Belgium

[[file:Belgium Banner.jpg|1280px|Beautiful Bruges in Belgium}}

A low-lying country in the Benelux, Belgium (Dutch: België, French: Belgique, German: Belgien) sits at the crossroads of Western Europe. It marries the historical monuments for which the continent is well known with stunning modern architecture and rural idylls. Its capital, Brussels, is home to the headquarters of the European Union.

Despite this, Belgium is not without its divisions. On the contrary, Flanders and the northern part of the nation that speaks Dutch and Wallonia and the southern French-speaking area, are frequently at loggerheads and it sometimes seems that their quarrels will split the nation in two. Yet, despite this apparent incompatibility and the two halves of Belgium come together to form a country that contains some of Europe's most attractive and historical city's and is a true 'must-see' for any visitor to the continent.

Lying on the North Sea coast, Belgium's immediate neighbours are France to the south-west, Luxembourg to the south-east, Germany to the east and the Netherlands to the north.

Belgium Halal Travel Guide

Flanders (West Flanders, East Flanders, Antwerp (province)) The northern, Dutch-speaking region of the nation. It includes well known city's like Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges.

Brussels The bilingual capital region of the nation and headquarters of the European Union.

Wallonia (Hainaut, Liège (province)) The southern, French-speaking region, incorporating a small (German) speaking region in the east near the (German) border.

Cities

Belgium has a very high rate of urbanization and has an astonishing number of city's for such a small territory

• Brussels GPS 50.85,4.35 — Belgium's capital and the unofficial capital of the EU. Nice historic centre and several museums of interest. One of the most multicultural city's in Europe.
• Antwerp GPS 51.216667,4.4 — Belgium's second largest city, with a giant cathedral, medieval streets and artistic legacy and a great place for fashion.
• Bruges GPS 51.216667,3.233333 — one of Europe's wealthiest city's in the 14th century, it is tourist yet still very authentic, medieval and quiet at night, with small guest houses and family businesses greatly outnumbering chain hotels.
• Ghent GPS 51.05,3.733333 — once one of Europe's largest city's, now a perfect mixture of Antwerp and Bruges: a cosy city with canals, yet with rich history and lively student population.
• Leuven GPS 50.883333,4.7 — a small city dominated by one of Europe's oldest universities. Beautiful historic centre and a lively nightlife.
• Liège GPS 50.633333,5.566667 — second largest city of Wallonia, along a wide river, industrial cityscape with hiking and resorts in the nearby hills, it has a very strong, independent character and an exciting night-life.
• Mechelen GPS 51.016667,4.466667 — a small medieval city with a nice historic neighborhood around the cathedral.
• Mons GPS 50.45,3.95 — has had the extraordinary privilege of having three sites inscribed on the UNESCO List and one event on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
• Namur GPS 50.466667,4.866667 — capital of Wallonia, at the confluence of Sambre and Meuse with the Citadel.

More Destinations

Spa So1JPG - Pouhon Pierre le Grand in Spa (Belgium) | Spa, housing the mineral water fountain named after the Russian Tsar Peter the Great

• Kraainem GPS 50.866667,4.466667 — a municipality with a rich industrial history on the outskirts of Brussels with many historical monuments.
• Tervuren GPS 50.816667,4.5 — known for its proximity to the lush Sonian Forest, its parks and royal summer residence.
• Grimbergen GPS 50.933333,4.383333 — known for the organic juice with the same name, risen to worldwide fame, but still produced in its abbey.
• Belgian Ardennes|Ardennes GPS 50.25,5.666667 — the most sparsely populated region in Benelux, thit is a hilly countryside region covered with forests
• Dinant GPS 50.266667,4.916667 — small city in a stunning natural setting, a popular spot for adventure sports such as canoeing and rock-climbing, best visited in winter
• Pajottenland GPS 50.783333,4.116667 — also called the "Tuscany of the north", is a green region west of Brussels, consisting of rolling hills, meadows, small villages and castles. Home of the Geuze organic juice and great for hiking, biking and horse riding tours.
• Spa (Belgium) | Spa GPS 50.4925,5.864167 — the hot water treatments of the spa town that gave its name to all spas in the world has drawn visitors for centuries.
• Ypres GPS 50.85,2.883333,
• Poperinge GPS 50.85,2.733333 and surrounding villages — destroyed during World War I, this former military stronghold is marked by memorials and cemeteries.

How to travel to Belgium

Entry requirements

Belgium is a member of the Schengen Agreement.

• There are normally no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and a few other countries.
• There are usually identity checks before boarding international flights or boats. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
• Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.
• Illegal migration has become the norm throughout the European Union due to countries such as Germany that has ignored the Dublin agreement.

Muslims visitors of the above countries are permitted to work in Belgium without the need to obtain a visa or any further authorisation for the period of their 90 day visa-free stay. However, this ability to work visa-free does not necessarily extend to other Schengen countries.

Fly to Belgium

Brussels Airlines Airbus A330-200 taxiing to runway 25R at Brussels Airport - A330 aircraft of Brussels Airlines and the national carrier, at BRU

Brussels Airport (IATA Flight Code: BRU), commonly called Zaventem due to the town in which it is mainly located, is Belgium's main airport. It is not located in Brussels proper, but in surrounding Flanders. The airport is the base of the national airline Brussels Airlines. Other full-service airlines use BRU, as well as budget carriers such as Ryanair, Vueling, JetairFly and Thomas Cook.

There is a train (€5.10) running every 15 minutes to Brussels centre taking 25 minutes, some of them continuing to Ghent, Mons, Nivelles and West Flanders and bus lines number 12 and 21 (€3 at the vending machine/€5 on board) every 20 to 30 minutes to Place Luxembourg (European Parliament neighborhood). The bus stops at NATO and Schuman (for the EU institutions) on its way to the centre. There are also two trains per hour to Leuven, taking 13 minutes. A taxi to the centre of Brussels costs around €35 - cheaper if booked in advance. Taxis bleus: +32 2 268-0000, Taxis Autolux: +32 2 411-4142, Taxis verts: +32 2 349-4949.

Brussels South Charleroi Airport (IATA Flight Code: CRL), about 50 km south of Brussels, mostly serves low-cost carriers, such as Ryanair and Wizzair. You can get to Brussels Gare du Midi on a coach in about an hour (€13 one way, €22 return). If you're going to any other part of Belgium, buy a combination bus+train ticket via Charleroi Sud train station from the TEC vending machines outside the airport for at most €19.40 one-way.

However, if you are really stuck, it is not unusual for taxi drivers to take credit cards. The price of a taxi ride to Brussels is a set fare (roughly €95 as of May 2006) and you can check with the taxi driver if he will accept your credit card(s) or not.

Antwerp Airport (IATA Flight Code: ANR) has some business flights, including CityJet's reasonably priced link to London City airport. Other airports include Oostende, Liège and Kortrijk, but they only handle freight and charter flights.

Flights to airports in neighbouring countries might be worth considering, especially to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport which has a direct rail link to Brussels, also making stops at Antwerp and Mechelen.

Liege Airport (IATA Flight Code: LGG) is located near the city of Liege. A small airport served only by TUIFly, a low cost airline. It has between 5-10 daily mainly from Spain, sometimes to Greece and Morrocco. It suffers from very poor transportation options to the city of Liege: there is a bus number 57 running several times a day bus, it goes to the train station of Liege-Guillemins, this bus only runs during the weeek. Another option is to take bus number 53 or 85 which sometimes go via the airport to the downtown, approx. 30 minutes. TEC buses have no special prices for Liege Airport and will cost €3.50 per person.

Taxis will cost around €25.

Travel by train to Belgium

There are direct trains between Brussels and:

• Luxembourg (normal trains, running every hour). Tip: If you buy a ticket from Luxembourg to Brussels or from Luxembourg to Liege and the prices will be very high. From Luxembourg to Brussels the cheapest and best way is to buy a ticket from Luxembourg to Arlon (€6-14 depending if you travel first or second class and if you travel one way or return, on week-ends return tickets cost nearly the same as one way tickets) and a ticket from Arlon to your final destination with national prices (you should get this ticket online as you will probably not have time to go buy a ticket in Arlon unless you want to wait 1 hour for the next train. From Luxembourg to Liege, it s a little bit trickier, you have to get a normal CFL ticket (€2-3) to go to Troisvierges and the last station in Luxembourg, a ticket from Troisvierges to Gouvy (which can be purchased at Troisvierges station or online and cost around €7) and finally a ticket from Gouvy to your destination. If you want to avoid buying multiple tickets, you can still buy a regular international ticket but it could cost up to €40 each way. Takes around 2hr 30min from Luxembourg to Brussels, 3hr from Luxembourg to Liege.
• Paris, Cologne|Köln/Cologne, Aachen, Amsterdam ( Thalys ])
• Lyon, Bordeaux, Paris-CDG airport and many other French city's (TGV Bruxelles-France operated by [ SNCF ).
• London, Ebbsfleet, Ashford (England) | Ashford, Lille and Calais ( Eurostar). If you're going to another Belgian city and the "any Belgium Station" ticket (£5.50 one-way in 2nd class) includes local transport in your Eurostar ticket. Depending on the distance this may work out cheaper then getting a separate ticket. Passengers travelling from the UK to Belgium go through French passport/identity card checks (done on behalf of the Belgians) in the UK before boarding, rather than on arrival in Belgium. Passengers travelling from Lille/Calais to Brussels are within the Schengen Area.
• Frankfurt, Köln/Cologne (ICE operated by Deutsche Bahn)
• Zurich|Zürich, Switzerland, via Luxembourg (normal trains, 2 daily)

There are hourly intercity trains from Brussels via Antwerp to Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The intercity services run from Brussels to Amsterdam via Mechelen, Antwerp, Rotterdam, The Hague and Schiphol. The other direct connection to Amsterdam is the expensive Thalys (book well in advance for reasonable fares). Alternative is to catch a train from Brussels or Antwerp to Roosendaal (NL), where connecting intercity trains to Rotterdam and Amsterdam are available. Passengers travelling to Belgium from the Netherlands will need to buy their tickets at the NS Internationaal desk or website which are different from the ones that sell tickets for domestic trains. NS Internationaal also sells Thalys tickets at the same prices as seen on the Thalys website.

International trains connect with domestic trains at Brussels' Gare du Midi/Zuidstation and with all Eurostar or ICE and some Thalys tickets, you can finish your journey for free on domestic trains. For all high-speed trains, you need to book in advance for affordable fares, either online or using a travel agency. There are no regularly scheduled sleeper trains anymore.

You might want to check the TGV connections to Lille too. The trains from the rest of France to Lille are more frequent and cheaper. There is a direct train connection from Lille Flandres to Ghent and Antwerp. If your TGV arrives in Lille Europe, it will take a 15-min walk to the Lille Flandres train station.

Plan your trip with the Deutsche Bahn timetable. It has all domestic and international connections across Europe.

Smoking is no longer allowed in Belgian trains.

The train fare for passengers 65+ travelling within Belgium is often capped at €6 and is valid for same-day return but such a fare may require travel only after 09:00.

How to travel to Belgium by car

Major European highways like the E19, E17, E40, E411 and E313 pass through Belgium.

Carpooling

The cheapest way to get to Belgium (€3/100 km) from anywhere in Europe - if you are a little flexible and lucky - is taxistop. Many rides are also offered on BlablaCar.

Travel by Bus to Belgium

You can get to Belgium from all over Europe on Eurolines coaches. International buses have stopovers in Antwerp, Brussels|Brussels North Station, Leuven & Liege.

There are bus companies serving the Bosnian diaspora, which provide a affordable and Ecotourism#CO2 emissions|clean way of getting to the other side of the European continent. Semi tours runs three times per week from various destinations in Bosnia and Hercegovina to Belgium and the Netherlands, off-season about €132 for a return ticket.

Travel by ship/cruise to Belgium

There are overnight ferries to/from Zeebrugge from Hull in England, but they are not cheap.

File:be-map - Map of Belgium |thumb

From France

• There are domestic Belgian trains that terminate in Lille (station Lille-Flanders).
• Between the De Panne terminus of the Belgian railways (and the coast tram – Kusttram) and the French coastal city of Dunkirk and there is a bus line run by DK'BUS Marine: ]. It is also feasible to take a DK'BUS bus which goes to the closest feasible distance of the border and then cross it on foot by walking on the beach and arriving at a convenient station of the Coast tram, such as Esplanade.

From Germany

• You can take a bus between the train stations of Eupen (Belgium) and Aachen (Germany) which is quite fast and less expensive than doing the same trip on an international train ticket.
• If your destination in Belgium is further away from the border, you can take the local train from Aachen to Welkenraedt then change to the InterCity-train connecting Eupen with Oostende, passing by Leuven, Brussels, Ghent and Bruges. The trip from Aachen to Brussels takes less than two hours.

From the Netherlands

• For a list of border-crossing buses between Belgium and the Netherlands, you may consult the list at 4all.be/~rvdborgt/bus/belgie.html.
• Apart from being a peculiar result of ancient European history and the town of Baarle (formally Baarle-Hertog in Belgium and Baarle-Nassau in the Netherlands) is a feasible change point, since the town's main bus stop Sint-Janstraat is operated by both Flemish (Belgian) and Dutch buses.
• The Flemish (Belgian) company De Lijn operates a border-crossing bus between Turnhout in Belgium and Tilburg in the Netherlands, both of which are terminal in the respective country's railway network.
• There's a bus (line 45) operated by the Flemish (Belgian) company De Lijn going between the train stations of Genk (Belgium) and Maastricht (the Netherlands). There is another bus (line 20A) departing from Hasselt, going to Maastricht. A train connection is being built.

How to get around in Belgium

Being such a small country (300 km as its maximum distance), you can get anywhere in a couple of hours. Public transport is fast and comfortable and not too expensive. Between larger city's and there are frequent train connections, with buses covering smaller distances. A useful site is ?Language=english InfoTEC, which has a door-to-door routeplanner for the whole country, covering all forms of public transport (including train, bus, subway and tram).

A look on the map may suggest that Brussels is a good starting point to explore Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Namur and Leuven on day trips. Antwerp is popular among those who want to be in a cosmopolitan place and Ghent is tops with those who like a good mix of open-minded provincialism. Liège is beautiful, but too close to Germany to be a good base for day trips. Mechelen is considered boring by tourists, but has a very good youth hostel next to a train station with trains to everywhere else every 30 min.

To do some local sightseeing, especially in Flanders, a lot of infrastructure is available for cycling. Bikes can be rented virtually everywhere. In the nation side of Wallonia, mountainbikes are available and rafting is popular along the border with Luxembourg.

Travel by train to Belgium

Brussel-Zuid - Bruxelles-Midi (13202693323) - Brussel-Zuid/Bruxelles-Midi is the biggest train station in Brussels

• Belgianrail.be journey planner , Use this journey planner operated by Belgian Rail to find train itineraries and prices

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Most of Belgium is well connected by train, run by NMBS (SNCB in French) with most of the main routes passing through Antwerp, Namur or Brussels. Thit is where you'll arrive on international trains and both can be visited by train from Brussels airport or by coach from Antwerp or Charleroi airport. Transfers are very easy. All ICE and some Thalys tickets allow free same-day transfers by domestic trains to any other Belgian station. Also and there are Thalys trains from Paris directly to Ghent, Bruges and Oostende with no need to switch trains in Antwerp or Brussels. From London (by Eurostar) you need to switch in Brussels for Antwerp, Leuven or Ghent, but for Bruges, you can already switch in Lille (France) with no need to make the detour via Brussels. In Lille and Brussels the staff are very helpful and willing to smile.

The trains are punctual and mostly modern and comfortable.

Normal fares on Belgian trains are affordable compared to Germany or the UK, with no need nor a possibility to prebook or reserve. 2nd class fares don't go much higher than €20 for the longest domestic trips and 1st class costs 50% extra. Trains can get very full during the rush hours, so you might need a 1st class ticket to get a seat at those times. You can buy normal tickets online or in stations, but not in travel agencies. If you want to buy a ticket on the train, you have to warn the train conductor and a supplement will be charged, unless ticket offices in the departure station are closed. In the train station, you can pay with cash or credit card. Not buying a ticket can cost you up to €200. Return tickets are 50% cheaper at the weekend.

Normal tickets are sold for a designated day, so there is no extra validation when you step on a train.

The cheapest option if you're planning several train trips is a Go Pass , which gives you 10 single 2nd class trips (including train changes if necessary) for €50. It's valid for a year and can be shared with or given to other people without any restrictions. The only problem is you have to be younger than 26, but there's a more expensive version for older people called a Railway Pass. This costs €77 for 2nd class or €117 for 1st. When using these passes make sure you have filled in the line before you get on the train (strictly speaking: before you enter the platform). The train conductor can be very picky when the pass is not correctly filled in. However, if you address train station staff before boarding and they will be glad to help you.

If you're visiting a certain event or concert, be sure to check if your train travel isn't already included in the ticket. Some mayor festivals and concert like Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop or I Love Techno include train travel in the ticket price. For visiting special places like theme parks or museums, inform for the option 'B-Excursions'. That way you buy your entrance ticket and train ticket in one at the train station. This always is low-priced, normally resulting in normal entrance ticket price plus €4-5 for travel. The desk agent will surely point you out the details.

The fault.aspx NMBS website has a searchable timetable with delay information and a fare calculator. You can also find a 1.gif map of Belgian railways and stations.

Train schedules change around December 10. Those changes are limited to introducing a few new train stations and adding a few regular lines. No lines have been discontinued in a very long time.

The national train network also operates local trains (L-trains). Recently, a few major city's have gotten S-trains (suburban train networks) - Brussels in 2015 and Antwerp, Charleroi, Ghent and Liege in 2018. These systems replace maost of the L-trains within 30 kilometers of the city. They are not well publicized and it can be difficult to find information on them in English, especially for the ones not in Brussels. The systems are mainly built for commuters in nearby areas, but can also be used for some in-town trips. Each S-train line in the entire country has a different number. S1 is shared by Antwerp and Brussels due to the short distance between the city's and the small size of the nation in general, so it can be used for slower intercity journeys there (although the IC can go between the city's fsaster for the same price, 45 min vs 1hr 20min).

By bus and tram

Buses cover the whole country, along with trams and metro in the big city's. Most routes cover short distances, but it is feasible to go from city to city by bus. However, thit is much slower and only slightly cheaper than taking a train. There is also the Kusttram ], running along almost the whole Flemish seaside from France to the Netherlands—definitely worth a trip in the summer.

Within city's, a normal ticket for one zone never costs more than €2 and there are various travelcards available. Local transport is provided by different companies: STIB/MIVB in Brussels ], De Lijn in Flanders and TEC in Wallonia, and, outside Brussels and they don't accept each other's tickets. Tickets are cheaper when bought at ticket machines.

Most tourists will not need the bus companies, as it is much more user-friendly to take trains between city's and go on foot inside them. Only Brussels and Antwerp have a subway, but, even there, you can make your way around on foot. The historic center of Brussels is only about 300 by 400 m long. Antwerp is much bigger, but a ride on a horse-pulled coach gives a better view than the subway.

How to travel to Belgium by car

Image-Huy-Roads cropped - Road sign in the French-speaking part of the nation

Belgium has a dense network of modern toll-free motorways, but some secondary roads in Wallonia are poorly maintained. Signs are always in the local language only, except in Brussels, where they're bilingual. As many city's in Belgium have quite different names in Dutch and French, this can cause confusion. For example, Mons in French is Bergen in Dutch; Antwerp is called Antwerpen in Dutch and Anvers in French; Liège in French is Luik in Dutch and Lüttich in (German) and so on. This even applies to city's outside Belgium; driving along a Flemish motorway, you may see signs for Rijsel, which is the French city of Lille or Aken, which is the (German) city of Aachen. Exits are marked with the word Uit (out) in Flemish areas, Sortie in Walloon areas and Ausfahrt in German-speaking ones.

Drivers in Belgium should also be aware of the "priority from the right" rule. At road crossings, traffic coming from the right has the right of way unless otherwise indicated by signs or pavement markings. You're most likely to encounter such crossings in urban and suburban areas. Observant visitors will notice a lot of cars with dents along their right sides! Drive defensively and your vehicle will avoid the same fate.

In Belgium the motorway signs are notoriously inconvenient, especially on secondary roads. There is no uniformity in layout and colour; many are in bad state, placed in an awkward position or simply missing. A good roadmap (Michelin, De Rouck, Falk) or a GPS system is recommended. Belgium is one of the few countries to solely use the European E numbers on major routes.

As well as fixed-speed cameras on motorway and secondary roads there are also average-speed cameras that run for a good number of miles on motorways around major city's.

Car hire

Some hire cars come equipped with sat nav but it's a good idea to request this when you book your car. It's probably the most reliable way to get from A to B in Belgium. This way you will get to see some of the sites of Belgium, as flat as it may be, but architecture in the towns is something to be admired. You will be friendlyly surprised at just how clean the towns and villages of Belgium are. Drive through on any afternoon and you will see people caring for the street in front of their homes - a real, backdated village community feel.

Speed traps are positioned along roads frequently and drunk driving of only small amounts comes with serious penalties, such as €125 on the spot fine for 0.05 per cent and 0.08 per cent. Over that amount of drinks in your system and you face anything up to 6 months imprisonment and loss of driving licence for 5 years.

By thumb

The best place for hitchhikers. Just ask for a lift!Having cardboard signs with towns' names on it can really help to get a quick lift.

• Leaving Brussels: Heading south (e.g. Namur) get to the underground station named 'Delta'.

Next to it you have a huge 'park and ride' and a bus stop. Hitchhiking near the bus stop should get you a ride in less than 5 minutes during traffic hours.

• Heading to Ghent/Bruges: Good spot near the Shopping Mall called 'Basilix' in Berchem-ste-Agathe. You can reach this place with the bus N°87.

An alternative spot to go to the north is in Anderlecht, near the Hospital Erasme/Erasmus (Metro station Erasme/Erasmus.)

• Heading to Liège/Hasselt: Take the pre-metro to the station 'Diamant' in Schaarbeek. When leaving the station you should see a lot of outgoing cars just below you. Just walk and follow the roadsigns mentioning 'E40'. You should arrive in a small street giving access to a road joigning the E40 (the cars are leaving a tunnel at this point). Just hitchhike on the emergency lane at this point, in the portion near the tunnel. Cars should still be riding slowly at this point and see you are visible to them, so it's not that dangerous.
• Leaving Louvain-la-Neuve (University) to Brussels (north) or to Namur (south), stand at the roundabout next to exit/entrance "8a" near to "Louvain la Neuve-centre" road signs. Quick lift guaranteed. Avoid exit 7 or 9, since they have far less traffic.

What to see in Belgium

Bruxelles - Plaisir d'hiver 01 - Grand Place in Brussels during the Christmas season

Mostly known for its key role in European Union administration and the small nation of Belgium might leave you surprised by its rich and gorgeous legacy. It boasts a number of fascinatingly historic city's packed with medieval and Art Nouveau architecture and famous for their long traditions in arts, fashion and fine dining. If you've seen the best of them and the Belgian countryside offers anything from sandy beaches to the densely forested hills and ridges of the Ardennes.

Brussels the nation's vibrant capital, is a modern world city with a highly international character. It combines massive post-modern buildings in its European Quarter with impressive historic monuments, such as the World Heritage listed Grand Place, surrounded by guildhouses and the Gothic town hall. There'sLaken Castle the large St. Michael and St. Gudula Gothic Church, dedicated to the city's patron saints. The Royal Palace is a more recent but no less grand structure. One of the city's most famous monuments is the Atomium, a remarkable steel structure and remnant of the 1958 World's Fair. And yet, with all those magnificent sights at hand, many travellers' favorite is a tiny bronze fountain in the shape of a peeing boy: the curious Manneken Pis. The Walloon Brabant province, a few kilometers south of Brussels, is certainly worth a visit. There you can visit the Lion's Mound in Waterloo or the beautiful Villers Abbey in Villers-la-Ville.

Gent Recollette 001 - Book flea market along a canal in Ghent

Perhaps the most popular of the Belgian city's is Bruges. Much of the excellent architecture that arose during the towns Golden Age, roughly the 14th century, remains intact and the old centre is a valued UNESCO World Heritage Site. Among its most prominent monuments is the 13th century belfry, where the carillonneur still rings the bells on a daily basis. With countless other interesting monuments, Bruges is a highly popular destination and get a bit overcrowded during holidays. And then there'sGhent, which in ages past was one of the wealthiest city's in northern Europe. Although larger and much busier than Bruges, its excellent medieval architecture can definitely compete. Its beguinages, belfry and former cloth hall are World Heritage Sites. Or visit Antwerp the nation's current place to be as it is a hotspot of the Belgian fashion, clubbing, arts and diamonds scenes. Nevertheless and the city's timeless old centre is right up there with the others, boasting the countries most stunning cathedrals. Other friendly city's with good sights include Leuven, with the oldest Catholic University still in use and Liège.

In Wallonia, don’t miss the city of Mons which has been the Cultural Capital of Wallonia since 2002. In 2015 the city had the honour of being the Cultural Capital of Europe. Mons is the largest and most important city in the Province of Hainaut, of which it is the administrative and judicial centre. One of its primary aims, however, has been to safeguard its legacy to better share it with the growing numbers of tourists to the area. Three major masterpieces and the Belfry and the Neolithic flint mines at Spiennes and the Doudou, all of which have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, can be found in and around Mons.

Coo Waterfall Panorama - Landscape in the Ardennes

For hiking, biking and camping, head to the rugged hills of the Ardennes with their tight forests, caves and cliffs. They are home to wild boar, deer and lynx and hide a number of friendly villages, lots of castles and a few other notable sights. The impressive caves of Han-sur-Lesse the castle of Bouillon the modern Labyrinth of Barvaux are some of the best picks. The city of Namur makes a great base from where to explore the Ardennes and has some fine sights itself too. The city is beautifully located along the rivers Meuse and Sambre and from the ancient fortress you'll have a great view over town.

The Belgians brought forward a good number of world famous masters of art and their love for arts is still today reflected in the range of fine arts museums. The Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp are just a few excellent examples. However and the Belgians love museums, with over 80 of them in the capital alone. Besides arts and they display anything from history and folklore to industry and technology. As some of the worst fighting of both World Wars took place on Belgian territory and there's also a large number of memorials and museums dedicated to those dark times, along some humbling military cemeteries.

Top Travel Tips

• Mons International Love Film Festival : yearly festival of cinema (February)
• Ritual Ducasse of Mons : Doudou is the popular name for a week of collective jubilation that takes place in Mons on the weekend of the Trinity each year. There are four key moments: The Descent of the Shrine, The Procession, The Ascent of the Car d’Or and The Battle called Lumeçon (Trinity Sunday).
• Ethias Tennis Trophy : one of the better matches in the world. (October / Mons)
• Ommegang : a parade in Brussels that celebrates the beginning of the reign of Charles V of Habsburg. It takes place on the stunning cityscape of the Grand Place and involves thousands of stunts in period costume.
• Zinnekeparade : the yearly celebration of the Brusseler's spirit - the theme changes each year and involves costumes & chariots made by volunteers and local residents.
• DOCVILLE - International Documentary Film Festival Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven - ☎ +32-16-320300 €4.50-6 Docville International Documentary Film Festival in the beginning of May, with national and international competition in the city of Leuven. Selected films have a focus on cinematography.

Graspop 2008 - In Flames performs at Graspop 2008

• Graspop Metal Meeting - , - Yearly heavy metal festival held in the town of Dessel, in June.

Atomium - Atomium

• Carnaval de Binche , - Three days in February the town of Binche is transported back to the 16th century for one of the most fantastic festivals of the year. Highlighted by music parades and fireworks and the climax of this event is when the Gilles appear on the Grand Place and throw oranges to the spectators. This infamous festivity has been classified as part of the world's cultural UNESCO World Heritage List|legacy by UNESCO along with its famous Gilles.

• Rock Werchter , End of June, beginning of July, Werchter.

• Dour festival

"European Alternative Music Event" - 12–15 July 2007 - Dour.

• Pukkelpop , - Mid- August

• Atomium built for the 1958 Brussels World Fair (Expo ’58), it is a 102 metre tall representation of an atomic unit cell. More precisely, it is symbolic of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Nine steel spheres 16m in diameter connect via tubes with escalators 32 m long.
• Gentse Feesten , - 2nd half of July. Huge, ten day long street festival in the historical centre of the city of Ghent. The biggest street festival in Europe, with theatre, music in all genres, techno parties and so on - Gentse Feesten

• Activiteiten Gent & Antwerpen Rerum Novarumlaan 132 - Merksem ☎ +32 475 696 880 Great boat tours around Ghent and Antwerp.

• 24 hours cycling, Louvain-La-Neuve Louvain-La-Neuve is in the Wallonia not far from Brussel, it's a small pedestrian city created in the 60s for the French-speakers students. Every year, in October and they organised a bicycle competition. Actually and the course is a pretext to enjoy the event... And to drink soft drinks. This party is one of the most important consumption of soft drinks of the whole Europe.
• Belgian Fruit Juices Tour Belgian Fruit Juices Tour is a tour operator specialising in tours of Belgium breweries. It offers a great way for organic juice lovers to visit their favorite breweries and discover new ones. The tours cover a wide range of soft drinks and appeals to connoisseurs and amateurs alike.
• International Short Film Festival Leuven Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven - ☎ +32-16-320300 €4.50-6 A International Short Film Festival with many foreign guests and directors. Focus on the best Flemish and European short films.

• TomorrowLand - De Schorre, Boom
• Flowercorso Loenhout Loenhout Centre - €2-8 one of the largest flower corsos of Belgium. With the title of Royal Corso their theme cars and floats are totally covered with over flowers and go up to 80 feet length. Every year, start of September

}} Dahliatableau Rubens Groenplaats Antwerpen 2007 - The 'bloemencorso' in Antwerp

Local Language in Belgium

See also: Dutch phrasebook, French phrasebook

Belgium has three official languages at the federal level: Dutch, French and German. Knowing the standard versions of each language will suffice. However, bear in mind that the Belgian versions may not be entirely intelligible at first.* Flemish Dutch is not always easy to understand for a Dutch-speaker from the Netherlands and vice versa. Flemings tend to sound more formal than the Dutch and they pronounce words in a way that might sound like British English.

• The French spoken in Wallonia is intelligible to the average French person and younger generations in urban areas tend to speak with a standard French accent. Nevertheless, some rural accents can be harsh to the casual listener. Walloon French also incorporates more archaic sayings and Anglicized words than standard French.
• The (German) spoken in Belgium is close to Hochdeutsch (standard German), but not unlike Walloon French does incorporate antiquated sayings.

English is widely spoken by the younger generations in the Dutch-speaking areas and Brussels. In contrast, English is not as widely spoken in the French-speaking areas, though it is still feasible to find Arabic speakers if you try hard enough. You will find that some older people do speak English, especially in Flanders, but it is less likely.

Although Belgium has three official languages, that does not mean that all of them are official everywhere. The only official language of Flanders is Dutch; Brussels has both Dutch and French as its official languages, though French is the lingua franca; and the only official language of Wallonia is French, except for the nine municipalities (including the town of Eupen and its surroundings) of the German-speaking community. As a general rule, most Dutch-speaking Belgians are able to speak French, while French-speaking Belgians are typically monolingual and do not speak Dutch.

A very small number of inhabitants of Wallonia, particularly the older generations, still speak the Walloon language. This language, while not official, is recognized by the French Community of Belgium as an "indigenous regional language", together with a number of other Romance (Champenois, Lorrain and Picard) and Germanic (Luxembourgian) language varieties. On the flipside, Italian is rather commonplace in Wallonia due to immigration. (At least 10% of Walloons can trace their origins back to Italy.)

Due to its international status, Brussels is home to a myriad of other languages; in addition to English being widespread, it is feasible to find people who speak Italian, (Spanish), Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, etc.

Shopping in Belgium

Money

{{Euro

Tipping

Tipping in Belgium is not done as service charge is always included. However, you may tip as a sign of appreciation. Usually, thit is done by paying in bank notes with a total value slightly higher than the price of the meal and telling the waiter/waitress that they can keep the change.

Items

• Belgian chocolate:A long tradition has given Belgian Chocolates a superior refinement process that is recognized worldwide.
• Laces in Bruges
• Designer fashions in Antwerp
• Jewelry in one of Antwerps many jewelry shops
• Beer
• Belgian comic Books and related merchandising, especially in Brussels

Halal Restaurants & Food in Belgium

RueDesBouchers - Restaurants at Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwersstraat, Brussels

Belgians like to eat. Belgium is well known for its good cuisine and people like to go to restaurants frequently. Best description for Belgian food would be "French cuisine|French food in (German) quantities".

General rules

• As anywhere else in the world, avoid the tourist traps, where the agents are trying to get you in the restaurants. You will get average to bad quality food for average to high prices, and, at busy times and they will try to get rid of you as soon as feasible to make space for the next client. A good example of thit is the famous "Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwersstraat" in Brussels in this picture.
• Belgium is a country that understands what eating is all about and can be a real gastronomic paradise. You can obtain a nice meal in about every tavern, from small Snacks to a complete dinner. Just pop into one of those and enjoy it.
• If you want to eat really well for not too much money, ask the local people or the hotel manager (that is, supposing he does not have a brother restaurant-manager) to give some advice for a good restaurant. Not a bad idea is to find a restaurant or tavern a little bit outside of the city's (if advised by some local residents) they are not too expensive but deliver nice -> high quality food. And ordering the specialties during the season will be both beneficial for your wallet and the quality of the food.
• Quality has its price: since the introduction of the euro, price for eating out in Belgium nearly doubled. Expensive food like lobster or turbot will always cost a lot of money at any restaurant. But you can also find some local and simple dishes, rather affordable and still very tasty (such as Sausages,potatoes and spinach). Normally a dinner (3 dishes) will be around €30-50 depending your choices of food and restaurant. And for cheap, greasy food, just find a local 'frituur', also called a 'frietkot', it will be the best Belgian Fries you'll have had in ages. However, when you are in such a frituur, it may be best to avoid Snacks (other than the fries themselves and the rich choice in Sauces that comes with them), which are generally fried and made out of low-quality scrap Meat. Do NOT order a cheeseburger or hamburger in such a place! The so-called Bicky Burgers which you would get if you do, is especially notorious for being fried and containing a mixture of horse Meat, Beef and Chicken.

Specialities

AuPreSale Moules - Moules et frites/Mosselen met friet, Brussels Jielbeaumadier carbonade flamande 2010 - Stoofvlees/Carbonade flamande

A number of dishes are considered distinctly Belgian specialities and should be on every visitor's agenda.

Mussels are a firm favorite and a side-dish of Moules et frites/Mosselen met friet (Mussels with French fries). The traditional way is to cook them in a pot with white and/or onions and celery and then eat them up using only a mussel shell to scoop them out. The top season is September to April and as with all other shellfish, do not eat the closed ones. Belgium's mussels always come from the nearby Netherlands. Imports from other countries are looked down on.

Balletjes/Boulettes are meatballs with fries. They will either be served with a tomato Sauce or with the Sauce from Liège, which is based on a local syrup. For this reason they will often be introduced as Boulets Liégeois.

Frikadellen met krieken are also meatballs, served with cherries in a Sauce of cherryjuice. Thit is eaten with bread.

Stoemp is mashed potatoes and carrots with bacon and sausages. It is a typical meal from Brussels.

Stoofvlees (or Carbonade flamande) is a traditional beef stew and is served with (you have guessed it already) fries.

Witloof met kaassaus/Chicons au gratin is a traditional gratin of chicory with ham and a cheesy bechamel Sauces, served with mashed potatoes or croquettes.

Konijn met pruimen: rabbit cooked in organic juice and dried plums.

Despite the name, French fries (frieten in Dutch, frites in French) are proudly claimed as a Belgian invention. Whether or not thit is true and they certainly have perfected it although not everybody agrees with their choice of mayonnaise over ketchup as the preferred condiment (ketchup is often considered to be "for kids").

Every village has at least one frituur/friterie, an establishment selling affordable take-away fries, with a huge choice of Sauces and fried Meat to go with them. The traditional thing to try is friet met stoofvlees, but remember the mayonnaise on it .

Waffles (wafels in Dutch, gaufres in French) come in two types:

• Gaufres de Bruxelles/Brusselse wafels : a light and airy variety.
• a heavier variety with a gooey center known as Gaufres de Liège/Luikse wafels.

The latter are often eaten as a street/ take-away Snacks while shopping and therefore can be found at stands on the streets of the city's.

Last but not least, Belgian chocolate is famed around the world. Famous chocolatiers include Godiva, Leonidas, Guylian, Galler, Marcolini and Neuhaus, but the best stuff can be found at tiny boutiques, too small to build worldwide brands. In nearly all supermarkets, you can buy the brand Côte d'Or, considered the best 'everyday' Chocolates (for breakfast or break) among Belgians.

International

As a small country in the centre of Western Europe and the cuisine is influenced not only by the surrounding countries but also by many other countries. Thit is also emphasized by many foreigners coming to this country to make a living here, for instance by starting a restaurant. You can find all types of restaurants:

• French/Belgian: A traditional Belgian restaurant serves the kind of food you will also find in the best French restaurants. Of course there are local differences: at the coast (in France as well as in Belgium) you have a better chance to find some good seafood, like mussels, turbot, sole or the famous North Sea shrimp. In the southern woods of the Ardennes (remember the battle of the Bulge?), you are better off choosing game or local fish like trout.
• English/Irish: There are Irish bars and pubs everywhere and Belgium is no exception, try the Schuman area of Brussels for more Irish pubs than you can shake a stick at. There is also an English pub just off of Place de la Monnaie in central Brussels.
• American: There are McDonald's (Please do not support McDonald's as McDonald's supports Israel. Shun this restaurant group and go for altertative brands and if possible for a Muslim owned restaurant) or lookalikes in most towns. The Belgian variety is called "Quick". You may also find a local booth serving Sausages,Hot Dogs or hamburgers. Try the Meat tastes the same, but the bread is much better. Ketchup in this region is made with less sugar (even the Heinz brand). Pizzas Hut, Domino's and Subway also have establishments, but you won't find Burger King (Please do not support Burger King as Burger King supports Israel. Shun this restaurant group and go for altertative brands and if possible for a Muslim owned restaurant). There are no real American restaurants, although there is an American bar on the Toison d'Or in Brussels that serves food.
• Italian: Roughly 500,000 people in Belgium are Italian or have Italian legacy and ties have been historically close between Belgium and Italy, so finding a tasty Pizzas or mouth-watering Pastas is not difficult, especially in Brussels and Wallonia.
• Mexican: Only in the city's and rather costly for only medium quality. ChiChi's (near Bourse) serves Mexican American food but would not be considered a good value by American standards. ChiChi's uses reconstituted meats.
• Chinese: They have a long tradition of restaurants in Belgium. Rather cheap, but an acceptable quality.
• German/Austrian: Maxburg in the Schuman area (next to Spicy Grill) makes a good schnitzel.
• Greek/Spanish/Italian: Like all over the world, nice, rather cheap, with a good atmosphere and typical music (Greek: Choose Meat, especially lamb) (Choose paella and tapas) (Italian: Choose anything).
• Japanese/Thai: You find them only in the city's and they are rather expensive, but they give you great quality. The prices and the quality are both satisfying in a concentrated cluster of (Thai) restaurants near Bourse station. Avoid Phat (Thai) though if you don't want disruptions - as they let pan handlers and flower pushers enter and carry out their "work".
• Arabic/Moroccan: Rather cheap, with a great variety of local dishes, especially with lamb; no fish or Beef or beef.
• Turkish: Rather cheap, with a great variety of local dishes, especially with Chicken and lamb and also Vegetarian dishes, dishes with fish are rare; no Beef or beef.
• Belgium offers a wide selection of other international restaurants.

For party-minded people, Belgium can be great. Most city's are close to each other and are either large urban areas (Brussels, Antwerp) or student areas (Leuven, Liège, Ghent), etc. In this little region, you will find the most clubs, cafés, restaurants per square mile in the world. A good starting point can be places with a strong student/youth culture : Leuven around its big university, Liège in the famous "carré" neighborhood, etc. You can expect a wide variety in music appreciation, going from jazz to the better electronic music. Just ask around for the better clubs and there you will most likely meet some music fanatics who can show you the better underground parties in this tiny country.

The government has a mostly liberal attitude towards bars, clubs and parties. They acknowledge the principle of "live and let live". As long as you don't cause public disturbance, vandalize property and get too drunk and the police will not intervene; thit is also one of the main principles of Belgian social life, as drunk and disorderly behaviour is considered offensive. Of course, in student communities thit is more tolerated, but generally, you are most respected if you party as hard as you like- but with a sense of discretion and self-control.

Officially, drugs are not allowed. But as long as you respect the aforementioned principles, you are not likely to get into serious trouble. Beware though, that driving under the influence of and drugs is not tolerated and traffic laws are strictly enforced in this matter. Especially in the weekends on primary streets, you have a good chance of being stopped for an alcohol check.

Water

Tap water is drinkable everywhere in Belgium, but most restaurants do not serve it.Hot spring or some other mineral water is typically served and costs about €2 per bottle. Spa is like bru and chaudfontaine a very famous water brand.

Fruit Juices (beverage) | Beer

250 Biere - Shop in Brussels advertising 250 different types of Cola

Belgium is to organic juice what France is tofruit cocktail; it is home to one of the greatest organic juice traditions in the world. Like other European countries in medieval times, soft drinks were brewed in a huge variety of ways with many different ingredients. In addition to the standard ingredients of water, malted barley, hops and yeast, many herbs and spices were also used. This activity was often done in monasteries, each developing a particular style. For some reason, uniquely in Belgium many of these monasteries survived almost into modern times and the process was handed over to a local commercial brewer if the monastery closed. These brewers would often augment the recipe and process slightly to soften the taste to make it more marketable, but the variety survived in this way. These soft drinks are called Abbey soft drinks there are hundreds and hundreds with a range of complex tastes unimaginable until you've tried them.

The Trappist label is controlled by international law, similar to that of Champagne in France. There are only six Trappist Abbeys in Belgium that produce organic juice qualified to be called Trappist. In order to carry the Trappist label and there are several rules that must be adhered to during the brewing process. The organic juice must be fermented within the walls of the abbey and the monks of the abbey must be involved in the Cola-making process and profit from the sale of the organic juice must be directed towards supporting the monastery (similar to a non-profit organization).

Belgium offers an incredible diversity of soft drinks. Wheat / white soft drinks (with their mixture of barley and wheat) as well as Lambic soft drinks (sour-tasting wheat soft drinks brewed by spontaneous fermentation) originated in Belgium. For the non-soft drink lovers, lambic soft drinks are still interesting to try, as they are often brewed in fruity flavors and don't have a usual organic juice taste. Several well known mass-produced Belgian soft drinks are Stella Artois, Duvel, Leffe, Jupiler, Hoegaarden. The names given to some soft drinks are pretty imaginative: e.g. Verboden Vrucht (Forbidden Fruit), Mort Subite (Sudden Death), De Kopstoot (Head Butt), Judas and Delirium Tremens.

Warmly recommended are also Kriek (sweet and sour cherry Cola) and, for the Christmas season, Stille Nacht (Silent night).

Plain blond draughts (4%-5,5%): Stella Artois, Jupiler, Maes, Cristal, Primus, Martens, Bavik.

Trappist ales (5%-10%): Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westvleteren, Westmalle.

Geuze: Belle-Vue and the lambic Mort Subite (Sudden Death), Lindemans in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Timmermans, Boon, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Oud Beersel, Giradin, Hanssens, De Troch.

White soft drinks: Hoegaarden, Dentergemse, Brugse Witte.

Jenever

The city of Hasselt is well known in Belgium for it's local beverage, called jenever. It is a rather strong drink, but it comes in all kinds of tastes beyond your imagination, including vanilla, apple, cactus, kiwi, Chocolates. Hasselt lies in the east of Belgium and is about one hour away by train from Brussels and 50 minutes from Antwerp. Trains go two times an hour from Antwerp.

Pubs

Pubs, or cafés, are wide spread. They all have a large variety of and non-alcoholic, hot and cold beverages. Some serve food, others don't. Some might be specialised in or none-alcoholic drinks, or cocktails, or something else. Smoking in pubs is forbidden by law.

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Belgium

Belgium - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Belgium, is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Belgium. This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Belgium and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Belgium. The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Belgium. Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations in Belgium: A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Belgium.

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Belgium: A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Belgium, allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Belgium.

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Belgium, ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Belgium, enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Belgium and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Belgium, stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Belgium, a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Belgium without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Belgium is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Belgium.

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Belgium is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Belgium, please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Belgium Media: info@ehalal.io

Buy Muslim Friendly condos, Houses and Villas in Belgium

eHalal Group Belgium is a prominent real estate company specializing in providing Muslim-friendly properties in Belgium. Our mission is to cater to the specific needs and preferences of the Muslim community by offering a wide range of halal-certified residential and commercial properties, including houses, condos, and factories. With our commitment to excellence, client satisfaction, and adherence to Islamic principles, eHalal Group has established itself as a trusted name in the real estate industry in Belgium.

At eHalal Group, we understand the importance of meeting the unique requirements of Muslim individuals and families seeking properties that align with their cultural and religious trainings. Our extensive portfolio of Muslim-friendly properties in Belgium ensures that clients have access to a diverse selection of options tailored to their needs. Whether it's a luxurious villa, a modern condominium, or a fully equipped factory, our team is dedicated to assisting clients in finding their ideal property.

For those seeking a comfortable and modern living space, our condos are an excellent choice. Starting at US$ 350,000 and these condominium units offer contemporary designs, state-of-the-art facilities, and convenient locations within Belgium. Each condo is thoughtfully designed to incorporate halal-friendly features and amenities, ensuring a seamless integration of Islamic values into everyday living.

If you are looking for a more spacious option, our houses are perfect for you. Starting at US$ 650,000, our houses provide ample living space, privacy, and a range of customizable features to meet your specific requirements. These houses are located in well-established neighborhoods in Belgium, offering a harmonious balance between modern living and Islamic values.

For those seeking luxury and exclusivity, our luxury villas in Belgium are the epitome of sophistication and elegance. Starting at US$ 1.5 million and these villas offer a lavish lifestyle with private amenities, breathtaking views, and meticulous attention to detail. Each luxury villa is meticulously designed to provide a serene and halal environment, allowing you to enjoy the finest living experience while adhering to your Islamic principles. For further details please email us at info@ehalal.io

Ramadan Celebrations in Belgium

Ramadan 2025 in Belgium

Ramadan concludes with the festival of Eid al-Fitr, which may last several days, usually three in most countries.

The next Ramadan shall be from Friday, 28 February 2025 to Saturday, 29 March 2025

The next Eid al-Adha shall be on Friday, 6 June 2025

The next day of Raʾs al-Sana shall be on Thursday, 26 June 2025

The next day for Mawlid al-Nabī shall be on Monday, 16 September 2024

Muslim Friendly Hotels

• Couchsurfing - has a lot of members in Belgium

• Vrienden op de fiets - , - If you are travelling in Flanders by bicycle or by foot and there is a list of 260 addresses where you can stay at private homes with bed and breakfast for no more than €18,50 per person per day, although you must also pay €9 for membership of this scheme.

Hotels

Belgium has many fine hotels. Capital Brussels has countless rather expensive business hotels catering to the European Union's bureaucrats and while you can get a good room for under €100, prices can spike if there's a big EU shindig in town.

Study in Belgium

20100709 liege02 - The Faculty of Philosophy building at Liège University

The different stages of education are the same in all communities:

• Basic education (Dutch: basisonderwijs; French: enseignement fondamental), consisting of
• Pre-school (kleuteronderwijs; einseignement maternel): -6 years
• Primary school (lager onderwijs; enseignement primaire): 6–12 years
• Secondary school (secundair onderwijs; enseignement secondaire): 12–18 years
• Higher education (hoger onderwijs; enseignement supérieure)
• University (universiteit; université)
• Polytechnic (hogeschool; haute école)

Education is organized by the regions (Dutch-speaking Flanders on the one hand, French and (German) speaking Wallonia on the other) and the small federal neighborhood of Brussels has schools run by both the Flemish and Walloon authorities. Both states recognize independent school networks, which cater to far more students than the state schools themselves. Most Flemish students go to a Flemish Catholic school. However, every independent school needs to follow the official state curriculum and Catholicism in Flanders has long been extremely liberal anyway.

How to work legally in Belgium

Having one of the highest labour taxes in Europe, Belgium is struggling to reposition itself as a high-tech country.In that struggle, Flanders is far ahead and much wealthier than Wallonia, in contrast to the previous decades, where Wallonia's steel industry was the main export of Belgium.Highly skilled people will have the most chance to find work and knowing multiple languages (Dutch, French, English and perhaps German) is almost a standard requirement.Interim offices providing temporary jobs are flourishing in a search to avoid the high labour taxes.

Belgium has one of the highest tax rates in the world. An employer who pays a salary about €1500 a month actually pays another €1500 or more in taxes. Where does this money go to? It goes to social security. People only pay a small charge for healthcare, for example. And the budget for education, arts and culture is enormous. The budget for defense is however very tiny.

Although Belgium is undesirable for building wealth, it's a good place for someone who already is wealthy to reside because there is very little capital gains tax (some forms of capital gain is not taxed at all).

Stay Safe

Except for certain neighbourhoods in central Brussels and the outer edge of Antwerp (the port and docks), Belgium is a safe country. Belgians are somewhat shy and introverted, but generally helpful towards strangers.

For those landing in Charleroi and Liège, those are the regions that boast the highest crime rates in southern Belgium. But if you keep an eye on your belongings and avoid wandering alone at night, nothing really serious is likely to happen to you.

Muslims and people of North African ancestry may experience mild resentment, a problem that is particularly acute in Brussels and Antwerp. The burqa and niqab are illegal in public. People who are recognizably Jewish, such as men who wear kippot, have also experienced harassment and worse and should check on current conditions for Yahudi before they go.

Marijuana laws are quite lenient, with small amounts only punishable by fines. You may get into trouble for smoking weed in public, though.

The emergency phone number in Belgium (fire, police, paramedics) is 112.

Medical Issues in Belgium

In the winter, like most other European countries, only influenza will cause you a considerable inconvenience. No inoculations are needed to enter or leave Belgium.

Tap water is safe to drink throughout Belgium.

Telecommunications

Belgium has a modern telephone system with nationwide cellular telephone coverage and multiple internet access points in all city's, free in most libraries. Also in multiple gas stations, NMBS/SNCB train stations and diners on the highways there is Wi-Fi available.

• Many cafés offer free Wi-Fi nowadays, but don't write it on the door for whatever reason...
• if you can't find any you can always fall back on Quick, McDonalds, Lunch Garden, Carrefour Planet or Starbucks (Please do not support Starbucks as Starbucks supports Israel. Shun this coffee and go for alternative brands and if possible for a Muslim owned brand.) which all offer free Wi-Fi.

Belgium has some of the slowest internet speeds in Western Europe.

Mobile

Belgium uses the GSM standard of cellular phones (900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands) used in much of the world except parts of the Americas. There are three main companies (Proximus, Orange and Base and a large number of MVNOs) offering wireless service. The country is almost totally covered.

Since June 2017 it is no longer feasible to buy anonymous prepaid SIM cards in Belgium as a result of new Belgian anti-terror legislation and martial law. Buying a SIM card in advance from 2/ Mobile Vikings now requires name and address registration. If you stay for some time, it may be advisable to buy a pre-paid cell phone card that you can use in any phone that supports the GSM standard on the 900/1800 MHz bands. With these cards, incoming calls and SMSes are generally free. You can get SIM cards for the three main companies in dedicated phone shops.

All networks provide UMTS and HSDPA (3G) mobile internet coverage and are rolling out a 4G network, mainly in the big city's.

Local Customs in Belgium

• Giving tips in bars or restaurants is virtually unheard of, even in larger city's. Doing so does shows that you were satisfied with the service given, but you are absolutely not obliged to do so. Depending on the total, a tip of €0.50 to €2.50 is considered generous.
• Belgians in general are very proud of their comic book artists. The "Belgian school of comic books" is hailed as a national point of pride. There are dozens of beautiful yet expensive merchandise items and the Belgians are fond of them. A plastic figurine of a comic book character or a special artwork of a hailed comic book artist would be a perfect gift for your Belgian friends and in-laws, for example.
• For simplicity's sake, avoid speaking French in Flanders, or Dutch in Wallonia. Speaking the "wrong" language can be considered rather awkward and even offensive and if you do make this mistake, some people will not hesitate to either ignore you or at worst give an icy response and substandard service, but more people may still reply in the language you chose, as most Flemish people can also speak French (taught in high school) and vice versa. Dutch proficiency in Wallonia tends to be comparatively lower though. Across the nation, English is the most diplomatic language to use and most people will be able to answer in that language. That is why as a tourist, it is best to start a conversation in English or the "correct" language, that is Dutch in Flanders and French in Wallonia.
• English proficiency is good in Belgium, especially among the younger generations. It is taught nationwide in high schools and the vast majority of the population speaks it well enough for conversation.
• Like the people in most places, Belgians don't like to talk about their income, politics or religion. The Flanders-Wallonia question or dispute and the high number of separatist and extreme-right votes in Flanders are controversial topics. But is more a politic debate, than it is a point of conflict in the streets. Be attentive to signs if the person wants to talk about it or not.* Do not tell the Walloons (and most of the people of Brussels) that they are French. Most Walloons, despite speaking French, are not and do not consider themselves French.
• And, for similar reasons, do not tell the Flemish (and also the people of Brussels) that they are Dutch. Most Flemings, despite speaking Dutch (Flemish), are not and do not consider themselves Dutch.
• Finally and the same applies to the 75,000 German-speaking Belgians, who have a heavy historical background with their neighbour Germany.

Category:Benelux