Belgium

Introduction 

Belgium is a country that is famous for historic lovers, sports lovers, nature lovers etc. It is a place which is in every traveller’s itinerary who is travelling to Europe. It is a good place for getting your family and friends for a vacation. Belgium is famous for sports,  diamonds, surreal folk festivals, music etc. It is a country where there is no snowfall. It is not a big country as compared to other European countries but there is much for the tourists to explore in Belgium.  The time zone of Belgium is Gross Meridian Time (GMT+1) which is four and half hours behind Indian Standard Time (IST). 

Location and Population: – Belgium is a country that is located in the northwestern part of Europe. It shares borders with Germany, France, Netherlands, Luxembourg and the North Sea. It is a densely populated country in Europe and the capital of Belgium is Brussels. Belgium is a small country which has a geographical area of 30,689 km2 which is divided into three regions of Belgium that are Wallonia region which has an area of 16,901 km2 , Flemish region that has an area of 13,625 km2 and Brussels which has an area of 162.4 km2. 

According to the census report as of 1st February, 2011 the population of Belgium is  11,556,297. There are estimates which show that the current population of Belgium is estimated to be around 11,712,435 as of 11th December, 2022.

Belgium’s History: – The history of Belgium has witnessed many ups and downs. It was earlier a part of South Netherlands which was ruled by King William I until the year 1830 revolutions started in Brussels and due to the rise in revolution, Netherlands got separated and the south part of Netherlands became Belgium, an independent country. Belgium had to face tough challenges especially during World Wars I and II when it was captured by Germany in 1940 and then after 4 years in 1944 allied forces removed Germany from Belgium.  It was in 1949 when Belgium became a founding member of NATO and in 2002 they changed their currency from Belgium Franc to euros.   

Facts you should know about Belgium: – There are some interesting facts that people should know before going to Belgium as follows: –

• The national symbol of Belgium is the Manneken pis.
• Belgium is the inventor of French fries in the world. 
• There are around 1000 beers brewed in Belgium. 
• Belgium is known for its delicious chocolates. 
• Belgians are crazy about football.
• Belgium is a land where music festivals and parades happen every year.

Culture and Food: –  The culture of Belgium is different from Asian countries. They are flexible, tolerant and open minded. They value privacy, enjoy a life that is safe, comfortable and a lot of hard work is done by them. Family life is important in their culture.  They are very honest and work to serve the communities and government in all possible ways. 

Belgium is also known for its cuisine. It is famous for beer, waffles and delicious chocolates. Belgian cuisine is based on the regional and seasonal ingredients of the country. Some of the popular dishes in Belgium are Moules which is the national dish of Belgium, Grey shrimp croquettes, speculaas, waterzooi etc. Belgium has two types of waffles in terms of shape that is the belgian waffle which is in rectangular shape and the liege waffle which is in an oval shape. 

Things to Explore in Belgium: –  There are many things to explore in Belgium especially during the time of festivals and events. Besides this there are also activities which the tourists can do over there as follows: –

• Rock Werchter music festival: – It is a music festival that happens during the last week of June and it is the most popular music festival in Belgium. It is a rock music genre festival which attracts many visitors every year and it is a 4 days music festival.  
• Meyboom: – It is the oldest traditional festival in Belgium wherein there is folk dance, beverages, brass bands, giant puppets etc. 
• Belgian Formula 1 Grand Prix: – It is a once in a year F1 race that happens in the Circuit de Francorchamps race track in Belgium. It is one of the best sports events in Belgium. 
• Kayaking: – Kayaking which is also known as rafting is a water sport that can be done by the tourists in the southeastern part of Belgium in the Ardennes region which has 3 rivers that are Lesse, the Ourthe, and the Semois.
• Horse riding: – The tourists can also do horse riding in the northern coast of Belgium and they might have to hire the horses for a day or two.
• Hiking: – There are many hiking places in Belgium which the tourists can do especially during the summer such as the Stalle Loop trail, Groene Gordel,  Forêt de Soignes Trail etc.

Things to buy in Belgium: –  There are many things for the tourists to do their shopping but these are the things that Belgium is famous for in terms of shopping for the tourists to complete their shopping list which are Belgian Chocolates, Alcohol like beer, liquor etc. Besides this the tourists can buy  jewellery, comic books, candies, art objects, interior decoration items, toys for children, Belgian coffee, clothes etc. 

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Belgium is during the summer season and the spring season that is between April to August  as the tourists can comfortably explore the country and the sun would be out. There will be no rains and the temperature will be bearable for the tourists as compared to the winter season. 

Places to visit in Belgium: – Belgium is a small country but there are many places and sightseeing points in Belgium for the tourists. The places and sightseeing points are as follows: – 

• Brussels: –  It is the capital of Belgium which has become a main tourist spot in Belgium. The sightseeing points which a tourist must visit in Brussels are the Royal palace which first used to be the official residence of the King and  Queen of Belgians until they shifted to the Royal  Palace of Laeken. The palace is now used for conducting administrative work of the King, allowing the public to visit the palace, state rooms for conducting receptions etc. The next place is the Grote market which is the central square in Brussels and it is in City hall. It is known for the wealth in that area and the buildings around it as there are guild houses, Maison du rui etc. The next place is the Manneken Pis which is a fountain in brussels that is known for its bronze sculpture and it depicts a boy urinating on the fountain basin. The next place is the atomium which is a structure that was created for Expo 58 by André Waterkeyn and it is a popular tourist spot in Brussels. It was built to celebrate the atomic age and honour the metal industry. It is a tall 102 metres structure which has six tubes aligned in the spheres. The last place to visit in Brussels is a place for all the sports lovers that is the King Baudouin Stadium which is a home to the Belgian football team who are also known as Red Devils. It is a team which is known for popular players like Kevin De Bryne, Eden Hazard, Paul Van Himst, Jan Ceulemans etc.  
• Antwerp: – Antwerp is the largest city in Belgium and it is also known as the Diamond of the world. The sightseeing points that the tourists must visit are the Antwerpen-Centraal which is a very popular railway station in the city of Antwerp. It is the main railway station of the city. It is one of the most beautiful railway stations in the world. The station is known for its enormous architecture. It is under the National Railway Company of Belgium (NMBS). The next place is the Cathedral of our Lady which is a Catholic Church in Antwerp. The church is known for the Gothic architecture and it contains graves of the members of the noble houses that is Rubens, Fourment and many more. The next place is the Museum aan de Stroom which is also known as MAS is a museum that is built along the Scheldt river and it is built using Indian red sandstone and it is known for various exhibitions regarding life, history and much more. The last place to visit in Antwerp is the chocolate nation which is the world’s largest museum. This museum is a place for all chocolate lovers to know about the history of Belgian Chocolate, know how chocolate is made and also the chance to have some delicious Belgian chocolate.  
• Ghent: –  Ghent is the third largest city in Belgium and it is known for the Ghent festival that happens for ten days in a year which is attended by the local people as well as tourists. It is a city that contains a port. The sightseeing points that the tourists must visit are the ghent city centre which is a place that is known for its beauty especially during the evening with the lights on at the Cathedral’s and other buildings whose reflection comes on the canal. The next place is the Graslei and Korenlei which are quays opposite to each other that are located on the right bank of the Leie river. Tourists can have boat rides around the river and there are cafes, restaurants and bars around the river to have some quality time. The next place is the St Michael’s bridge which is a stone arch that was built across the Leie river and it has become a good spot for the tourists to click pictures. The tourists can take boat rides and enjoy the ride, especially passing through the bridge. The last place to visit in Ghent is the Gravensteen castle which is a historic castle that used to be the residence of the Counts of flanders. The castle has been transformed into various things from a court to a prison, cotton mill etc. 
• Bruges: –  Bruges is a city in Belgium that is known for the castles, bridges, lacemaking etc. The sightseeing points that the tourists must visit are the historic centre of Bruges which is a UNESCO world heritage site and it is known for its gothic style of architecture. It must be viewed during the evening with the lights switched on.  The next place is the market square which has historic buildings and monuments. There are cafes and restaurants in the market. There is a popular monument that is the Belfry of Bruges which is a bell tower in the market square. The next place is De Halve Maan that means half moon, which is a beer making brand that is known for making beer such as Brugse Zot, Straffe Hendrik etc. The last place that the tourists must visit is the Basilica of the Holy blood which is a Catholic Church in Bruges that is known to have a repository that contains the actual blood of Jesus Christ in a cloth. The church is known for the gothic architecture and it has two chapels which are the upper and lower chapel. 

How to reach Belgium from India: –  The tourists can reach Belgium from India through flights but there are no direct flights to Belgium. There are at least one or two stops in between the flight journey to Belgium. The stops can be at Dubai, Munich, Warsaw, Qatar depending on the airline chosen by the tourists. 

Popular Packages : – We know that you are excited to travel and want to book the tickets to Belgium and that is why we at Dewan Holidays have come out with some of the popular Belgium packages that includes other countries to be visited by the tourists are as follows: –

                 Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the currency of Belgium?

Ans: The currency of Belgium is Euros.  

• Which language is spoken in Belgium? 

Ans: Belgium has three official languages that are Dutch, French and German but most of the population can speak in English. 

• Which visa is required to travel to Belgium? 

Ans: The visa required to travel to Belgium is a Schengen visa. 

• What is the temperature of Belgium during the spring and summer season?

Ans: The temperature of Belgium during spring is 10°C to 15°C and the temperature during the summer season is 20°C to 25°C. 

• Which shopping places are famous in Belgium for the tourists to do their shopping?

Ans:  The shopping places in Belgium where the tourists can do shopping are Camelon, Godiva Factory Outlet, Woluwe shopping centre, Waasland shopping centre, etc.  

• What are the eateries in Belgium serve Indian food?

Ans: The restaurants in Belgium that serve Indian food are Feux Du Bengale, Bombay Inn, Gardens of Punjab, Mumtaz, etc.