You can also check out more looks and Belgian cities in our Belgium Travel Guide.…
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Belgium is on the Central European Time Zone (CET). It’s GMT +2 hours, meaning that it’s 6 hours ahead of New York and 1 hour ahead of London (Not calculating for Day Lights Savings).
You’ll need:
*British passport holders are not required to fulfill the passport validity and issuance date criteria.
In 1995, the government of Belgium signed the Schengen Agreement, meaning that it became part of the European border free area.
You must apply for a Schengen Visa if you are:
For more detailed info, check out Schengen Visa Info.
Travelers coming from a very high risk country or zone from within the European Union with a vaccination certificate do not need to quarantine or get tested; those without a certificate must take a PCR test prior to arrival or test on arrival and stay in quarantine until the results are finalized. Visitors must spend at least 10 days in isolation should they test positive.
Visitors coming from a very high-risk country or zone outside the European Union are not permitted to travel to Belgium unless it is essential (diplomats, UK Border Force Officers, etc.)
Source: info-coronavirus
Landing in Brussels Airport, you’ll be situated 12 Kilometers away from Brussels. Here are a few ways to get into the city:
The Brussels metro system is a great way to get around Brussels. Here are a few things you should know about the beloved transit system:
Belgium is a relatively safe destination for travelers. As is usual in most cities be sure to keep your belongings close to you and be wary of pickpockets.
The emergency number for the police in Europe is 101. The phone number for ambulance and fire is 101- and the general emergency number is 112.
It is against the law in Belgium to bring in, carry and use illegal drugs and other controlled substances when you go to Belgium.
Overall, Belgium is considered one of the safest places in Europe. But, of course, be street smart and have fun!
Temperatures in Belgium are relatively mild all year long. The average low during the winter is 1 Celsius (34 Fahrenheit). The average high during the summer is 23 degrees Celsius (73 Fahrenheit). However, Belgium is a rainy country- expect rain throughout the year and pack an umbrella!
December, January, February (Winter): Cold but rarely snows. Expect rain.
March, April, May (Spring): BEST TIME TO VISIT.
June, July, August (Summer): Slightly warmer. Hot days are rare.
September, October, November (Autumn): BEST TIME TO VISIT.
Belgium has three official languages, French, Dutch (Flemish), and German. Belgium has distinctive regions with Flemish being spoken in Flanders to the north, French being spoken in Wallonia to the south and German being spoken in a community in the east. However, Brussels itself is a bilingual capital with both French and Flemish being spoken.
*italic= flemish
Hello: Bonjour – Hallo
Thank you: Merci – Dank u wel
You’re welcome: De rien – Graag gedaan
Excuse me: Excusez-moi – Excuseer mij
I’m sorry: Désolé – Het spijt me
Please: S’il vous plaît – Alstublieft
Good morning: Bonjour – Goedemorgen
Good night: Bonne nuit – Goede nacht
My name is…: Mon nom est… – Mijn naam is
Check, please: L’addition s’il vous plait – De rekening alstublieft
I don’t understand: Je ne comprends pas – Ik begrijp het niet
Do you speak English?: Parlez vous anglais? – Spreekt u Engels?
Where is…?: Où est…? – Waar is… ?
Call the police: Appelle la police – Bel de politie
Belgium, and its bilingual capital, Brussels, are relatively modern and easy to navigate in terms of etiquette. However, navigating the language divides in Belgium may be challenging.
Dutch and French are widely spoken in Belgium. With Dutch typically being spoken in the North and French in the South. With the exception of Brussels being bilingual and the German community in the East.
The Belgium language divide is a tense subject and speaking the incorrect language may get you in trouble with the locals. Speak English when in doubt.
Belgium’s unit of currency is the Euro (€). Approximately € 0.89 equates to USD $1.
Exchanging money in Belgium is safe and easy. You can either exchange at the airport or local banks that have ATM machines.
Tipping! Not expected since 10-15% is already added to your bill.
Belgium carries two different plug types- types C and E. Plug C has two round pins and Plug E has two round pins and a hole for the socket’s male earthing pin. The standard voltage is a 230V supply voltage and the frequency is 50Hz.
Your converter should look like this: This is a Plug C.
Drinking water straight from the faucet is 100% safe in Belgium. Some people do prefer to filter their water in Belgium as they prefer the taste of filtered water.
Belgium is highly technologically advanced – meaning that there should be WiFi at most locations.
Staying in the country for a long time? Here’s how to get a SIM card: You can find mobile stores in the arrival hall of Brussels airport. Convenience stores sell SIM cards, too. SIM cards cost around €15 – €45.
There’s Uber in Brussels and Victor Cab.
Collecto is a shared night taxi service available every day between 11 pm and 6 am throughout the Brussels.
DriveNow is another app for sharing cars if you want to drive in Brussels. There are over 300 free-floating shared cars. The fleet of BMWs and Minis is insured and fuel is included in the usage price.
LGBTQ+ rights in Belgium are seen as some of the most progressive in Europe and in the world. Same-sex marriage in Belgium has been legal since 1 June 2003. Belgium was the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, after the Netherlands.
Make sure to see Belgian Pride Weekend, which takes place in mid May.
Belgium boasts the highest recycling rate in Europe.
You can also check out more looks and Belgian cities in our Belgium Travel Guide.…
Read More →A brief overview on the history of the Flemish-Walloon divide.
Read More →Great option for museum-lovers as well as those who aren’t typically drawn to the museum world.
Read More →Whether you are shopping for antiques, chocolate, high street or designer fashion.
Read More →Modernity and history comfortably bleeding into each other.
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