Why you should add Belgium to your bucket list

Belgium is a unique country with many cultural flavours to taste, historical cities to visit, and decadent foods to consume. In this post, there are five cities I would recommend visiting, a list of the foods you must have, and some bonus trivia to impress your friends.

CITIES

Brussels is the capital of the European Union, so it is a melting pot in a few ways – here, you will find the embassies of most foreign countries, as well as both French-speaking and Flemish-speaking Belgians. If you visit during a festival, like the “Winter Wonders” Christmas market, you will get to see the city come to life with locals. Also, notice the golden architecture and energetic night life of the Grand Place, and cross your fingers in hopes to see our small friend, Manneken Pis, dressed in a costume.

Brugge is a gorgeous Flemish town with wonderful architecture and a bustling sense of serenity. This is a great town to walk around on a sunny day. You can take a boat ride, snack on some frites with mayo, or taste some of the strong, in alcohol, flavour, and collection, beers that Belgium has to offer. Some must-sees include the Minnewater Lake, the Historic Centre of Brugge, Basilica of the Holy Blood, and the Beer Wall.

Ghent is an active Flemish city with lots to do and see. From medieval castle views to picturesque bridges and a variety of museums, you can practice your photography skills while learning a lot about the culture. The city is becoming more and more attractive for tourists, but for now, it is still a great place to take in the culture and do as the locals do.

Antwerp is the most populated Flemish city, and in addition to consuming the amazing food, there are a variety of museums to visit, beautiful cathedrals and architecture to admire, and shopping to do. One of the best things to do to take it all in at the end of a long exploratory day is to eat outside in the Grote Markt (Great Market Square) and people watch. It’s even common to spot a few horse-drawn carriages… but this not only true of Antwerp.

Lastly, Waterloo is a town with beautiful surroundings and historic significance. Here, you can take the stairs up to the Butte de Leon to witness the site of the Battle of Waterloo. Whether you are interested in the history or just the view of a magnificent landscape, you are in for a treat. The rest of the town has some fun night life, good shopping, and the surrounding towns are very quaint and a great way to learn more Belgium, away from the tourism.

BONUS: Belgian Trappist monks are known to produce some amazing beers. If you have time, it is worth the drive to visit one of the Monastic Trappist breweries. I recommend going to Westvleteren to enjoy the award-winning 12% alcohol-content treat. This beer has been awarded many times as the best beer in the world.

FOOD

In Belgium, there are five major food groups: frites, gaufres, moules, chocolat, & biere.

• In the States, you may hear frites called “French fries” but this popular snack is actually from Belgium, and the correct way to eat them is with mayo and a tiny fork.
• Gaufres, or waffles, are also extremely popular in Belgium. There are two types, those of Brussels and those of Liège. The Brussels variety are perfectly rectangular in shape, very fluffy and light on the inside, and crispy on the outside. The Liège variety are irregular in shape, rich in sweetness, and soft. Both can be eaten with wonderful toppings.
• Moules, or mussels, are less commonly noted; however, the preparation of this seafood meal across Belgium has been perfected.
• Belgian chocolate shops are a wonder to look at, smell, and shop from. While Belgian chocolate treats are a must, I would also recommend tasting some of the delicious hot chocolate, often sold in the form of a block of chocolate with a wooden spoon attached to the middle.
• Lastly, beer is a big part of the Belgian culture. Everyone loves beer, to the point where there is a landmark with all of the Belgian beers displayed in alphabetical order in Brugge.
• BONUS: Speculoos, from which cookie butter in the States is made, is also Belgian. & One of my personal favourites is to order a mint tea (thé à la menthe) at a café because you are served vibrant green fresh mint leaves in hot water in a glass mug. It is delightful… plus mint is great for you!

BONUS TRIVIA

Some people/characters you didn’t know were Belgian are actress Audrey Hepburn, painter René Magritte, musician Gotye, and the Smurfs.

Additionally, I could try to describe all that is encompassed in this YouTube video; however, I think it’s best just to suggest you watch it for yourself. The video describes how Belgium came to be geographically and politically. Not only is it fascinating, but it is entertaining to watch.

Happy adventuring!

Photos from Unsplash artists Alex Vasey, Stephanie Leblanc, Maria Teneva, Baptist Standaert, Jonas Jaeken, Gilly, and Merve Aydin.