What to wear in Belgium in fall (+ printable checklist!)

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 what to pack for Belgium and what to wear in Belgium pretty hard. We don’t have very clear distinctions between seasons here but of course, temperatures and the chance of rain or snow do vary depending on the time of the year and if you come to Belgium in the fall, you’re coming during one of the wettest times of the year.

Today is the official start of fall and if you’re planning a trip to Belgium in the following weeks, this is what you should definitely pack.

Belgium outfits: what clothing to pack

When it comes to temperatures, the weather in Belgium in fall is highly unpredictable. Aside from that, there’s usually a big difference between temperatures at the beginning of October and temperatures at the beginning of December. That’s why it’s best to layer so that you can strip and add on as necessary.

Good things to pack are:

jeans
stockings or thin leggings combined with a skirt or dress
a cardigan, sweater or something else with long sleeves that you can wear over a t-shirt or top
a t-shirt, top or something with 3/4 sleeves
a top to wear as a base layer. I’m easily cold so I usually wear a top underneath my t-shirt
a woollen pull-over or a merino woollen base layer if you’re coming in December. Or both, if you’re easily cold, like me :-)
a scarf

Underneath

While it’s not that cold in the beginning of fall, it can sometimes be near the end, so it’s smart to bring a pair of merino woolen socks aside from your regular socks.

There’s no need for long underwear or a woolen bra (does that even exist?), though :-)

Outerwear

When choosing what jacket you’ll bring, it’s again important to take into account when in fall you’re traveling to Belgium. If you’re traveling in October, a lighter (rain) jacket will do, but you’re traveling late November – early December, I highly suggest bringing a proper winter coat.

Although it does freeze sometimes in Belgium, it’s usually during the night and not during the day. We also very rarely get snow before the end of the year and when we do, it usually immediately melts.

Shoes

Except maybe in summer (and even then), you should always bring a pair of shoes that can take some rain. I’m not saying you should bring waterproof hiking boots, but espadrilles won’t cut it. A decent leather shoe or sneaker (my favorite travel shoe) is your best option.

If you easily have cold feet, like me, bring a pair of decent boots when you’re traveling late in fall or a pair of sneakers with some fur inside. These won’t be necessary beginning of fall as temperatures can still be around 17-20°C end of September – beginning of October.

Other

Some other things that might be useful packing specifically for a trip to Belgium in fall are:

a travel umbrella
a K-way
coughing tablets or syrup – you never know
a hat or cap
a travel hair dryer
gloves if you’re coming end of fall

Don’t forget travel insurance

Plan for the best, prepare for the worst. Travel insurance has you covered in case (part of) your trip gets cancelled, you get sick or hurt abroad and even when your electronics break or get stolen. I’ve had ongoing travel insurance ever since I started traveling to make sure I’m covered for every trip I go on.

Don’t have travel insurance yet? Check out SafetyWing. They offer super flexible plans that you can even sign up for while you’re already on your trip. On top of that, they were the first travel insurance to cover COVID, and when I got COVID, they reimbursed all of my expenses without making a fuss. Their customer support team is great and I can personally recommend them.