15 reasons to visit Belgium (and you won’t get bored!)

15 reasons to visit Belgium

#1 Medieval towns

Just about anywhere you go in Belgium, you’ll bump into a picturesque Medieval town, village or city that will give you an idea how the Middle Ages must have looked like in the region. Bruges is the most famous Medieval city and can be considered an open-air museum. However, if you make your way to Ghent, Mechelen, Dinant or many of the smaller villages, they are more than likely to take your breath away.

#2 A peeing boy as a national landmark

Everyone visiting Brussels wants to take a look at Manneke Pis – a tiny statue of a peeing boy. And while it’s a bit anticlimactic when you finally see it, it’s a great example of the Belgian mentality. We’re a tiny country, but we can have a big impact. Capital of Europe, remember?

#3 Castles

From imposing to fairytale feeling, with over 3000 castles of which 400 can be visited, you’ll definitely find one to your liking. And with more castles per square kilometre than any of our neighbouring countries, you never have to drive far to bump into one. The Castle of the Counts (Gravensteen) in Ghent, the Castle of Chimay in Chimay, the Castle of Freÿr in Dinant and Castle Reinhardstein in Ovifat are absolutely breathtaking, but there are many many more to explore.

#4 Travel-friendly

As you can get from one side of Belgium to the other in 2,5 hours at the longest point, it’s safe to say that the country is very travel-friendly. Especially when you come by car, you can easily get anywhere you want (pay attention to traffic jams, though. You might get stuck for quite a while around Brussels and Antwerp). However, there’s also a great train network – especially in Flanders. You’ll get to most (bigger) destinations in about an hour or less. The picturesque villages in the South are a bit more difficult to reach, though.

#5 Funky festivals

While Tomorrowland comes to mind as the number 1 festival in Belgium, we have tons of other fun ones during the summer season. The best free festivals are Sfinks (Antwerp), De Gentse Feesten (Ghent) and Maanrock (Mechelen). When it comes to paying festivals, the most popular are Tomorrowland (Boom), Rock Werchter (Werchter) and Pukkelpop (Hasselt) but metal festival Graspop (Dessel) and world music Couleur Café (Brussels) are well worth checking out too!

#6 Famous painters

From Pieter Paul Rubens and the brothers Van Eyck to James Ensor and René Magritte, there’s no shortage when it comes to famous Belgian painters. Ok technically, the Flemish Masters aren’t officially Belgian because Belgium was only founded in 1831, but we’ll still count them anyway. If you’re interested in arts, the country will definitely fulfill your needs.

#7 The Ardennes

While Flanders is about as flat as you can get it, Wallonia is a whole other story. Especially the Belgian Ardennes are a lush green, hilly area where you find rivers, cliffs, stunning citadels and the most picturesque villages. If you’re a nature or outdoors lover, this will be right up your alley. You can go kayaking, mountainbiking, trail running, rock climbing or any other adventurous sport you can think of.

#8 Canals

Water always brings charm to a city and the Belgians got that right. Not only world-famous Bruges has a tangle of canals, but many other cities do to such as Ghent, Kortrijk, Mechelen and Lier. On the canals, you can usually take boat rides that give you a whole new perspective on the destination. Furthermore, walking alongside the water is always run and romantic!

#9 Blue forest

While many nationalities form long lines to watch the blue forest at Het Hallebos, most Belgians seem to forget we have such a big attraction going on in April. During 2 weeks (you can’t really tell when it depends on the weather) the bluebells come out in the forest, giving it a purple-blue blanket.

Insider’s tip: skip the long lines in Brussels and head over to the Flemish Ardennes. You’ll find the gorgeous bluebells in many forests in this area as well (for example Het Muziekbos, Het Brakelbos and Het kluisbos).

#10 The well-known snacks: Chips, chocolate and waffles

When you ask people about Belgium, you can be certain these three delicacies will be named. And well, we have to admit, these are well worth eating when you’re visiting. While waffles might be something for a more special occasion, most Belgian will stop by their frituur (place where you buy chips) once a week. And the chocolate! We’ve tried many types and brands over the years from all over the world and there’s no denying: Belgian chocolate is the absolute best in the world! And if you head over to one of the Chocolate Line shops, you’ll get to buy some from the best chocolatier in the world Dominic Persoone.

#11 The not-so-known-but-absolutely-delicious-food culture

While chips, chocolate and waffles are well-known around the world, there’s a whole cuisine that’s waiting to be discovered. Enjoy traditional Belgian dishes such as Flemish stew (beef in a dark brown beer sauce), Gentse Waterzooi (creamy broth with vegetables and chicken), eel in the green (eel in a creamy herb sauce), moules frites (mussels still in the shell, often in a white wine sauce, obviously with a side of chips), shrimp croquettes (croquettes made with yummy grey shrimps from the North Sea) and many other options. Belgium is heaven for foodies!

#12 War memorials

Belgium played an important role in several wars. The lion statue in Waterloo marks the battlefield where Napoleon was stopped, while you can find many reminders of World War I in the Western corner of the country (in the area around Ypres). Here, you’ll find many graveyards where fallen allied soldiers are laid to rest. There’s also a big WWII museum in Bastogne in the Ardennes that is part of the Liberation Route Europe.

#13 Beer, beer, beer

Beer is probably Belgium’s most famous product and for good reason. With over 500 kinds of beer, you can taste a new one with every meal and still take years to try them all. A lot of them are produced by monks (such as Orval, Grimbergen or Leffe) or in small breweries (La Chouffe, Duvel and Delirium Tremens) and all of them come with their own glass that should enhance the flavours and experience.

#14 Proximity to other countries

Given its size and central situation in Western Europe, Belgium is the perfect hub to explore the rest of Europe. You can get to The Netherlands, Germany, the UK and France in 2 to 3 hours or less. From Brussels, there are great train connections to the capitals of the neighbouring countries.

#15 Hidden secrets

What a way to end this list than with some tantalizing hidden secrets? You’ll probably know by now that there is much to see and do in Belgium. However, we’ve kept some wonderful places a secret till the very last. One of those are the abbey ruins of Villers-la-Ville. In any other country, people would be lining up to visit, but on most days you’ll have these ruins all for yourself! They’re a breathtaking décor for your photographs! Another one of those secrets is Doel, a ghost town close to Antwerp. It’s perfect for urban explorers and photographers alike.

More hidden secrets? Check out the High Fens, the Verbeke Foundation and the Unesco World Heritage shrimp fishermen on horseback in Oostduinkerke.

Frequently Asked Questions  

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Final thoughts

So, what do you think? Is there something that might get you to visit Belgium? Or if you’ve already been there, what would be on your to-do list for your next trip? Let us know in the comments!