Belgium

Dutch, French, and German are all official languages, split by region: Dutch in Flanders (north), French in Wallonia (south), and German in a small eastern area near the German border. Brussels is officially bilingual Dutch-French. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and by younger people nationwide, though less so in small towns outside the main circuit.

Prepaid SIM and eSIM plans are available from Proximus, Orange, and Base at airport kiosks, phone shops, and supermarkets. Activating a SIM requires showing a passport or ID — a foreign passport is accepted, no Belgian ID is needed. Coverage is strong nationwide, including on trains.

Tap water is safe to drink everywhere in Belgium. Pharmacies (marked with a green cross) are widely available in cities and towns; most keep standard business hours, and a rotating on-call pharmacy stays open nights and weekends in each area, with the schedule posted on the door. No special vaccinations are required to visit.

Belgium is part of the Schengen Area. Citizens of the EU/EEA can enter with a valid ID card or passport and stay without restriction. Citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and many other countries can enter visa-free. The limit is 90 days within any 180-day period. Travelers from countries without a visa-free agreement need a Schengen visa, applied for through a Belgian embassy or consulate before travel.

Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.

Greetings between people who know each other often involve one to three cheek kisses, depending on the region. A handshake is standard for first meetings and business settings. Dress modestly when visiting churches and cathedrals — cover shoulders and knees. Photography is generally fine in public spaces and most museums, though flash photography and photos inside some churches during services are discouraged. Belgians tend to be reserved and polite; loud behavior in public draws attention. Bargaining is not customary outside flea markets.

Public holidays can close shops, banks, and some restaurants, and reduce public transport schedules, especially in smaller towns. Check ahead if traveling on a holiday.

Most shops open Monday to Saturday and close on Sundays, though many stay open Sunday in central Brussels, Bruges, and Antwerp's main shopping streets. Supermarkets often close early on Sundays and stay open later one evening midweek.

• By train: the rail network run by SNCB/NMBS connects all major cities frequently and reliably, usually the fastest way to travel between them. Book via SNCB/NMBS – Belgian Railways.
• By bus and tram: regional operators (De Lijn in Flanders, TEC in Wallonia, STIB/MIVB in Brussels) cover routes trains don't reach. Contactless bank card or phone payment works directly on board in most cities.
• By bike: Belgium has an extensive cycling infrastructure, especially in Flanders, with dedicated lanes and long-distance cycling routes between towns.

Belgians eat a light breakfast of bread or pastries, a substantial lunch, and dinner in the early evening, often around 7 pm. Fries (frites/frieten), twice-fried and served in a paper cone with a wide range of sauces, are a national staple sold from dedicated frituurs rather than fast-food chains. Mussels with fries (moules-frites) are a classic restaurant dish, alongside stews like carbonade flamande (beef braised in beer) and waterzooi (a creamy chicken or fish stew).

Belgium is famous for chocolate, best bought from small specialist shops rather than supermarkets. Waffles are another specialty. The dense Liège waffle and the lighter, crisper Brussels waffle are different things, worth trying separately. Beer culture runs deep, from Trappist ales brewed by monasteries to sour lambics found mainly around Brussels; most cafes offer beer menus running into the dozens.

Brussels is the capital and a natural starting point, home to the Grand-Place, EU institutions, and a strong museum scene.

In Flanders, Bruges is the best-preserved medieval city, built around canals and a UNESCO-listed historic center. Ghent offers similar Gothic architecture with fewer crowds, and Antwerp adds a fashion and diamond-trade edge alongside its cathedral and Rubens connections. Leuven is a compact university town with an easy day-trip distance from Brussels.

In Wallonia, Liège is a lively riverside city known for its nightlife and Sunday market, and Namur sits at the meeting of two rivers below a hilltop citadel, a gateway to the Ardennes region. Dinant is a striking small town on the Meuse River, overlooked by a citadel carved into a cliff.

Ypres is the center for visiting World War I battlefields and memorials in the surrounding Flanders Fields region.