Country guide

Belgium

Belgium covers 30,689 km² and holds more than 11.8 million people, a density of 383 per km² that ranks sixth in Europe. It is divided three ways — Flanders in the north, Wallonia in the south, the Brussels-Capital Region in the middle — and the language divides with it: Dutch for about 60 per cent of the population, French for about 40, German for the one per cent in the East Cantons. The choice for a visitor is largely between Brussels, which carries the seats of the European Commission and Council and the headquarters of NATO, and the Flemish cities: Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven.

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Brussels
Photograph · Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0

Brussels 3,621 places

Practical information

Language spoken: Dutch, French and German; National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code: +32; International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency: Euro (EUR); Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number: 112; Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type: Type C and E · 230 V; Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water: Safe from the mains; Public drinking water is regulated by Belgium's regional authorities

Planning a visit

January: seasonal closure recorded
February: seasonal closure recorded
March: seasonal closure recorded
April: seasonal closure recorded
May: seasonal closure recorded
June: seasonal closure recorded
July: no seasonality data recorded
August: no seasonality data recorded — this month
September: seasonal closure recorded
October: seasonal closure recorded
November: seasonal closure recorded
December: seasonal closure recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

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Common questions

How long should a first trip to Belgium be?

Five to seven days covers Brussels plus two or three rail-linked cities such as Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven or Liège. Staying in one or two bases avoids losing time to repeated hotel changes in this compact network.

What entry documents are needed for Belgium?

Belgium’s foreign-affairs service publishes visa and short-stay requirements. Check the rule for the passport being used and the full Schengen itinerary, especially when Belgium is not the first external border crossed.

What is the best way to travel around Belgium?

Brussels Airport connects directly with Belgium’s national rail network, and intercity trains link the principal cities without compulsory reservations. Local buses, trams and metros belong to separate regional operators, so one urban ticket is not automatically valid nationwide.

When is a practical time to visit Belgium?

April through June offers long sightseeing days, while September usually retains workable conditions with fewer peak-summer pressures. Belgian weather remains changeable, making a waterproof layer useful in any of these months.

What money and payment basics apply in Belgium?

The euro (EUR) is Belgium’s currency. Card and cash acceptance can differ between a station machine, a market stall and a small business, so retain a second payment method rather than assuming one card will work everywhere.

What practical safety details should I save for Belgium?

Belgium uses 112 for emergencies and Type C or E plugs at 230 V. The recorded national guidance says mains tap water is safe.

🇧🇪Belgium

Cities

Practical information

Planning a visit

Top things to see

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Royal Theatre of La Monnaie

Jeanneke Pis

Great Synagogue of Europe

Het Zinneke

Church of Our Lady of the Chapel

National Basilica of the Sacred Heart

Church of St. James on Coudenberg

St. Mary's Royal Church

Statue of Europe

Church of St. John the Baptist at the Béguinage

Church of St. Nicholas

St. John Berchmans College

Chapel of the Resurrection

Great Mosque of Brussels

Théâtre Royal des Galeries

Church of St. Catherine

Collegiate Church of St. Peter and St. Guy

ING Arena

Théâtre du Vaudeville

Russian Orthodox church of Saint Job

Ancienne Belgique

Church of St. Henry

Church of St. John and St. Stephen of the Minimes

Church of St. Joseph

Mary Magdalene Chapel

Jazz Station

Signaal van Zellik

Statue de la Brabançonne

Church of Our Lady of Finisterrae

Church of Our Lady of the Rich Clares

Church of St. Augustine

Church of St. Boniface

Church of St. Gilles

Church of St. John the Baptist

Church of St. Susanna

Church of the Holy Trinity

Enclosure of the Executed

Koninklijk Instituut Woluwe

Royal Chapel

St. Pancras Church

NATO Star

Royal Circus

The Whirling Ear

Barnabites Church

Chapel of Mary the Miserable

Church of Our Lady of Good Help

Church of St. Anthony of Padua

Church of St. Anthony of Padua

Church of St. Barbara

Church of St. Denis

Church of St. Elizabeth

Church of St. John and St. Nicholas

Church of St. Judoc

Church of St. Peter

Church of St. Peter

Church of St. Servatius

Church of St. Vincent

Old Church of St. Agatha

Sint-Gertrudiskerk (Machelen)

Sint-Petruskerk

Sint-Pieterskerk

Sint-Sebastiaanskerk

Stalle Chapel

Negro marrons surprised by dogs

Church of St. John Berchmans

Beursschouwburg

Carillon of the Mont des Arts

Charles of Lorraine

Comédie Claude Volter

equestrian statue of Leopold Ⅱ

Fountain of Neptune

La Laitière

La Madeleine

La Toison d'Or

Belgium