Top events in Belgium

August
01

Held each August in honour of one of the city's most famous sons, the Rubens Market is a colourful event where traders dress in the clothes that...

June
23

Indoor and outdoor cinema screenings and related events.

June
25

This world music event is a highly atmospheric, vibrant and multicultural affair which brings a touch of the tropics to Brussels. Apart from stage...

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Canal in Bruges, Belgium

© 123rf.com / Stanley Rippel

Belgium Travel Guide

Key Facts

Geography

Area: 

30,528 sq km (11,787 sq miles).

Population: 

10.7 million (2008).

Population density: 

350 per sq km.

Capital: 

Brussels.

Government

Constitutional monarchy. The Kingdom of Belgium was established in 1830. In 1993, Belgium became a federal state comprising three autonomous regions.

Head of state: 

King Albert II since 1993.

Head of government: 

Prime Minister Yves Leterme since 2009 (second term).

Electricity: 

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are of the round two-pin type.

Compact enough to be covered in a week and spirited enough to count as one of Europe's most under-rated destinations, Belgium does many things well, not least winning over sceptical visitors. If all that comes to mind is waffles and EU bureaucracy, then the reality - with its frothing beer, medieval steeples and simmering cultural mix - will be a pleasant wake-up call.

True, Brussels has more than its share of faceless political buildings, but take a closer look and you'll find a dynamic city big on café living and Art Nouveau, while Antwerp and (particularly) Bruges are both custom-made for picture postcards, the pair of them rich with finely crafted Middle Ages architecture. The country itself is split into two sections - Flanders (the predominantly Dutch-speaking north) and Wallonia (the predominantly French-speaking south) - which, when taken together, add up to a visitor package far greater in scope than Belgium is generally given credit for.