Belgium: Overview
The attractive Kingdom of Belgium is located in northwest Europe, limiting with Germany, France, the Netherlands and Luxemburg.
Climate
Belgium enjoys a temperate marine climate. While summer (May-September) is hot with temperatures around 81 ºF, winter is cold, temperatures drop to 45 ºF and snowfalls are possible. Rains fall throughout the whole year.
Important Information
There are different entry requirements for Belgium depending on the visitor's nationality. EU citizens need nothing more than an identity card, while those tourists coming from Australia, USA, Japan and New Zealand, among other countries, need an effective passport for a 3 months-stay. People coming from developing countries must check entry requirements at a Belgian consulate or embassy.
The official currency is the euro (EUR), although the main credit cards (Visa, American Express, Eurocard and Diners Club) and traveller’s checks (especially the ones in euros, pounds sterling or American dollars) are broadly accepted. ATMs are plentiful in big cities. Tipping is not necessary however, you can add an extra percentage for a good service, hotel and restrooms staff, since the charge included in the bills is not given to employees.
There are no vaccination requirements, however an influenza vaccine is strongly recommended to those travelling between November and April. You should also know that there have been some cases of rabies in 2007, so it is advisable to be careful with dogs. Medical care in Belgium is excellent, although very expensive. You should not travel without a comprehensive medical insurance. Nationals from UK who have an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) can get emergency care at a very low cost.
There are no big issues concerning security in Belgium, but it is always recommended to be careful and take some basic cautions to avoid petty crimes, especially in Brussels, public transportations and train stations.
Where to go
Brussels, the Belgian and EU capital, is a small city where ultramodern sky-scrapers rise side-by-side with typical buildings and constructions. In the centre of the city is the Grand Place, one of the continent’s most beautiful, near where you can visit several museums and see samples of the country’s architecture. North of the Place is the Comic Strip Centres, a great place for comic strips lovers. Besides this, you can also visit the Royal Palace, museums of Antique and Modern Art, the National Opera House and Rue de Bouchers, where most of the restaurants are.
Antwerp City, built beside the river Escalda, is one of the historically-richest ones and one Europe’s most important ports. There you can enjoy diverse architectural styles, from medieval castles, going trough neo-Renaissance villages to Art Nouveau mansions. This city is also an ideal destination for art lovers, this is due to the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, the place where Rubens was born, the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Katedraal, the biggest Gothic cathedral in Brussels and Antwerp Zoo where you will see an interesting collection of exotic animals. Another good choice is a one day trip from Antwerp to the beautiful poppies fields in Flanders.
The attractive and well conserved Bruges attracts visitors from all over the world with its medieval charm. The 366 steps which take you to the top of the bell tower are the best access road to an incredible view of the city. Besides this view you can also enjoy the Markt and the Burg, two medieval centres, Groeninge Museum and the Stadhuis (City council).
Ghent, located between Brussels and Bruges, is Europe’s second largest medieval city and it as an important historical heritage to offer to its visitors. Here you can visit Sint-Baafskathedral and also climb to the top of the bell tower to enjoy a view of the whole city.
Festivals
Besides the traditional Catholic celebrations, there is a concentration of festivals between July and August. Among them, there are the Ommegang, a parade of period royal gowns celebrated on first Thursday of July, and the Belgian National Day, the 21st of the same month, which marks the beginning of the Belgium Fair that extends until the end of August.
