Belgium

Here you’ll find all the Belgium blogs on Wonderful Wanderings.

26 Best Things to do in Antwerp, Belgium 1

26 Best Things to do in Antwerp, Belgium

Known as Belgium’s “capital of cool”, “city of diamonds” and “city of fashion”, the attractions in Antwerp are endless. The reason why there are so many things to do in Antwerp is down to the city’s wealthy past. Found only 15 km (9 miles) south of the Dutch border, it lies on the River Scheldt which links it to the North Sea which has historically made it a hugely important port. Around 400 years ago, Antwerp was among the most prosperous cities in Europe. At that time, its strategic position meant that its status rose until it became the second-largest European city north of the Alps.

10 Best Beaches in Belgium and their town centers 2

10 Best Beaches in Belgium and their town centers

If you’ve ever wondered if there are any nice beaches in Belgium, you’re in for a treat. The Belgian coast is over 65 km (40 miles)…

Where to Go Walking in Belgium: 6 Great Trails 3

Where to Go Walking in Belgium: 6 Great Trails

Belgium might not be the place you think of first when you plan to go hiking. It’s not the hilliest of countries, but there still has…

In Bruges filming locations: 15 spots where it was filmed! 4

In Bruges filming locations: 15 spots where it was filmed!

Bruges has always been one of the most visited cities in Belgium, but the movie In Bruges most certainly gave it a boost. “In Bruges” is…

Airports in Belgium: Traveler's Guide to Belgium's Airports 5

Airports in Belgium: Traveler’s Guide to Belgium’s Airports

Ever wondered how many airports in Belgium there are? Confused that there seem to be two Brussels airports? Or maybe you’re just trying to choose between…

35 Best Belgium Castles: History, Location and How to Visit! 6

35 Best Belgium Castles: History, Location and How to Visit!

Did you know that there are over 3000 castles in Belgium? That makes more castles per capita than France which is famous for its chateaux. Many…

16 Best Cities in Belgium: A Comprehensive Guide! 7

16 Best Cities in Belgium: A Comprehensive Guide!

So, you’re thinking of traveling to Belgium – fantastic! You probably have a pretty concrete image in your head of what you imagine the country to…

53 most Famous Belgians: Artists, Chefs and Scientists! 8

53 most Famous Belgians: Artists, Chefs and Scientists!

A list of 60 famous Belgians, including famous Belgian singers, famous Belgian singers, famous Belgian scientists, Belgian sportsmen, inventors and more. Check to see how many of them you know, and if you knew they were Belgian!

87 fun facts about Belgium that'll blow your mind 9

87 fun facts about Belgium that’ll blow your mind

Looking for some fun facts about Belgium? You’ve come to the right place! There’s much more to Belgium than beer, chocolate, and waffles. This treasure trove…

42 Best festivals in Belgium, you don't want to miss! 10

42 Best festivals in Belgium, you don’t want to miss!

Belgium is the land of music festivals. From spring until late summer you can attend a music festival every weekend and even more than one in…

14 fun things to do in Belgium to do all-year-round 11

14 fun things to do in Belgium to do all-year-round

Planning a trip to the land of beer and chocolate? You better come prepared! With these tips on 21 things to do in Belgium in 2021 you'll see, hear, taste and experience the best of Belgium in the new year. Have fun!

15 typical Belgian food and where to eat them in Brussels 12

15 typical Belgian food and where to eat them in Brussels

There's more to Belgian food than fries, chocolate and waffles. Alison shares 6 great Belgian dishes, like shrimp croquettes and meatballs, plus not only where you should order them in Brussels, but also which places you should avoid.

8 Easy Belgian Recipes with You Have to Try

Belgium is known throughout the world for its national food. From its tasty treats like waffles, chocolate, and sweets, to its globally famous breweries, to its…

Floralia Brussels: flower show at Groot-Bijgaarden castle and gardens 13

Floralia Brussels: flower show at Groot-Bijgaarden castle and gardens

Floralia is a one-month flower show at the Groot-Bijgaarden castle and gardens, near Brussels. More than 1 million flower bulbs are planted here every year and arranged in beautiful flower beds, sometimes with fun shapes. There's even a flower labyrinth.

Belgium WW2 sites: overview of tours, museums, and more 14

Belgium WW2 sites: overview of tours, museums, and more

Just like many other European countries, Belgium suffered a great deal during World War 2. Withe the country being stuck between Germany and France, there have…

Belgium WW1 battlefields, memorials, and more 15

Belgium WW1 battlefields, memorials, and more

2014-2018 marked four years of commemorating the end of the Great War, World War I, now more than 100 years ago. There was an influx of…

Easy Dame Blanche Recipe That'll Make Your Mouth Water 16

Easy Dame Blanche Recipe That’ll Make Your Mouth Water

Some of the best desserts are the simplest ones, and Dame Blanche is a sure-fire winner every time. You might recognize it as a variant of…

Salade Liègeoise, the Belgian potato salad with bacon and egg 17

Salade Liègeoise, the Belgian potato salad with bacon and egg

There’s a high likelihood that you’ve made a potato salad before – or at least eaten one. You might not, however, have stumbled across this simple…

The Best Beef Tartare Recipe - My Mom's 18

The Best Beef Tartare Recipe – My Mom’s

For such a simple recipe that takes next to no time to prepare, steak tartare certainly packs a punch! This is a classic dish with a…

Hof ter Saksen, a beautiful park in Beveren, Belgium 19

Hof ter Saksen, a beautiful park in Beveren, Belgium

Hof ter Saksen is a beautiful park in East Flanders, Belgium with an arboretum, an orchard, a 19th-century castle and a natural garden. It's small and not near any other major sights, but if you're in the area, this is a nice place to stop and take a break or have a picnic.

Visiting Belgium in November - What you need to know 20

Visiting Belgium in November – What you need to know

By November, the weather in Belgium is starting to get pretty chilly and the days are much shorter. Although this might mean you have to plan…

Belfries of Belgium: 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites 21

Belfries of Belgium: 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

There are eleven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Belgium. If that surprises you, then you’ll be even more surprised when you read that the actual number…

10 Belgian bloggers reveal their secret Belgian gems 22

10 Belgian bloggers reveal their secret Belgian gems

On my quest to put the lesser-known gems of Belgium in the spotlight, I asked nine other Belgian bloggers to share which places they think deserve a bit more attention. These are their replies. Have a look: do any of these places ring a bell?

An afternoon boat tour on the river Scheldt with Rivertours 23

An afternoon boat tour on the river Scheldt with Rivertours

Whenever I travel somewhere, I love coming across rivers and canals. Whether it be in cities or nature areas, I think a body of water always…

Classic chicken vol au vent recipe from mom's kitchen 24

Classic chicken vol au vent recipe from mom’s kitchen

Vol au vents are light puff pastry shells filled with yummy ingredients such as chicken, small meatballs, and mushrooms. They’re a typical Belgian food and often…

This Flemish stew recipe tastes like a warm hug 25

This Flemish stew recipe tastes like a warm hug

This flew stew recipe is a warm hug in a bowl. Flemish beef stew is a classic Belgian dish that is sure to put a smile…

Try making this delicious Waterzooi recipe from Ghent, Belgium 26

Try making this delicious Waterzooi recipe from Ghent, Belgium

Is it a stew? Is it a soup? Is it a chowder? It’s waterzooi! This is a beautiful classic Flemish dish that will warm your soul…

Visiting Belgium in October - Top tips to plan your trip 27

Visiting Belgium in October – Top tips to plan your trip

There are many reasons why autumn is a good time of year to visit Belgium. One of them is the fact that the cities and countryside…

Visiting Belgium in September - What you need to know 28

Visiting Belgium in September – What you need to know

The summer sunshine is still sticking around for a few weeks when you visit Belgium in September and temperatures are generally warm and comfortable. This and…

Visiting Belgium in August? Here's what you should know 29

Visiting Belgium in August? Here’s what you should know

August is peak tourist season in Belgium and it’s not hard to see why. Belgium’s moderate climate means that even in high summer the temperature doesn’t…

Visiting Belgium in July 30

Visiting Belgium in July

Visiting Belgium in July can be quite wonderful. It’s the time for outdoor dining, sunny cycle rides, picnics in parks, and exploring shady churches. It’s the…

Visiting Belgium in June - What you should know 31

Visiting Belgium in June – What you should know

Visiting Belgium in June is a great idea. The summer weather’s just getting into its stride, the days are long, and you can very comfortably sip…

Discover a relaxing day at Thermae Boetfort near Brussels 32

Discover a relaxing day at Thermae Boetfort near Brussels

My mom and I spent a relaxing day at the thermae in Melsbroek. We had two massages, took a sauna, a steam bath, a relaxation bath and went into the jacuzzi. You can definitely say we thoroughly tested this spa, as well as the massage services.

What to wear in Belgium in fall 33

What to wear in Belgium in fall

The weather in Belgium in incredibly fickle. It can rain with temperatures around 17°C one day and be sunny and hot the next. That makes knowing…

Visiting the European Parliament Museum - Parlamentarium - Brussels 40

Visiting the European Parliament Museum – Parlamentarium – Brussels

Which European Parliament sights to visit Most people know about the European Quarter in Brussels, but not everyone knows that you can also visit several of…

Finding silence at a home away from home in the Flemish Ardennes 41

Finding silence at a home away from home in the Flemish Ardennes

Eyndeveld offers spacious vacation homes in the Flemish Ardennes, a green region in Belgium that's great for hiking, biking and horseback riding. I spent the night there to try test them and explore the nearby Duivenbos forest. Read on to find out how I liked my stay and what I saw in the woods.

Visiting an award-winning chocolatier 42

Visiting an award-winning chocolatier

I tasted the best caramel praline in the world. That's not a personal verdict, that's what was decided at the 2013 International Chocolate Awards in London. And I didn't even have to leave the country to do so. Centho Chocolate can be found right here in Belgium.

Loving life at Brewery and bistro De Kroon 43

Loving life at Brewery and bistro De Kroon

Brewery and bistro De Kroon both has a protected old brewery and an active new one in which it brews its own beers. It's also nice for lunch or dinner, outside in the courtyard or inside in the industrial looking bistro. Here's what I ordered.

Cycling through the Belgian province of Namur this summer: RAVel des BBQ 44

Cycling through the Belgian province of Namur this summer: RAVel des BBQ

"Please don't let it rain", I thought as I woke up. I was going to participate in the RAVeL des BBQ, a cycling route along restaurants and slow roads in the province of Namur, from the castle of Freyr through the village of Hastière, all the way to Agimont.

My first experience glamping: amazing or not so much? 45

My first experience glamping: amazing or not so much?

What is glamping? The word "glamping" is a contraction of the expression "glam camping" or "glamorous camping". Could I, a lover of comfort, like glamping? Glamping Hub invited me to try it out and so I headed to L'Escargot in Theux to spend the night in a safari tent.

A weekend away enjoying nature in Belgian Limburg 46

A weekend away enjoying nature in Belgian Limburg

The east of the Belgian province of Limburg offers ample walking, cycling and horseback riding routes together with some fun activities for adults and kids alike. I did a cycling tour, attended a chocolate workshop, tasted a local specialty, visited an alpaca farm and wandered through a garden full of sculptures.

Maasmechelen Village, luxury outlet meets stunning nature 47

Maasmechelen Village, luxury outlet meets stunning nature

Maasmechelen Village is an outdoor outlet shopping located right next to a national park and walking distance from several former mining sites. It boasts famous brands such as Nike and Hugo Buss, as well as some bistros. If you like shopping, it makes for a great day out.

The Cost of living in Belgium 48

The Cost of living in Belgium

Europe isn’t the cheapest place to travel to and while Belgium isn’t as expensive as the UK, for example, it isn’t exactly a budget destination either.…