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Travel Information on Belgium
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Belgium (BE)
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| Continent: |
Europe |
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| Area: |
32,545 km² |
| Population: |
10,379,067 |
| Capital city: |
Brussels |
ISO code: |
BE |
| National language: |
Dutch, French, German |
International dialling code: |
+32 |
| Currency: |
Euro |
Licence plate number: |
B |
| Flight routes from Belgium: |
1644 |
Flight routes to Belgium: |
1064 |
| Popular airports: |
Brussels (BRU),
Brussels - Charleroi (CRL),
Antwerp (ANR),
Ostend (OST),
Liege (LGG)
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| Large cities: |
Brussels,
Antwerp,
Gent,
Charleroi,
Liège,
Brugge,
Namur,
Leuven,
Mons,
Aalst,
Mechelen,
La Louvière,
Kortrijk,
Hasselt,
Oostende
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| Airlines based in Belgium: |
Brussels Airlines,
VLM Airlines,
Jetairfly,
Virgin Express
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Travelguide Belgium (Europe)
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Belgium is in Western Europe and is a parliamentary monarchy divided up into 3 regions: Fleming, Wallonia and Brussels. Together with its neighbours, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Belgium forms the Benelux states. Germany and the North Sea border on Belgium. From the Belgian North Sea coast day trips may be made to France, the Netherlands and Great Britain.
Geography: Belgium has 2 main geographic regions. In the north, in Flanders there is a wide plain , no higher than 300 ft. The southern half, Wallonia, is hilly, especially in the Ardennes mountains, location of the highest elevation of the country, Botrange, measuring 2200 ft. The longest river in Belgium, the Scheldt, originates in France, and flows through Belgium for a length of 120 miles, including through the city of Antwerp, then in the Netherlands flows into the North Sea in the delta of the Rhine and Meuse.
Climate and best time to travel: Belgium has a temperate climate, characterized by mild winters with temperatures around 7 ° C (44 °F), and warm summers with temperatures around 25 ° C (77 °F). In the coastal regions, the climate is very humid and foggy with temperatures changing very quickly. The summer often brings heavy storms. In the Ardennes, however, there is perfect mountain weather with regular snowfall.
Language: Belgium has three official languages, Dutch, French and German. The Brussels region is the only region in Belgium that is officially bilingual, here Dutch and French are spoken. The Flemish north, however, speaks Dutch and the Walloon south, French. The minority who speak German is around 1% of the population and it is estimated that about 60% of the population speaks Dutch with 40% speaking French.
Health and Vaccinations: Visitors should ensure that all relevant vaccinations are up to date before travelling to Belgium.
Entry requirements: British passport holders, denoted as "British Citizens", do not require visas to enter Belgium. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry.
Travel and ongoing journey: Belgium has a very well developed motorway network and the state railway company (NMBS/SNCB) has one of the most densely developed rail networks worldwide.
Capital city: Brussels, the capital of Belgium since 1830, is located in the center of the same region and counts approximately 145 000 residents. Seat of the Council of Europe and the EU Commission, the city hosts more than 1 000 European and international institutions so that it is often described as the capital of Europe. The population of the city consists of 30% foreigners, providing it with a cosmopolitan flair. Today the present and future of European history is being written every day, but still the city shines with its rich and varied past, which is noticeable everywhere in the magnificent architecture, starting with the Grand Place, which since 1998 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Grand Place is rightly considered one of the most beautiful places in the world. The impressive City Hall dates from the 15th Century and was built in the Gothic style. It is flanked by several other buildings, mostly from the 17th Century and with beautifully decorated Baroque facades. Brussels is also famous as the capital of Art Nouveau, with buildings such as the Palais Stoclet in the Avenue de Tervueren 281, designed by Viennese architect Josef Hoffmann, where some of the interior decorations were painted by Gustav Klimt. The building is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many buildings by Victor Horta are scattered around Brussels, including his house, the Horta house, also declared a World Heritage Site and now a museum. The most emblematic building of contemporary architecture in Brussels is the Atomium. The 102-meter-high sculpture, which you can walk into was built for the 1958 World Expo and was actually intended to be demolished after the Expo. The building became so popular and is now a tourist magnet.
Brussels not only has a rich variety of architectural treasures, but also has a lively cultural scene with something for everyone. These include numerous theatres (including the Theatre de la Monnaie) and museums of all kinds, such as the Royal Museum of Art, the Weapons Museum or Comedy Museum.
Attractions: Antwerp is located in the north of the country in the Dutch region, and has approximately 460 000 residents. Its location on the Scheldt has led to the city becoming one of the main ports in Central and Western Europe. Antwerp is also regarded as a major diamond trading centre in the world. In addition to the four diamond exchanges, there are approximately 1,600 diamond companies and a diamond museum in the city.
As Brussels, the city has a magnificent Grand Place with facades in the Gothic, Renaissance or Baroque style building an impressive architectural ensemble. The city hall was built in the 16th Century in the Renaissance style. Antwerp’s cathedral, Cathedral of Our Lady, towers over the Grand Place. Building work on the cathedral was begun in 1352 and the tower is 123 meters (400 ft) high. The cathedral is a magnificent example of Gothic architecture and houses two paintings, including the Raising of the Cross, by Rubens, who came from the city. The city has many interesting museums of which the Royal Museum of Fine Art and the Maritime Museum in Steen are worth a mention. Lovers of Ruben’s art can visit the Rubens House. His residence, designed by him and also the site of his workshop until his death in 1640, now exhibits about 10 of his works.
Antwerp Zoo also enjoys a wide popularity and receives about 1.3 million visitors each year, who wish to admire the 5000 species in the zoo.
Bruges is in the Dutch speaking western Flanders region and has approximately 120 000 residents. Often called "Venice of the north" because of the numerous canals in the city, Bruges reached its zenith between the 12th And the 15th Centuries, mainly due to the cloth industry and trade with other major ports such as London, Genoa or Venice. At the end of the Middle Ages, Bruges was the richest city in northern Europe.
Large cities and accommodation: Brussels, Ghent, Antwerp, Bruges.
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Favourite Flights and Cheap Flights from and to Belgium / BE
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