My recent visit was not my first trip to Belgium, but I felt like there was so much that I had forgotten from previous visits. Belgium is a great country to visit, being both bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly, and boasting some pretty wonderful cuisine and the drinks to wash it down.
In between strolling quaint cobblestone streets in medieval city centers, I couldn’t help but jot down some notes of those key things you’ll want to know before you go – after making countless mistakes myself of course!
So (in alphabetical order), here are my top Belgium Travel Tips, with things you should know before you go:
Beer
Beer in Belgium is stronger than you think. No, really! While the average Alcohol-By-Volume or ABV of beer is 4.5%, most Belgian beers are over that amount, many at double the alcohol content or more. On this list of top Belgian beers, every beer listed is over 4.5% and half of them clock in at 8% or higher. Keep track of how strong the beer is that you ordered so you don’t drink too much, too quickly (unless you want to, of course) – this isn’t like your beer drinking back home.
Bicycles
Much of central and northern Europe is filled with bicycles, and this is true of Belgium as well. Even if you live in a bike-friendly city, bike riding in Belgium is likely on a whole other scale. Watch out, as some cyclists pedal so fast that you may not hear them coming. And remember to look both ways everywhere as I almost got run over on my recent visit by a bicycle going the wrong way on a one-way street. Bike lanes sometimes look similar to sidewalks, so you might find yourself unwittingly strolling in a bike lane if you’re not paying attention as you walk – this is definitely a country to remain aware of your surroundings!
City Cards
If there’s a city in Belgium, there’s likely to be a combination city card you can purchase that will gain you access to multiple attractions, like churches and museums, and at a discount compared to paying for each. While I expected the Antwerp Card and Bruges Card and Brussels Card and Ghent Card, I was surprised to learn that even many small towns have a pass of their own.
Do take the time to research which sights are covered, how long the pass lasts, and the cost, to decide if it makes sense for you. For me on my recent trip to Belgium, the small-town Leuven Card was worth purchasing but in Ghent I wasn’t planning to go to enough of the museums listed, so it made more sense for me to buy my entries one at a time there.
TIP! Buy the card in advance if it includes any public transportation you’re planning to take, otherwise it’s usually available for purchase at any of the included tourist sites without an extra stop.
Closure Days
If you’ve done a bit of travel around Europe already, you may be familiar with many attractions and museums being closed on a Monday. Something I also noticed in Belgium this time around is that quite a lot of things are *also* closed on Wednesday. I spent my latest Wednesday in Belgium in Ghent, and lots of museums there were completely closed, from the City Museum to the Design Museum. Even the restaurant where I tried to eat lunch (and is usually open for lunch!) had no lunch service on a Wednesday.
TIP! A walking tour is always a great way to see a city on a day many attractions will be closed.
Languages
Belgium is a country made up of many language regions, so what language will be primarily spoken and visible on street and highway signs will depend on where you are exactly. The north of Belgium is primarily Flemish speaking (also known as Flemish Dutch), similar to what is spoken in the nearby Netherlands. The southern half is typically French speaking, and there are a few German-speaking regions in the far eastern section of the country.
While you don’t need to learn all those language to visit, it is always helpful to practice some key words and phrases in the language that will be where you plan to travel. Even some basic vocabulary to aid with street signs, or learning the words for ‘Entrance’ and ‘Exit’ can help your travel go more smoothly, especially if you will be driving in Belgium.
And the good news is, English is spoken (at least a little) nearly everywhere. Even in the smaller towns, most restaurants are likely to have an English menu. If you don’t see one displayed, just ask.
Luggage Lockers
Depending on your exact itinerary and travel plans, you may end up wanting to do some sightseeing with your luggage in tow, either when you first arrive or are departing, or are in between cities. Fortunately, many train stations across Belgium – even in smaller towns – will have lockers at your disposal. And for my first destination after arriving at Brussels airport and heading to the small town of Leuven, I was able to check ahead of time online to confirm that lockers would be available.
TIP! Have Euro coins handy, as my luggage locker cost 5 Euros for the day and did not accept bills or cards.
TIP! I had issues getting my locker to work at first – and nearly gave up! – so would recommend trying a different section of the lockers if you have trouble at first and also reading the instructions listed (even if they’re in Flemish and you have to translate on your phone). In the end I had to hold the door shut for 3 seconds before it automatically locked and put the prompt up on the screen for me to insert payment and get my receipt.
Restaurant Meals
Even separate from the typical Monday and Wednesday closures across Belgium (see ‘Closure Days’ section above), I encountered a lot of restaurants that were only open for dinner during the week and had no lunch service. As my previous Belgium travel was centered around weekends, this was definitely a surprise of my most recent visit. Be aware that you may be limited in your dining options, especially on day trips, if you don’t stay through dinnertime.
Transit Tickets
The transit system in Belgium is quite convenient, but is centered around making your purchase with a debit or credit card, and you may have trouble using the automated machines unless you have a card with a PIN. While PIN-based debit cards are standard for Europeans, if you don’t have a PIN on your credit card from elsewhere, try your debit card instead (assuming it has a PIN). Otherwise, build in extra time to find a staffed counter and wait in what will likely be a longer line to be able to pay in cash.
TIP! Any train trip that is to or from Brussels airport will be higher than usual because it includes a surcharge that is added to all trips that begin or end there. So keep this in mind to determine your most economical option when planning your itinerary.
Waffles
Yes, Belgians may be known for their waffles – but these may be harder to find than you’d expect! Across my Belgium visits, I had the easiest time finding fresh waffles made-to-order in Brussels. During the week especially, fresh waffles were harder to come by. So be on the lookout if you’re looking to sample some during your trip.
TIP! When in doubt, if you haven’t found fresh waffles elsewhere, you can usually get some at a stand at the train station.
TIP! I am partial to the Liege style waffle which is a thick dough covered in sugar that gets pressed in a waffle iron. If you’re getting a waffle fresh in Belgium, be sure to try this one!
Belgium has a wealth of amazing sights and architecture to explore, plus there’s all that world-famous beer and chocolate and waffles wherever you go. There are wonderful towns and cities to visit and I’d definitely make another return trip to check out more.
From the many cities and towns I’ve already been to in my travels, these tips are pretty universal, so will be helpful regardless of where in Belgium you plan your trip.
Happy travels!
Lana
Have you been to Belgium before? Is there any other advice you would give to someone who is planning a visit? Anything else you’d like to know before you book a Belgium trip? Share your best Belgium travel tips and ask away in the ‘Comments’ below!
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Wow, 2018 turned out to be quite the travel whirlwind – filled with many travel highlights, good and bad!
Last year, I explored 2 new countries. This year I made it to 5: Denmark, Honduras, Malta, Nicaragua, and Norway.
Not that I’m so into the whole country counting thing, but I keep track every so often and realized with my recent cruise stop in Honduras, I’ve now been to 59 countries!
This year, with some strategic planning around holidays and generous leave at my full-time job, I also managed several longer trips, many of them returning to some favorite countries and cities I’ve visited before – like Belgium, Italy (where I lived for 3 years!), New Orleans, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.
Across my many trips, there were those moments that stood out for being blissful, with the stars seemingly aligning just right. There were many visually beautiful moments, meandering on a road trip through picturesque scenery or hiking through breathtaking nature. And also hilariously terrible moments when everything seemed to go incredibly wrong and I tried to recover as best I could – or at least wallow in misery and live to travel another day.
Here are some of those memorable travel experiences:
A Multitude of Travel Fails
Sure, I’m Travel Savvy Gal, but how do you think I got so savvy? By doing things wrong, of course! Sometimes repeatedly.
And with all of my travel this year, even with all the things I did do right, it inevitably didn’t *all* go according to plan.
There were the little things that I kicked myself for – not paying attention to my direction and ending up on the sunny side of the bus or train, picking the one seat without a power outlet, or somehow finding the seat with a bar underneath and no space to stow bags.
But my most panicked moment came near the start of my first two-week trip to Europe. And I hadn’t even left the US yet!
After going through security, I was sitting at the bar at one of the airport restaurants and dropped my phone. Which of course I had done dozens of time before, but this was the drop that broke my cell phone for good. But it was so close to boarding time that all I could do was take my flight completely phone-less. On top of which, I had forgotten to set an out-of-office message on my work e-mail and couldn’t complete the authentication to log in without a working cell phone! (Luckily when I arrived in Milan, where I have a lot of friends from my 3 years living there, I was able to borrow a friend’s spare smartphone for the trip – phew!)
Then somehow that carelessness was like a curse that extended through the entire trip. As that two-week European adventure in April progressed, I just was not at my best for staying on top of all my belongings.
In Belgium, after a day of exploring when I first arrived, I took a train to Antwerp to reunite with my best friend from my time in Milan, and completely walked off the train without my main luggage that I had stowed on the shelf above the seats. Luckily, Antwerp was the final stop of the train, so when I realized I had left it behind a minute later, the train was still in the station with its doors open and I was able to walk back on and fetch it.
Then, at the last destination that same trip, on my final day in Copenhagen, I lost my Copenhagen Card – which was basically my pre-paid admission to all of the local attractions and my card to access public transit. So for things like the Carlsburg Brewery tour, I had to pay again to enter. Luckily, it was only about a $20 mistake in the end, but it literally cost me.
I don’t get obsessed with a new food every time I visit a new country (I swear!) but my Copenhagen obsession started long before I landed, just by reading a description of local delicacy, smørrebrød. Sure, it’s just an open-faced sandwich – Danish-style – but there is a whole lot more that goes into the perfect bite after perfect bite that I enjoyed there.
It is color, it is texture, it is flavor. All mixed together with the Danish design sensibility that extends to many area of life in Denmark. Plus, it’s incredibly delicious. So yeah, I admit it, I’m totally obsessed.
My first big trip of 2018 was a week in Nicaragua. I was meant to visit with a friend but she had an emergency (don’t worry, everything is fine now!) and had to back out last minute. I briefly debated whether to still go, although let’s be real, being on my own has not dissuaded me from a trip yet. It just meant that it would be a slightly different trip without her company and that I needed to make some adjustments to my plan to account for not splitting expenses two ways anymore.
My biggest in-country transit was between the island of Ometepe and the town of León, and certainly the budget way to traverse the distance was by bus. Although I had taken the converted school buses known as chicken buses on other stretches, on this journey it would have involved going into the capital city of Managua, transferring buses, and leaving again on a different bus.
With the buses stopping frequently, the trip would have taken all day.
I decided that even though I was traveling solo, I would splurge on a private car transfer to the ferry and then from the ferry on the other side, to minimize how much of the day I’d lose in transit.
My lucky moment came when I approached the reception desk at my guesthouse, and I happened to ask about the trip just as a couple was making the exact same inquiry. We even were targeting the same departure time.
So instead of footing the bill alone, I got to split the ride – 3 ways!
And of course, in true travel fashion, it turned out that there was a lot to connect me and the random couple – from hearing about their home in Denver, where my sister had recently moved, to conversing in Hebrew because she turned out to be Israeli. The driver even got in on the lively conversation along the way, with me translating since I was the only person in the group who spoke Spanish.
**While Nicaragua was a lovely destination when I visited in January 2018, it is currently not safe for tourists. Be sure to do your research and keep safety as your top priority before booking a trip.**
Craziest Hiking Conditions
I like to hike. Usually with a friend, and often sandwiched in between two city sightseeing days to get some time in nature. Occasionally, I hike solo. I’ve done some serious hiking on my own, but the last time was back in 2016 on a solo weekend in Liechtenstein.
Only because I am a semi-serious hiker, had done multiple 6+ hour hikes on my own before, and had trained before the trip, did I even attempt to hike high up in a Norwegian fjord while solo in late September. Which is basically the beginning of their winter.
Despite the cold, there were a lot of fun elements of the hike, however the final section was so brutal that all four people who started out ahead of me turned back before reaching the end. At that point, I was literally alone. In the middle of nowhere. With no cell service.
At the top, with a third of the hike still remaining, the wind was merciless and there were large patches of black ice, where the rock had iced over but you couldn’t tell if it was wet or icy until you extended a tentative step. Plus, the fog had rolled in and there was barely enough visibility to see from one bright red trail marker to the next.
But I am nothing if not persistent, so while continuing to be cautious, I slowly made my way toward the famous wedged boulder known as Kjerag. As its slightly rounded top was covered in a layer of ice and show, standing on it was not possible, but seeing the spot in view was still so incredibly rewarding.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BoO5SyxFrq0/
Most Drinks Consumed
This one might be a tie. Between a cocktail crawl, giant boozy slushies, a distillery visit, and wine tasting in New Orleans (let the good times roll!) and also California wine country, where a friend and I road-tripped with just two winery reservations and still managed to squeeze in tastings at 12 wineries in basically 2 days.
In both cases, a lot of different venues were involved, and getting to sample all of the delicious concoctions was also incredibly tied to the sense of place in each location.
While in Belgium during my April trip, my main concern when picking when to take a day trip to Ghent, Belgium from my home base in Antwerp was centered in part on the weather and in part on my friend’s schedule. And I didn’t know any better, so didn’t do my due diligence until I was en route and realized just how many museums and restaurants would be closed since it was Wednesday. Which seemed awfully random but now I know and you should, too – so it featured in my blog post with tips for visiting Belgium.
In Philadelphia in the US, I thought I had done my due diligence when I found a spot with great cocktail reviews close to where I’d be exploring on Saturday afternoon of my weekend trip. After trying and failing to find this amazing bar, some closer looking led me to realize that it was a cocktail school, not a bar where I could order drinks! (Luckily, some alternate options were also nearby, and I enjoyed a great pre-dinner cocktail.)
I had briefly been to a secluded beach in the north of Haiti on a cruise with my family over a decade ago. This past February, I returned to a completely different part of the country on a work trip, splitting my time between the capital of Port-au-Prince and the northern Artibonite region. As you might imagine about a country with many travel warnings in place, security is key and was my main focus there.
What was completely unexpected was the cosmopolitan and – thanks to the many aid organizations and non-profits – thriving expat scene in Port-au-Prince. The one Friday night I spent there, I went salsa dancing! Read all about how salsa dancing in P-au-P was different than I expected in the caption below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BflPTeRnrVl/
Best Sunsets Enjoyed
I’m not much of a morning person, so I’m far more likely to catch sunset than sunrise (other than in winter, like this recent gem spotted on my way to work). After a year of traveling, a few of these stellar sunsets stand out more than most:
I saw several great sunsets in Malta, but the one that stands out the most was spotted toward the end of a whirlwind day I later called my perfect sightseeing day. After many buses, city exploring, a wine tasting, and some coastal hiking, I swam and took in the views as I swelled with the satisfaction of a wonderful, full day of solo exploring and enjoyed the lovely colors as the sun set over the water.
As someone who loves water views, I also took *so many* pictures of sunset on my Caribbean cruise. I still think my favorite views though, were on the first night as the ship left port in Miami just as the sun was going down:
On vacation, watching sunset it usually an item on my itinerary, while at home, I often get caught up doing something without remembering to glance outside. I almost missed this boldly colored one while at home in Baltimore, but then I just happened to look out the window and see how stunning and bright this one was. Luckily I have a rooftop deck and was able to rush up there with both my phone and camera to appreciate its beauty. Plus, snap a few shots, of course.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj7Ix-0H3XU/
Most Unexpected Foodie City
You’re probably expecting me to list some famous city that you have heard of or been to, but may not have realized has a foodie scene.
Well, here goes: Stavanger, Norway. No, doesn’t ring a bell?
Honestly, I had never heard of Stavanger either until I realized that it was the most convenient jumping off point for all of the hiking I wanted to do in the nearby Norwegian fjord. But critical to its foodie scene is the fact that Stavanger is also an oil city and has plenty of high-paid executives that frequently dine out for business and sustain some fancy and delicious places all around town.
Norway’s first Michelin star awarded outside of Oslo was to a Stavanger restaurant back in 2016 (now there are more). And I enjoyed some of my most memorable meals of the year there.
I thought it was cutting things close when I lived in Milan and didn’t buy a ticket for a weekend trip to London until the Wednesday before a Friday afternoon flight. For the first time in my life, when I scanned my boarding pass at the gate, it beeped.
Because I had been tagged as a high security risk.
“Did you by any chance by your ticket in the last 48 hours?”
Why yes, yes I did. After breathing a sigh of relief as they confirmed the likely reason for my being flagged, the flight attendant fortunately had no problem letting me on the flight.
This year, I topped that moment.
I had planned months ahead for my Norway trip, securing a one-way evening flight to Bergen (via Stockholm) on Norwegian Air. Early afternoon the day before my flight, I started getting a series of text notifications about problems with the airplane.
Twenty texts and two hour-long phone calls later, it became apparent that my original flight would be canceled. And I’d be delayed at least one day – if not more – due to the connection I’d then miss.
So I did what any frequent traveler would do – right? I started a whole flurry of activity.
I checked with travel insurance to see what extra costs would be covered. Then I called Norwegian Air on different numbers simultaneously (one on my cell, one on Skype) to get a hold of a person as fast as possible to refund the original flight.
AND then, once my confirmation e-mail came through, I bought a completely new one-way plane ticket to Bergen on a different airline.
By the time this all got sorted out, it was so close to 24 hours before my flight departed the next day that my purchase confirmation and check-in reminder came within 10 minutes of each other!
(And just for the record, Norwegian Air’s Customer Service is excellent – My request took a month to process, but not only did they refund the cost of my original flight, they also paid me for the $300 fare difference for the last-minute flight I booked. So I never did have to make that claim with my travel insurance.)
Biggest Travel Win
A Romanian friend who has been living and working in the US quit her job to return to Europe and wanted to go on a girls’ road trip to San Francisco and nearby wine country in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. So she called me, obviously! (No arm twisting required.)
We booked flights to California three weeks in advance. As is my usual, I booked the flight, told my friend, then added us to the wait list for all 3 of the nights we’d be in wine country for the most outrageous restaurant in the region, The French Laundry. Which is considered one of the hardest reservations to get in the US (even if you book months ahead of time).
I didn’t think much of this, and had pretty much forgotten all about it by the time we started our trip.
After all, I had joined a wait list for Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy and for Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark when I visited both areas in April of this year – and didn’t hear from either restaurant. But of course you can’t get in off the wait list if you don’t even try.
So imagine my surprise when I got a call from a California number I didn’t recognize as we were wine tasting up and down the Napa Valley on Sunday afternoon.
The French Laundry has a spot for us? What?!?!??
YES, of course we want to come for dinner on Monday at the French Laundry. Most people make a dinner reservation at The French Laundry, and only *then* book a plane ticket to California. Which was the only way I thought I’d ever be able to go. Then here they were offering me a spot! (Although of course also asking me to pre-pay the $700 for two on my credit card online within the hour at a moment’s notice.)
No problem, sign us up!
In the wake of the flurry of activity securing the reservation, I felt like pinching myself to see if it was all really happening.
I’m still in such disbelief that the website confirmation of my reservation is still open in the browser on my phone 2 weeks later:
After the call and confirming our seats, my friend and I were finally grabbing some lunch in between wine tastings and just looked at each other – did that really just happen??
Those ‘pinch me, is this real?’ moments are what makes me love the travel experience and continue coming back for more. More new experiences, more elation, more crazy disappointment that sometimes is so ridiculous that it borders on the hilarious.
You need the travel blunders to appreciate the wins. Without the lows, you can’t fully appreciate the glorious highs when everything goes right. It may sound counter-intuitive, but it’s true, I promise.
I just try to be present in the moment and savor it all as it comes, grateful to be here and able to experience it all.
For more highlights from recent years, check out my previous Travel Superlatives round up posts:
What were the highlights of your travel year? And what was the craziest thing that happened to you on the road? Any place that I mentioned you’d like to see more blog posts about?
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