Belgium Travel Guide

Some facts about Belgium

With three official languages – Dutch, French, and German – Belgium is one of Europe's most multicultural and multilingual countries. This couldn't be more true of its Dutch and French speaking capital Brussels – it's home to the European Union headquarters, so you can expect to hear languages from all over Europe and beyond.

When you arrive in Belgium, make sure you're hungry. The food is up there with Europe's culinary big hitters, whether you're tucking into a generous helping of moules frites, indulgent Belgian waffles or probably the best chocolate in the world. To wash all that down with, the beer in Belgium is also widely considered to be the world's best. It tends to be brewed by Trappist monks, who moved to Belgium in the 1800s and brew to fund their monastery and give back to the community. Expect Trappist beers to be peppery, a bit fruity, and rather strong – Belgian quads are often higher than 10% ABV.

Practical Info

Culture and etiquette

Religion

Christianity is the largest religion in Belgium, while a large proportion of the population are not religious at all.

Tipping

A service charge of around 10% to 15% is often added to restaurant and hotel bills – you can leave a little extra for good service if you like.

Smoking

Smoking is banned in public buildings like bars, restaurants, public transport and workplaces.

Jabs, visas and other advice

For up-to-date advice on jabs, visas and other foreign advice, we recommend following the government's website.

Emergency numbers

In an emergency, call 112.

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Getting to Belgium

The quickest way to get to Belgium from the UK is to fly, taking around 1 hour and 10 minutes from London to Brussels. It's also possible to travel by train – Eurostar heads directly from London to Brussels in 2 hours, and there are plenty of trains from there to other popular spots in the country.

You could also drive to Belgium by taking a ferry to Calais or Dunkirk – from there the drive to Belgium takes a couple of hours. Or if you fancy heading there as part of a cruise, some ships stop off at Zeebrugge and run trips from there to Bruges and Brussels.

Getting around Belgium

The roads around Belgium are remarkably free of potholes and long queues, so hiring a car is a great way to get around. If you don't fancy driving, the trains are excellent too and connect most major towns and cities.

For those of you staying in the city, the public transport is sure to be excellent. You'll find an underground service, trams and buses in Brussels and Antwerp, and a mixture of trams and buses in most other destinations.