shoulder while the airline employee took our picture. I came up to his armpit. No Brussels sight-seeing for me, but I still have that picture (it’s on my About page).
I finally made it back to Belgium in 2017. So glad I did. Among the must-sees of Brussels, Ghent and Bruges, high on my list were the Madonna and Child – the only piece of Michelangelo’s to leave Italy during his lifetime – and The Ghent Altarpiece by van Eyck. Both pieces I studied in art school. It’s amazing to be able to see art in Europe first-hand that you studied from a book. Once again, Belgium was my last stopping point before going home, and it’s really a good thing because who wants to worry about how they look back at home after all of the beer and chocolate consumption?
How did I navigate the EU travel restrictions and successfully travel 7 European countries as an American traveler? Check out my travel tips and what I did to prepare for travel during Covid-19, and traveled safely during Covid-19, on my 2021 Europe solo travel to make your Europe 2022 trip planning easy.
(UPDATED 6/4/22) Here’s how you can spend 3 days in Brussels solo, with some spectacular day trips, making for an unforgettable 5 days in Belgium. Enjoy!
(UPDATED 6/6/22) When last in Brussels on solo travel, I wanted to see more of Belgium by way of fun day trips. If this is you, too, then here’s how to spend one day in Ghent as an over 50 traveler that you’ll totally enjoy. It’s a day full of art, history, and beer tasting, that makes a great addition to your Brussels solo travel itinerary.
(UPDATED 6/6/22) Yes, you can do a day trip from Brussels to Bruges easily and without a car. See how I spent a lovely one day in Bruges from Brussels by train that completed my perfect Brussels travel itinerary as an over 50 solo traveler.
You’re dying to go to Europe but are solo on a budget? It’s OK – you’re not alone. Budgets are important to a lot of us, but if planned wisely they don’t have to be something that holds
