Country guide
Belgium covers 30,689 km² and holds more than 11.8 million people, a density of 383 per km² that ranks sixth in Europe. It is divided three ways — Flanders in...
Photograph · Naval S from Berlin · CC BY 2.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Belgium covers 30,689 km² and holds more than 11.8 million people, a density of 383 per km² that ranks sixth in Europe.
It is divided three ways — Flanders in the north, Wallonia in the south, the Brussels-Capital Region in the middle — and the language divides with it: Dutch for about 60 per cent of the population, French for about 40, German for the one per cent in the East Cantons. The choice for a visitor is largely between Brussels, which carries the seats of the European Commission and Council and the headquarters of NATO, and the Flemish cities: Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0
Seasonal closures come from recorded opening hours.
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
61 places match
Category
Typical visit duration
Interests
Jardin botanique Jean Massart - Botanische tuin Jean Massart
Experimental Garden Jean Massart is a botanical garden in Brussels, also known as Jardin botanique Jean Massart and Botanische tuin Jean Massart. It is affiliated with the Université libre de Bruxelles and combines public access with scientific research.
Humanistisch Sculpturenpark
Humanist Sculpture Park, locally called Humanistisch Sculpturenpark, is an open-air cultural space in Brussels where visitors encounter sculpture within a landscaped setting.
Maison Autrique - Autrique-huis
The Autrique House, known locally as Maison Autrique or Autrique-huis, is a historic residence in Brussels. This building holds significance as an early work by the renowned Belgian architect Victor Horta, predating his more famous Art Nouveau creations.
CINEMATEK is Brussels’ cinematheque: a cinema and film archive devoted to preserving, studying, and showing film heritage. Its programme centres on classic, rare, and historically important works rather than the newest commercial releases.
Maison Cauchie - Cauchiehuis
Cauchie House, Maison Cauchie or Cauchiehuis, is an Art Nouveau townhouse in Brussels designed by architect and artist Paul Cauchie in 1905. It served as his residence and studio, allowing him to shape both the building and its decoration.
Five to seven days covers Brussels plus two or three rail-linked cities such as Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Leuven or Liège. Staying in one or two bases avoids losing time to repeated hotel changes in this compact network.
Belgium’s foreign-affairs service publishes visa and short-stay requirements. Check the rule for the passport being used and the full Schengen itinerary, especially when Belgium is not the first external border crossed.
Brussels Airport connects directly with Belgium’s national rail network, and intercity trains link the principal cities without compulsory reservations. Local buses, trams and metros belong to separate regional operators, so one urban ticket is not automatically valid nationwide.
April through June offers long sightseeing days, while September usually retains workable conditions with fewer peak-summer pressures. Belgian weather remains changeable, making a waterproof layer useful in any of these months.
The euro (EUR) is Belgium’s currency. Card and cash acceptance can differ between a station machine, a market stall and a small business, so retain a second payment method rather than assuming one card will work everywhere.
Belgium uses 112 for emergencies and Type C or E plugs at 230 V. The recorded national guidance says mains tap water is safe.
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