Facts at a Glance
Full country name: Kingdom of Belgium
Area: 30,518 sq km
Population: 10.2 million
Capital city: Brussels (pop: 970,000)
People: 55% Flemish (of Teutonic origin), 33% Walloons (French Latin) and about 10% foreigners.
Language: Flemish, French and German. Most Belgians also speak English.
Religion: More than 75% of the population is Roman Catholic.
Government: A constitutional parliamentary monarchy.
Prime Minister: Jean-Luc Dehaene
Squeezed between the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France, Belgium is one of Europe's tiddlers. The north is flat, the south dominated by the picturesque Ardennes and the 65km North Sea coastline monopolised by resorts, except for a few patches of windswept dunes. Lower Belgium is criss-crossed by a network of canals. Seasons are mild, but the warmest months (July and August) are also the wettest.
Belgium's big-gun neighbours France, Germany and England (across the North Sea) long favoured this little nation as a nice spot to kill each other. Conquered by German tribes, Christianised by the 7th century and carved up during the Frankish Empire in 1100, much of Belgium enjoyed a golden age of prosperity and artistry under the French Duke of Burgundy during the 14th century. This was a boom time for the cloth-trading Flemish towns of Ypres, Bruges and Ghent. With the demise of Bruges due to British competition and a silted river, Antwerp soon became the greatest port in Europe.
The golden age began to tarnish in the mid-15th century when the Low Countries (present-day Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) were inherited by Spain, igniting a long battle against Catholic Spanish rule. The fanatically Catholic Philip II of Spain sent in the Inquisition to enforce Catholicism. Thousands were imprisoned or executed before full-scale war erupted in 1568. The Revolt of the Netherlands lasted 80 years and in the end Holland and its allied provinces booted out the Spaniards. Belgium and Luxembourg stayed under Spanish rule. Napolean's defeat at the Battle of Waterloo near Brussels led to the creation, in 1814, of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, melding Belgium and Luxembuorg into the Netherlands. But the Catholic Belgians revolted, winning independence in 1830.
Despite Belgium's neutral policy, the Germans invaded in 1914. Another German attack in 1940 saw the entire country taken over within three weeks. King Leopold III's questionably early capitulation to the Germans led to his abdication in 1950 in favour of his son, King Baudouin, whose popular reign ended with his death in 1993. Childless, Baudouin was succeeded by his brother, the present King Albert II.
Postwar Belgium was characterised by an economic boom, later accentuated by Brussels' appointment as the headquarters of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Belgium of today is home to a vast army of diplomats, and with them has come a rampant form of internationalism - followed closely by bland skyscrapers and intimidatory restaurants. While the country's number one city is being busily groomed to suit the rest of Europe, the Belgians themselves remain nonchalant - the true spirit of Belgium will always emanate from its people and its past.
GDP: US$213 billion
GDP per head: US$21,000
Annual growth: 2.2%
Inflation: 2.9%
Major industries: Services, agriculture, chemicals
Major trading partners: Germany, France, the Netherlands, UK
Belgium's tangled tongues date back to when Christ was a toddler and Franks were forcing Celts and Gauls into the land's southern regions, making an early form of Dutch the norm in the north. And so it remains, with French the accepted language in the south. Brussels, stuck in the middle, is one of the world's few officially bilingual capitals. The vast majority of Belgians are Roman Catholics, and despite a decline in church attendances, religious traditions still flavour much of Belgium's daily life.
Early Belgian artists are credited with inventing oil painting, so it's no wonder the place has produced more than its fair share of masterpieces. The Flemish Primitive Jan van Eyck started it all in the 15th century, Pieter Brueghel followed with his portrayals of peasant life in the 16th century, and Pieter Paul Rubens dominated early 17th century art as the leading light of the Baroque period. In Antwerp, Rubens set up a highly productive studio of painters and turned out sensational religious allegories such as his famous Descent from the Cross.
At the turn of this century, the sinuous architecture of Art Nouveau started in Brussels led by Henri van de Velde and Victor Horta. Horta was famed for his interiors which avoided straight lines - ceilings simply became curved continuations of walls. Stained glass and wrought iron were much used to accentuate this whiplash of lines. Comic strips are another Belgian forte and while there are many local favourites, HergΘ, the creator of the quiffed reporter Tintin, is the most widely known.
Belgian food is highly regarded throughout Europe - some say it's second only to French. Combining French and German styles, meat and seafood are the main raw ingredients. The Belgians swear they invented frites (chips, or fries), and judging by availability, it's a claim few would contest. And though they didn't actually invent beer or chocolate, they may as well have.
Traditional Catholic celebrations aside, Brussels' most festive months are July and August. On the first Thursday in July there's the Ommegang pageant, a huge parade of nobles dressed in historic costumes. Belgium's colourful National Day is July 21, which also marks the start of the month-long Brussels Fair.
Visas: EU citizens can enter on an official identity card. Travellers from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the USA and many other countries just need a valid passport (no visa). Unless you're a citizen of a developing country, you can probably stay up to three months.
Health risks: None, except the cost of medical care.
Time: GMT/UTC plus one hour (two hours ahead in summer)
Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz
Weights & measures: Metric (see the conversion table.)
Tourism: 13 million visitors annually
Money & Costs
Currency: Belgian franc, divided into 100 centimes
Relative costs:
- Budget meal: US$7-10
- Moderate restaurant meal: US$10-25
- Top-end restaurant meal: US$25 and upwards
- Budget room: US$30-40
- Moderate hotel: US$40-70
- Top-end hotel: US$80 and upwards
Being a pocket-size sort of country, Belgium is cheap to get around in, but budget hotels are both rare and heavily booked - especially in summer. On the food front, eating out is far better for your palate than it is for your wallet. Travelling modestly, you could survive on $25 per day. But if you don't fancy sleeping in public toilets, figure on something more like $45 per day.
Banks are the best place to change your money, charging around US$4 commission on travellers' cheques. Out of hours, there are the less generous exchange bureaus. All major credit cards are widely accepted. Tipping isn't obligatory, and haggling is not exactly a national pastime.
When to Go
You're unlikely to encounter extremes in weather during an average Belgian year. April to September is the warmest time, but be prepared for grey skies and soggy streets no matter what time of year you go. Visitors may be forgiven for assuming umbrellas and raincoats are part of the Belgian national dress.
An unpretentious mix of grand edifices and modern skyscrapers, Brussels is a modest, confident capital that many visitors find to be an acquired taste. Since it doubles as the capital of the European Union, it's packed to the rafters with bureaucrats and Eurocrats who have given the place an air of bustling efficiency without exactly festooning it with fun. The city is built along a pentagon of boulevards known as the Petit Ring. At its heart is the Grand Place, arguably Europe's most beautiful central square. Within a twenty-minute walk is much of the city's accommodation, most of it easily accessible by tram, bus or metro.
Around the Grand Place are a number of museums, architectural gems and oddities. To the south, behold the famous Manneken Pis, the statue of a boy taking a leak on a street corner. Are the Belgians taking the piss? You decide. To the north, Tintin fans should not go past the Comic Strip Centre in an Art Nouveau building designed by Horta. To the east, near the Royal Palace, the Ancient Art Museum and the Modern Art Museum complement each other brilliantly.
Brussels' dining heart is Rue des Bouchers (Butcher's Street), near the Grand Place. Here you'll find lobster, crab, mussels and fish awaiting conspicuous consumption in one terrace restaurant after another. And to think, not a sprout in sight...
While its name may evoke heavy sighs from any would-be Pieter Paul Rubens who ever picked up a paintbrush, the compact and richly historic city of Antwerp is Belgium's most underrated tourist destination. It's bordered by the Scheldt River and the `Ring', a highway built on a 16th-century moat which encircled the city in a vain attempt to keep the Spanish out.
As a world port, Antwerp's air is international and just a tad seedy, while from behind the discreet facades of the Jewish quarter the world's largest diamond industry thrives. Few places tangle the old and the (relatively) new quite so enchantingly. Here eclectic Art Nouveau mansions stare back at Neo-Renaissance villas, and medieval castles provide a magical backdrop for the city's myriad bars and cafes.
Home to Belgium's largest Gothic church (Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe Katedraal), and the birthplace of Rubens, Antwerp is a haven for art lovers, architecture buffs and aimless wanderers. For a great collection of Flemish Primitives, check out its Royal Museum of Fine Art. And for a great collection of exotic beasties, the Antwerp Zoo is highly recommended.
About 40km due north of Brussels, Antwerp has an airport and there are international trains and buses from Brussels and neighbouring countries.
Europe's best-preserved medieval city and Belgium's most visited town, this 13th-century `living museum' was suspended in time five centuries ago by the silting of its river. Blessed with two medieval cores, the Markt and the Burg, the town also boasts some of the country's most compelling art collections. The Groeninge Museum specialises in blood-and-guts Early Primitives and the 14th-century Stadhuis features both fine paintings and furniture. For a spectacular view of this ambler's delight, climb the 366 stairs of the central belfort.
You can catch a train to this north-eastern town from Antwerp or Brussels. Buses pass through from Antwerp to London, via Calais in France. Day trips are also popular from Bruges to the famous poppy-filled battlefields of Flanders.
If it wasn't for Paris, Ghent would be medieval Europe's largest city. Steeped in history both rebellious and industrious, it sits at the junction of the Leie and Scheldt rivers and was once the site of armed battles by its townsfolk, who raged against heavy taxes and restricted civil liberties. Ghent is grey and somewhat begrimed - not picturesque like Bruges, but ultimately more realistic. Like Bruges, the town has a belfort well worth climbing and, and at the Sint-Baafskathedral, a must-see masterpiece by Jan van Eyck - Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.
Between Brussels and Bruges, the city is best reached by bus or train.
Home to deep river valleys and high forests, Belgium' s south-east corner is often overlooked by travellers hopping between the old art towns and the capital. But here you'll find tranquil villages nestled into the grooves of the Meuse, Lesse and Ourthe valleys or sitting atop the verdant hills. It was in this area that the Battle of the Bulge once raged. The are several tours available which make the most of the ancient citadels of the region. See also Activities.
The town of Namur is the best base for exploration - well positioned on the railway line to Luxembourg and with rail and bus connections to some of the more inaccessible spots.
Jeaneke-Pis
Sure, you may have heard about Brussels' statue of the little boy weeing, but did you know he has a sister? She can be found having a squirt alongside Brussels' central restaurant strip, Rue des Bouchers (Butcher's Street).
Menin Gate
Within the town of Ypres, this tragic memorial is inscribed with the names of 55,000 British and Commonwealth troops lost forever in the quagmire of the Flanders trenches during WWI. A bugler sounds the last post here every evening at 8pm.
Ghent's Museum voor Schone Kunsten
About 10 minutes walk north-east of Ghent's central station, this museum of fine arts is well worth an hour. It houses works by the Flemish Primitives and a couple of typically nightmarish scenes by Hieronymus Bosch.
To the east, near the city of Liege, Tongeren has the honour (along with Tournai) of being Belgium's oldest town. Settled in 15 BC as a base for Roman troops, the town has an important collection of Gallo-Roman remains, and is surrounded by Roman and medieval walls.
Outdoorsy types tend to head straight for the Ardennes, Belgium's year-round outdoor playground. Here you can ski in winter and in summer kayak or go hiking or mountain biking (using a vΘlo tout terrain, or VTT) along a good network of forest tracks. Another worthy attraction are the prehistoric limestone grottoes and caves in the area (particularly around the towns of Han-sur-Lesse, Rochefort and Dinant), which offer plenty of scope for subterranean explorers.
Belgium has two international airports, the main one being Zaventem, 14km north-east of Brussels. The other one, Deurne, is close to Antwerp and has less frequent flights to Amsterdam, London, Liverpool and Dublin only. Depending on when you leave, flights to London can be cheaper from Deurne. If you're in Europe already, a bus or train is the best option. Eurolines and Hoverspeed Citysprint operate international bus services to and from Belgium. Belgium Railways has frequent international services. Brussels has three main station and is the central hub, with lines in all directions. Two companies operate car/passenger ferries to and from Britain: North Sea Ferries (overnight from Zeebrugge to Hull) and Oostende Lines/Sally Ferries (six boats daily between Ostend and Ramsgate).
Getting around Belgium is cheap and easy, which makes up for the rather expensive, and often heavily booked, accommodation. While there are plenty of buses and a hiring a car is an easy enough option, the country's transport system is dominated by its efficient rail network. The fastest services are the InterCity trains, backed up by InterRegional and local trains. In the more remote areas, buses take up the slack. There's a good public transport system (including trams and a small metro system in Brussels and Antwerp). Taxis, which lurk outside most train stations, are metered and expensive. Cycling is popular in the flat north and many roads have separate lanes for bikes. Railway stations rent bikes. It's also possible to hire a boat to cruise along the many rivers and canals.
- The Sorrow of Belgium by Bruges-born author, Hugo Claus, is one of the few pieces of local literature translated into English. It describes wartime Belgium through the eyes of a Flemish adolescent.
- Live & Work in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, by Vacation Work Publications, is handy if you're planning to settle in for a while.
- Lieve Joris is a Flemish author who writes about cultures in transition in Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Her Gates of Damascus, published by Lonely Planet, is about daily life in Syria.
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