Planning a first-time trip to Europe can be overwhelming. After all, there are many things to consider if you want to have a good vacation. The first of these is the most basic: Where to start? Should you begin in the Iberian Peninsula and get your fill of sunshine and seafood? Is it better to go to Scandinavia and work your way south? Or should you head east and visit more affordable countries that don’t use the Euro? While these are all good options, according to Rick Steves, Belgium is the perfect place to land.
The famed travel advisor thinks this country is one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. Yes, some people come for its beer and Belgian waffles, but many skip it over in favor of its more famous neighbors, France and Germany. On his website, Steves explains that the nation fulfills many criteria for a good starting point, including decent prices on transatlantic flights and developed tourism infrastructure. Many people speak English, making it possible to ease into the trip before you have to start translating things on your phone. (Though it’s always courteous to at least learn basic words like “hello” and “thank you.”)
Because Belgium shares borders with the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, and France, it’s also easy to take a bus or a train to other countries, and you can choose your next European destination depending on your interests. In short, this nation really is an ideal spot to begin a Grand Tour of Europe.
Planning a wonderful trip to Belgium
Besides being convenient, Belgium is a beautiful country filled with unique architecture, good food, and access to the sea. The nation’s fairly compact size of 11,849 square miles makes it possible to explore different cities in a relatively short amount of time. Steves suggests crossing out five destinations in seven days, but this strategy will have you spending a lot of time on a bus and rushing through every place you visit. Instead, it’s better to choose one or two cities and spend time really getting to know them. Once you’ve hit the tourist spots, you’ll be free to just hang out and experience the city as locals do. For this, we would recommend concentrating on Brussels and Bruges.
Every traveler interested in Belgium should spend time in Brussels, the capital. As home to one of the headquarters of the European Union, Brussels is a diverse, cosmopolitan city, offering a plethora of excursions and sights. Top places to see include Leopold Park, the Royal Palace, and the formidable Gothic St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral. Despite Brussels’ importance, the beautiful city of Bruges often overshadows it. Called “the Venice of the North” because of its picturesque canals, this destination has cobblestone streets and a historic center that boasts UNESCO World Heritage Site status. If you’re staying more than a week in Belgium, consider making your way to other wonderful spots like Antwerp or Ghent, an underrated European city as charming as Bruges but without the crowds.
