Belgium
Belgium packs medieval towns, the Grand Place and Belgian beer into a small country, and trains link most of its main cities.
Belgium is a small country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg and France. Its capital, Brussels, is also the seat of the European Union's main institutions. Brussels itself uses both Dutch and French. Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp each lie within about an hour of Brussels by train, so you can see several cities from one base.
Visitors come for medieval centers such as Bruges and Ghent, the Grand Place in Brussels, and Belgian beer, chocolate and frites. The country is split between Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north and French-speaking Wallonia in the south. The Ardennes forests lie in the southeast, and the Ardennes is the hilliest part of the country. Signs and menus switch language at the regional border, so expect Dutch in Flanders and French in Wallonia.
Five things to know before Belgium
- Register in the EES on your first Schengen entry
Non-EU visitors give fingerprints and a photo, which replaced passport stamping when the EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026. On the Eurostar from London, the check happens at St Pancras before you board. Check your passport
- Take the train between cities, not a car
Frequent SNCB trains link Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp, and Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent run low emission zones for cars. gov.uk calls strike action an ongoing issue, so check SNCB for strike days before a fixed-date flight home. Getting around
- Look south for Liège, Namur and the Ardennes
Liège and Namur are direct trains from Brussels, with the Ardennes beyond them for walking and kayaking. Plan a car, a bike or a guided tour for the forest and the small towns. Liège travel guide
- Check Monday closures before planning museums
In Antwerp the MAS galleries and the Red Star Line Museum are closed on Mondays, and in Ypres the In Flanders Fields Museum closes Mondays from mid-November to the end of March. Keep Monday for markets, walks or the coast.
- Split the coast and Flanders Fields between two bases
The Coast Tram runs the 67 km of seafront from Knokke to De Panne, while Ypres is the base for the Menin Gate and the battlefields. Trying both from one hotel costs a day in transit. Coast and Westhoek
Belgium travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
The Grand-Place, the museums and the rail hub.
Read the guideBrugesCanals and the belfry, and when to go to avoid crowds.
Read the guideGhentGravensteen, the quays and a lively student city.
Read the guideAntwerpRubens, the MAS roof, fashion and a grand station.
Read the guideNorthwest BelgiumCoast Tram, dunes and the Westhoek compared.
Read the guideYpresThe Menin Gate at 8 p.m. and the Flanders Fields sites.
Read the guideThe ArdennesForests and river valleys, best with a car or a bike.
Read the guideETIAS statusNot in operation yet; the fee will be €20.
Read the guide
Destinations in Belgium
Hostel beds, cheap eats, buses and free sights.
- Bed a night
- €35
- Food
- €25
- Transport
- €8
- Sights
- Free
A 3-star room, casual restaurants, public transport and one paid sight a day.
- Bed a night
- €75
- Food
- €55
- Transport
- €20
- Sights
- €16
A 4-star room, good restaurants, taxis and a guided tour.
- Bed a night
- €120
- Food
- €100
- Transport
- €60
- Sights
- €50
When to go
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- JanuaryRain14 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low2°Cold, greyJanuaryRain
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 80 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, grey
- FebruaryRain12 rainy daysHigh9°Low3°Cold, quietFebruaryRain
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 68 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchRain13 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Cool, showersMarchRain
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 71 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, showers
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh14°Low6°Mild, showersAprilPartly cloudy
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, showers
- MayPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°Warm, greenMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 64 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low13°Long daysJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 76 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh23°Low14°Warm, festivalsJulyPartly cloudy
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, festivals
- AugustPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh24°Low15°Warm, busyAugustPartly cloudy
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 59 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh21°Low12°Mild, quieterSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, quieter
- OctoberRain13 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Cool, autumnOctoberRain
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, autumn
- NovemberRain13 rainy daysHigh10°Low5°Cool, wetNovemberRain
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, wet
- DecemberRain14 rainy daysHigh8°Low4°Christmas marketsDecemberRain
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 73 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Christmas markets
Average daily high and low in Brussels, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Belgium
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
10
- Feels like
- 7°
- Humidity
- 82%
- Wind
- 16 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 88%
Brussels
09:05 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today11°8°88%Monday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 88%.
- Tue9°5°4%Tuesday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Wed9°2°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu8°2°0%Thursday: Clear. High 8°, Low 2°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Fri9°0°0%Friday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sat9°4°6%Saturday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 6%.
- Sun10°6°12%Sunday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 12%.
Updated 05:49 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Festivals by month
- Jan
- FebAalst CarnivalBrussels
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- JulTomorrowlandAntwerpGhent FestivitiesGhent
- AugFlower Carpet of BrusselsBrusselsMAfestival BruggeBruges
- Sep
- Oct
- NovBrussels Winter WondersBrussels
- Dec
On tour in Belgium: Westlife 25: The Anniversary World Tour Antwerp, Nov 24, 2026 · Rod Stewart The Final Encore Antwerp, May 29, 2027 · Nickelback Everything Under the Sun Tour 2027 Brussels, Jun 5, 2027
Before you go to Belgium
Belgium FAQ
Do I need a visa for Belgium?
Not for short stays on most Western passports: US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens get 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area and register in the EES at the border. EU citizens need only a passport or ID card. Use the visa checker for your passport.
Should I stay in Brussels or Bruges?
Brussels has the most hotels and is the rail hub, with direct trains to Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Leuven, Liège, Namur and Ostend. Sleep in Bruges for quiet evenings after the day groups leave; Ghent is the livelier middle option.
How long is the train from Brussels to Bruges?
SNCB lists an average of 1h04 on direct trains to Bruges, with 65 trains a day, and 36 minutes to Ghent, with 86 a day. Check the SNCB planner for the exact connection, since journey times vary by train and hour.
Can you see Belgium without a car?
Yes for the cities, the Coast Tram and most of Flanders. The Ardennes and the Westhoek battlefields are the exceptions, where a car, a bike or a guided tour makes the day easier.
When is the best time to visit Belgium?
May, June and September have mild weather and long days. December brings Christmas markets, and summer weekends are the busiest in Bruges.