Travel Guide Belgium

Belgium is located between France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg and is divided into three regions: Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, French-speaking Wallonia in the south, and the bilingual capital region of Brussels.

Why Go To Belgium?

Auf kleinem Raum vereint Belgien mittelalterliche Kunststädte wie Brügge und Gent, die Weltstadt Brüssel, eine Nordseeküste mit breiten Stränden und die bewaldeten Täler der Ardennen. Dazu kommen 16 UNESCO-Welterbestätten, eine Bierkultur, die selbst als immaterielles Kulturerbe gilt, und eine Küche, die französische Raffinesse mit flandrischer Bodenständigkeit verbindet. Weil die meisten Ziele nur eine Zugstunde voneinander entfernt liegen, lässt sich das Land auch ohne Auto gut bereisen.

Where in Belgium?

Pick a region. The highlights, road trips and places below follow your choice.

Highlight 1 of 1

Antwerp

Antwerp is the port and art city on the Scheldt, approximately 40 kilometres north of Brussels. Here you'll encounter Rubens in the Cathedral, one of Europe's most beautiful train stations, and a museum tower with panoramic views over the port.

With around 565,000 inhabitants, Antwerp is Belgium's most populous municipality, home to people from approximately 180 nations. The Old Town, between the Cathedral, Grote Markt, and Scheldt, is best explored on foot.

Discover

More highlights in Belgium

Unique experiences that make Belgium unforgettable.

How to plan your trip to Belgium

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1Antwerp3 days
2Belgian-Luxembourg4 days
3Hainaut5 days
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Regions to Discover

Explore the diverse regions of Belgium.

Belgian-Luxembourg

Hainaut

Belgian Coast

Province of Antwerp

Belgium's northernmost province borders the Netherlands, reaching from Antwerp to the heath and forest landscape of Kempen. Besides Antwerp, with the Rubens House and Plantin-Moretus Museum, Mechelen is also worth a visit, with its cathedral and the Grand Beguinage.

Region Brussels-Capital

The Capital Region comprises Brussels and its 19 municipalities, and is a bilingual enclave in the heart of Flanders. Home to central EU institutions and NATO headquarters, Brussels is also one of Europe's great cultural cities, boasting the Grand-Place and Victor Horta's townhouses.

Namur Region & Maas Valley

The province follows the Meuse valley from the Walloon capital Namur to the French border. Rocks, castles and towns such as Dinant line the river, and to the south lie the Caves of Han and the first foothills of the Ardennes.

Flemish Brabant

The province surrounds the Brussels Capital Region. Its center is the university city of Leuven (Löwen) with its late Gothic town hall; southwest of Brussels lies the Pajottenland, home to Lambic beer.

West Flanders

Belgium's westernmost province stretches from the North Sea to the French border. Inland lie medieval Bruges, whose Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Ypres with its cemeteries and memorials from the Western Front of World War I.

Ostflandern

The province between Bruges and Brussels has its centre in Ghent, the university city on the Scheldt and Leie. Ghent is home to the van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece and a Beguinage, a Flemish UNESCO World Heritage site.

Liège Province & East Belgium

Belgium's easternmost province stretches from the industrial city of Liège on the Meuse to the German border. Here you'll find the High Fens moorland with the country's highest point, the spa town of Spa, and the German-speaking Community around Eupen and St. Vith.

Walloon-Brabant

This small province lies directly south of Brussels. Its most famous site is the battlefield of Waterloo, where Napoleon lost his last battle in 1815; also featured are the abbey ruins of Villers-la-Ville and the Walibi theme park in Wavre.

What you eat in Belgium

Moules-frites

Belgium's national dish: Mussels, usually steamed with white wine and shallots or 'nature' with celery and leek, served in a pot, with fries separately. The Zeeland mussels season begins early July.

Stoofvlees

Beef is slow-cooked for hours in dark beer, such as an Oud Bruin or Abbey beer, until it falls apart. The sauce is often thickened with bread and mustard; in Flanders, the dish is traditionally served with fries.

Gentse Waterzooi

Ghent's creamy stew was originally made with river fish, now mostly chicken. Carrots, leeks, celery, and potatoes cook in broth, bound with cream and egg yolk.

Waffle from Liège

Unlike the light Brussels waffle, it's made from a heavy yeast dough with pearl sugar that caramelizes when baked. It's usually sold plain and warm for eating on the go.

Fries from the Frituur

At the Frituur or Fritkot, you'll find fries in a cone or tray, with a wide range of sauces from Mayonnaise, Andalouse to Samouraï. Its Belgian or French origin is debated; yet as a snack, it's a Belgian daily staple.

Pralines

Jean Neuhaus invented the filled praline in Brussels in 1912; three years later, the Ballotin praline box followed. Chocolatiers can be found in every major city, many selling pralines individually by weight.

Good to Know

Essential info for your trip planning.

Land & People

Belgien ist mit rund 30.700 Quadratkilometern etwas kleiner als Brandenburg und zählt knapp 11,9 Millionen Einwohner.

History & Society

Kaum ein Land Europas wurde so oft von fremden Mächten regiert wie Belgien.

Food & Drink

Belgian cuisine combines French sophistication with Flemish down-to-earthness.

Practical Info

Entry and DocumentsBelgium is part of the EU and the Schengen Area.

Getting Around

Getting ThereTrain: ICE trains connect Frankfurt via Cologne and Aachen to Brussels, with a journey time of just over…

RV Travel

Belgium is compact: The coast, the Flemish art cities, and the Ardennes are rarely more than a two or three-hour drive…

Traveling with Kids

Short distances, excellent train connections, and numerous destinations for day trips make Belgium a relaxed family…

Best Time to Visit

When is the best time for your trip?

May

June

September

13–16°C·60–70 mm(moderate rain)

Diese Monate bieten angenehme Temperaturen und eine höhere Anzahl an Sonnenstunden. Im Mai und Juni ist die Natur in voller Blüte, und im September ist das Wetter oft noch mild, während das Touristenaufkommen moderater ist als in der Hochsaison.

Belgien genießt ein gemäßigtes maritimes Klima, das stark vom Einfluss der Nordsee geprägt ist. Dies führt zu milden Wintern und kühlen Sommern, ohne extreme Temperaturschwankungen.Niederschlag: Regen fällt das ganze Jahr über recht gleichmäßig, es gibt keine ausgeprägte Trocken- oder Regenzeit. Dennoch sind die Sommermonate tendenziell etwas sonniger und trockener.Regionale Unterschiede:Küstenregion: Mildere Winter und kühlere Sommer durch den direkten Einfluss der Nordsee. Die Wassertemperaturen sind selbst im Hochsommer nur moderat (ca. 18-19°C), für ausgiebige Badeurlaube meist zu kühl.Zentrales Belgien: Typisches maritimes Klima mit moderaten Temperaturen und ganzjährigem Niederschlag.Ardennen (Südosten): Aufgrund der höheren Lagen sind die Temperaturen hier im Durchschnitt niedriger, besonders im Winter, wo es häufiger zu Schnee und Frost kommt. Die Sommer sind etwas kühler als im Flachland.Wetterphänomene: Starke Winde, insbesondere an der Küste, können vorkommen. Extremwetterereignisse wie Hitzewellen oder starke Winterstürme sind selten, aber nicht ausgeschlossen. Nebel tritt besonders in den kühleren Monaten häufiger auf.

Seasons

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Hauptsaison

Übergangssaison

Nebensaison

Best Time to Visit

▶Show detailed monthly data

Month	Temp (°C)	Rain (mm)	Sun (h)
January	3.0	70	1.5
February	3.5	60	2.5
March	6.0	60	3.5
April	9.0	50	5.0
May	13.0	60	6.5
June	16.0	70	7.0
July	18.5	75	6.5
August	18.5	70	6.0
September	15.5	65	4.5
October	11.0	70	3.0
November	6.5	75	1.5
December	3.5	75	1.0

Travel advice

Safety, entry requirements and health: the official, up-to-date advice for Belgium is published by the UK government on GOV.UK.

Go to GOV.UK

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Travel Guide Belgium

Why Go To Belgium?

Where in Belgium?

Antwerp