Belgium Travel Tips: 19 Things That Will Make Your Trip Easier

I’ve crisscrossed Belgium, talked to the people, figured out its public transportation, ate the food, and seen the top sights. And you know what? Belgium really deserves to be on your travel radar. But you need to come prepared. So, what should you know before you travel to Belgium?

 

Here are a few pointers and tips based on my own travel in Belgium that could be useful for you when you plan your own trip. Bits and bobs that you’ll only learn through experience.  

You can relax—Belgian people are friendly, English is widely spoken, and everything is well organized so you can easily visit all the top places and tourist attractions in Belgium stress-free. So, my main travel advice for Belgium is: enjoy yourself! 

 

Is Belgium worth visiting?

Before we start, here are our ratings for Belgium: 

Prices in Belgium 

Is Belgium expensive? 

 

1. Belgium is cheap compared to other Western European countries

Look at this happy guy in Bruges
 

You’d think that the presence of the headquarters of the EU would make Belgium a very expensive country, but it’s not that bad. Neighboring Netherlands, France and Luxembourg are all more expensive, so Belgium comes out looking pretty cheap! Although realistically, it’s still on the expensive side if you compare it worldwide.    

Dinner for 2 at a nice restaurant costs €70–80. A pint of beer is around €5. A room in a good 4- or 5-star hotel can cost from €200 to €300.  

 

2. You rarely need cash in Belgium

The trap is that you now have access to this without the barrier of having to worry if you remembered to bring cash

You can pay by card everywhere except for maybe some tiny shops or souvenir shops. Even on public transportation you can usually pay not only by card, but also using your phone or smart watch.

 

Transportation in Belgium

So how do you get around Belgium effectively and comfortably? 

 

3. DON’T rent a car in Belgium

This time I recommend travelling by train
 

Not only does the parking in popular Belgian cities suck (time limits on central parking, residential-only parking spots) and costs a fortune, the trains are just so good. I always rent a car when I travel, but in Belgium, public transportation is king. The trains are incredible and are the better alternative to driving.

  

4. DO travel by train in Belgium

The train station in Antwerp is one of the nicest in Europe!
 

Belgian trains are comfortable, cheap, and fast as lightning. Brussels to Ghent or Antwerp is like 30 minutes! It makes making day trips from Brussels really easy.  

We went as far as including Paris on our list of top day trips from Brussels. Yeah, it’ll be a crazy long day, but hey, who wouldn’t want to see the Eiffel Tower on a trip to Belgium?!  

Pro tip: Within the country, two people can travel on a train for the price of one with the “duo ticket”.  

Check connections and buy tickets on the website of the National Railway Company of Belgium (SNBC). 

 

5. In cities, walk or take taxis (or even trams)

Grand Place in Brussels
 

As for transportation within cities, I’ll again step out of my comfort zone and endorse public transportation. It’s well organized and easy to get around with throughout Belgium. That’s right, Mr. Never Use Public Transportation thinks the best travel tip for Belgium is to use public transportation. Wow, now let’s see pigs fly!

In Ghent and Bruges, a day pass for public transportation costs €7.50, which is great value for money. That said, almost everything is within walking distance.  

In general, in the compact city centers of Ghent and Bruges you’ll mostly just walk.  

In Brussels, since you’ll need to cover a larger area, taking public transportation often means multiple tram/bus changes (you can find connections online or in an app). For me, that meant Bolt provided a better service with less hassle.  

Brussels reminded me of Berlin with its wide avenues and mostly flat geography. Perfect conditions for bikes and scooters (which can also be rented).  

 

Weather in Belgium 

When should you visit Belgium for the perfect trip?  

 

 

6. The best time to visit Belgium is not in the summer

We visited Belgium in April and as you can see, the weather was perfect! (The Atomium and Mini-Europe in Brussels)
 

One travel tip everyone asks about before visiting Belgium. The best time to visit Belgium is April to June. Temperatures are a pleasant 15–20°C, chances of rain are minimal, and you’ll be missing the summer price surge. 

Don’t visit Belgium in the winter unless you like sightseeing on cold, foggy days. Temperatures are around 3–7°C, but it’s the damp air that’ll get you. It stays this cold until March. 

So why not visit Belgium in the summer? Average daytime temperatures during Belgian summers are around 25°C, but July brings the most rain of the year. Rain and crowds is not my idea of ideal travel conditions.  

   

7. It rains a lot in Belgium

Pack an umbrella!

 

Another thing to know before you go to Belgium is it rains A LOT. With an average of 200 rainy days per year, your chances of at least a drizzle are pretty high. Rain comes in pretty steady year-round with a slight increase in July and in December and the highest chance of a dry day in the spring (April-ish).   

It has to do with Belgium’s location by the sea.  
 

Thankfully I took my own advice and went in April... I love proving myself right

 

People in Belgium 

Belgians are a friendly bunch. Service is professional and reasonably friendly, and everyone is happy to help. No fake smiles, just good vibes. 

 

8. Almost 30% of Belgians aren’t Belgian

I guess everybody is just united by their shared love for Belgian food–it would be pretty hard not to fit in

 

Belgium is like the United Colors of Benetton in the best way possible. Now I’m a white dude so I’m not supposed to have an opinion on this, but from my perspective, Belgium had a positive multicultural vibe.  

It was very different from what I witnessed in South Africa and even the US where different races mean you hang out and live in different circles. Everyone in Belgium just seemed to get along and mingle.  

 

9. Belgians are polyglots

How about a day trip from Brussels to Antwerp?
 

In general, the people of Belgium are super nice and speak perfect English. That’s along with their native Flemish (in the north) or French (in the south). In Brussels, people usually speak all three, or rather a mix of French and Dutch, and English on top of that.     

More on the languages of Belgium (plus history, geography, economics, etc.) in our Interesting Facts about Belgium article.  

 

Tourist infrastructure in Belgium

You’ll feel right at home in Belgium. Belgium’s infrastructure, in general, is top notch and tourists benefit from it greatly.  

 

10. English is widely spoken in Belgium

 

It’s easy and delightful to travel in Belgium. One useful travel tip for Belgium is that you’ll probably have no problem communicating with locals. 

Brussels is especially used to dealing in English, being a business city and the headquarters of the EU.  

 

11. Exploring is made easy in Belgium

We liked Ghent (pictured) a little better than Bruges
 

We’ve already talked about how easy it is to get around in Belgium. But that’s not all– museum websites are always available in English, online tickets can easily be bought if you don’t want to deal with live humans at the ticket desk. The user-friendliness of museums is great, providing audio or interactive guides in many languages. Check out our list of the best museums in Belgium for info on some of the ones we liked the most.  

All the food in Belgium is basically comfort food, so if you aren’t exactly adventurous with your taste buds, Belgium will be easy on you.

In summary, you’ll barely need any travel advice in Belgium, because the country is so traveler-friendly.

 

Eating and driking in Belgium

Belgium is one of our favorite countries for food. Belgian food’s not great on the diet, but it’s so delicious (and tipping doesn’t hurt the budget). 

 

12. Belgian food = wonderful, fried goodness

What more could you want? It’s almost impossible to be sad in Belgium! 
 

I don’t know if all the beer and fries clouded my judgment, but we ate really well. Granted, a lot of the food is fried and the variety isn’t huge, but you can’t argue with a satisfied stomach.  

Important travel tip for Belgium: Don’t ask for French fries, because no self-respecting Belgian would ever use that term. They are fries.  

Beware: Waffles are everywhere in Belgium, which sounds like a great thing. The problem is that they are usually crappy tourist waffles, and not the delights that Belgium is known for. Choose carefully!   

Much, much more on the best food and beer in Belgium in a separate article.  

 

13. The beer culture in Belgium is real

Left: Smell some hops and become a beer expert! Right: Taste some beer and become a beer expert! @ Bruges Beer Experience in Bruges
 

As a beer lover, I found the beer culture in Belgium very satisfying (and entertaining). I didn’t see a soul drinking wine!  

Travel tip for Belgium: Beer is paired with absolutely everything even in the best restaurants. We learned a ton about beer on our Beer Experience tour in Bruges, which elevated this classic to a whole new level in our eyes.  

 

14. Don’t stress about tipping in Belgium

In Belgium, tipping isn’t mandatory. Restaurant bills already include service charges, and servers are paid actual wages. If service is genuinely great, round up or leave €1–€2, especially at nicer restaurants. But no one’s chasing you down for a missing tip—this isn’t the U.S.

 

15. There are terrific restaurants in every Belgian city

Find out which place in Brussels made us this happy in our best restaurants in Belgium article
 

This isn’t a case of the best restaurants only being in the capital. In Belgium, you’ll eat well everywhere. For restaurants, I usually check reviews on Google Maps or TripAdvisor before heading out to a meal. Usually it’s to find a good spot, but in Belgium, it just helps narrow it down. Make sure to make dinner reservations if you’re heading to a popular and centrally located restaurant. Our list of the best restaurants in Belgium can help you discover some fantastic options.   

 

Best hotels in Hotels 

You won’t have any trouble finding a great hotel in Belgium. You’ll have more trouble choosing the one out of many!  

 

16. In Brussels, you need to try the Radisson Red

The cool and comfortable Radisson Red
 

We were loyal to our now-favorite Radisson Red in Brussels. It’s a super cool, stylish hotel that is excellent value for money. It’s all artsy and high-tech, you’ll love it. I’ve stayed in Reds across the world, have only good things to say about them, and want to pass on the recommendation.  

 

Bonus travel tip: Make your hotel reservations through booking.com

The charming Relais Bourgondisch Cruyce, right on the canals of Bruges
 

Hotels in Belgium are of great quality. A room in a good 4- or 5- star hotel in Belgium will cost you between €200 and €300 per night.  

If you’re looking for travel advice before you go to Belgium, remember that I put hotel recommendations in all of the articles on my Belgium travel blog, but basically any hotel with a rating of at least 9.0 on booking.com will probably make you happy. 

 

What are the best things to do in Belgium?

One of the most important things to know before traveling to Belgium is what you’ll want to see there. I had high expectations from Belgium, but almost no expectations from Brussels, but in the end Brussels totally surpassed what I thought it would be! So, read my articles and know what to expect. 

 

 

17. Cities are the top thing to visit in Belgium

Ghent was one of our favorite places in Belgium
 

Brussels itself warrants a 3-day visit. There are so many fantastic museums to choose from, plus the EU Parliament, Mini-Europe and of course the Atomium. And so much more. Start planning with our Brussels 3-day itinerary.  

Other popular cities, like Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp, should all be on your list of places to visit in Belgium. The former two have lovely historical centers set on numerous canals. They are all easy day trips from Brussels on the fantastic Belgian trains.  

A shout out to the Catholic Church, whose spectacular churches are almost always free to visit.  

If you can’t wait to go and aren’t the best at planning, you can use my step-by-step Belgium itinerary for 7 days. 

 

18. Do not skip the incredible museums in Belgium

The Parlamentarium in Brussels
 

Like I said, the museums in Belgium are just fantastic—very high quality, well-curated, usually interactive and fun. They are also some of the biggest I’ve ever visited. So, my big piece of travel advice for Belgium is embrace the incredible museums.

The huge Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels can take you all day (if you leave your wife at the hotel). 

Some museums are interactive and tasty, like the Choco Story Museum in Brussels, or our personal favorite, the Beer Experience in Bruges.  

Almost all museums give you a tablet as a guide and off you go to explore.  

Ticket prices to most museums range from €10 to €20.  

 

 

19. Belgium doesn’t have a lot of nature worth seeing

Check out the coast of Belgium: Zwin Nature Park
 

One last thing to know before you travel to Belgium: Belgium has no nature. If you’re really set on seeing something that wasn’t created by humans, you can choose to visit the coast and Zwin Nature Park, a marshy area by the sea full of birds and sand dunes. Look for nests from the viewpoints and huts and enjoy the sea breeze.  

Or, visit the Meuse Valley. The Meuse River cuts deeply into the landscape in southern Belgium, creating great scenery along its banks, though most of what you’ll actually be stopping to see are man-made places like towns and castles picturesquely built next to or on the limestone cliffs along the river.   

For more ravishing information about this little country, click on over to our Belgium Background article. We’ll tell you how it became half-French, half-Dutch, why it’s called the Battlefield of Europe, and which red, yellow and black felines the Belgian flag represents.  

Giving away great Belgium travel tips, and Ghent sure is one of them—check it out if you haven’t yet @ Castle of the Counts (get tickets in advance!)

 

Where to next?

• Cities: Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp

• The best of the best: Top museums in Belgium, Top restaurants in Belgium

• Make plans: Best day trips from Brussels, Best places in Belgium, Brussels 3-day itinerary

• Or, don’t plan anything, I’ve done the work for you: 7-day Belgium itinerary

 

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