Belgium: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Belgium feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 135 written places.
Three languages, two halves, one shared devotion to eating and drinking well.
✓ Considered polite
- Check which language region you are in - French in Wallonia, Dutch in Flanders - and greet accordingly
- Treat beer like wine - each has its glass, strength and pace
- Eat frites from a proper friterie with sauce, standing up
- Day-trip widely - Ghent, Bruges and Antwerp are all under an hour apart
✗ Better avoided
- Speak French by default in Flanders - English lands better there
- Expect quick service - cafe time is Belgian time
- Buy chocolate only at airport brands - small chocolatiers are the point
- Underestimate Belgian beer strength - many run 8-11%
Worth knowing
- Tipping is not expected - service is included
- Trains are cheap and connect everything; weekend tickets are half price
- Cards work nearly everywhere
- Rain is likely any day - Belgians simply ignore it
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.