What to Know Before You Visit Belgium
Greetings from Gent, Belgium! Ghent is one of many beautiful cities in Belgium, with fantastic architecture, great beer and very relaxing. Today we’re sharing some of the big differences between Belgium and the US, so you can be better prepared for your Belgium vacation! From Belgium currency, tipping in Belgium, and the Belgium train system, we’ve got all your Belgium travel tips!
Language in Belgium
There are actually several languages spoken in Belgium, but Belgian isn’t one of them! They speak Flemish, or Dutch, in Flanders of north Belgium. In Wallonia, or the southern part of Belgium, French is the official language. If you don’t speak Dutch or French, you’ll get by OK as many people in Belgium speak English very well.
Belgium Currency
In Belgium, the currency is the Euro, which comes in several bills from 500 Euros to 5 Euros. Unlike the US, the Euro coins actually have value. The 2 Euro coin is worth more than $2, so keep track of them.
If you need to withdraw money in Belgium, there are ATM’s all over, so you won’t have trouble finding one. You can also exchange dollars for Euros at an exchange house, but the fees are higher. Your best deal for getting Euros is at a bank with your debit card.
Tip: Don’t forget to let your bank know that you’ll be traveling so they approve any foreign withdrawals!
Tipping in Belgium
Service in Belgium is not very good. Servers are paid a decent wage here, unlike in America, so they aren’t working for tips. The plus-side of this is that tipping in Belgium is not expected. I’ve heard lots of stories of order mixups in Belgium, so just lower your expectations a bit and you’ll be fine.
Electricity in Belgium
The electrical plugs in Belgium are the same as elsewhere in Europe, with two round plugs. All you need is an adapter to fit your U.S. plugs into the wall. You don’t need a converter to charge your electronics in Belgium, as most laptops and phones have a built-in voltage converter.
Transportation in Belgium
You can reach just about any town in Belgium within 90 minutes of train travel. The Belgium train system is really amazing, with buses and trams also available in the cities. Belgium train tickets are affordable and easy to purchase, so you can easily make day trips from Brussels or any city where you are staying.
What to Eat in Belgium
Everyone wants to know what to eat in Belgium. Food in Belgium is fantastic! Mussels and fries, or frites, are two of the most popular foods in Belgium. Belgium fries are double-fried, which makes them irresistible! There are also some good beef dishes in Belgium. The most Belgian “cuisine” you can have here is the beer. Belgium is famous for its beer. Even if you’re not a big beer drinker, you should definitely try some Belgian beer. Beer is an important part of Belgian culture that every traveler should experience.
Additional Belgium Travel Resources
Check out some of our other videos to help plan your Belgium vacation!