Belgium Travel Guide

Visitors often refer to Belgium as the hidden jewel of Europe. Nestled between France and Germany, this charming country is often overlooked by tourists. But Belgium offers unsurpassed opportunities for visitors who want to experience something uniquely European. Here you can wander through villages dating back to the Middle Ages. Take a tour through the headquarters of the European Union. Better yet, sample delicious Belgium chocolates. You’ll be enchanted by a vacation to Belgium.

When to Go

Belgium enjoys mild winters and cool summers. However, this area is often cloudy, humid and rainy. The best time to visit Belgium is between April and September when the weather is warmest, but not hot, and you’re more likely to see sunshine. If you choose to visit at other times of year, you’ll find the weather to be chilly, with short days and long nights. However, this can be a charming time to visit, and you’ll find that rates are lower.

Flights and Transportation

The main international airport in Belgium is the Brussels Airport (BRU) in nearby Flanders. Brussels is an ideal launching spot for a vacation in Belgium. Most visitors will want to spend at least a few days in this capital city, and the rest of the country is easily accessed in a day trip. In the winter months, cheap airfare to Belgium can be had for as low as $673 from LAX, $787 from SFO, $736 from ORD or $592 from JFK. If visiting in the more popular summer season, discount airfare to Belgium runs $1407 from LAX, $1102 from SFO, $1512 from ORD and $1234 from JFK.

Once you arrive, Belgium is most easily accessible by train or bus. Rental cars are available, but roads can be congested. Belgium’s excellent public transportation is considered one of Europe’s best. If planning to make more than one train trip, you may want to invest in a Rail Pass, good for 10 single second-class journeys in a month.

Hotels and Lodging

Belgium offers visitors the typical hotels, bed and breakfasts, and hostels for lodging. However, you may want to consider a “farm stay” while in Belgium. Near Gent, Hoeve Spreeuwenburg is a real working farm where visitors can enjoy the undisturbed Belgium countryside and get a home cooked breakfast from the proprietor. Varlet Farm in Ypres Salient near Flanders Field Country will be especially appealing to World War I buffs. But even if visiting old battlefields isn’t quite your idea of fun, the Cardoen-Descamps family will work hard to provide you with a charming bed and breakfast experience on their family farm.

If a typical hotel is more your style, consider lodging at the Brussels Welcome Hotel. Each one of its 15 comfortable rooms represents a country of the world. The friendly staff will go out of their way to make sure your stay in Brussels is as pleasant as possible.

Things to Do

Flanders is the northernmost of the three regions in Belgium. There you’ll want to visit Antwerp where the giant Our Lady’s Cathedral is sure to catch your eye. The largest in the Low Countries, this cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture as well as an active place of worship. Near the North Sea, the city of Bruges is called the Venice of the North. Most of its medieval architecture is still intact, giving visitors a unique look at history. If you can, you’ll want to spend at least one night here to fully experience this quiet and charming city.

Belgium chocolate is world-renowned and you’ll want to visit one of the 2,000 chocolate shops while you’re in the country. Le Chocolatier Manon in Brussels sometimes offers factory tours.