Belgium - Belgium

Sebuah negara rendah di Benelux, Belgium (Belanda: België, Bahasa Perancis: Belgique, Bahasa Jerman: Belgien) duduk di persimpangan Eropah Barat. Ia berkahwin dengan mercu tanda bersejarah di mana benua ini terkenal dengan seni bina moden dan pemandangan desa yang menakjubkan. Ibu kotanya, Brussels, adalah rumah bagi ibu pejabat Kesatuan Eropah.

Walaupun Belgium adalah negara yang agak kaya, ia juga merupakan salah satu negara yang paling kompleks secara politik di dunia. Perbezaan bahasa dan budaya antara Flanders (bahagian berbahasa Belanda) dan Wallonia (bahagian berbahasa Perancis) telah menyebabkan beberapa pembaharuan yang meluas, dan antagonisme yang berterusan ini menjadikan politik Belgia begitu rumit sehingga orang Belgia biasa tidak dapat masuk akal dari apa yang sebenarnya berlaku. Walaupun begitu, kedua-dua bahagian ini membentuk sebuah negara yang mengandungi beberapa bandar paling menarik dan bersejarah di Eropah, dan merupakan 'must-see' sebenar bagi setiap pelawat di benua tersebut.

Fahami

Terletak di pantai Laut Utara, jiran terdekat Belgium berada Perancis ke arah barat daya, Luxembourg ke arah tenggara, Jerman di sebelah timur dan Belanda ke utara.

Belgia adalah negara berpenduduk padat yang berusaha mengimbangi tuntutan konflik urbanisasi, pengangkutan, industri, dan pertanian komersial dan intensif. Ia mengimport sejumlah besar bahan mentah dan mengeksport sejumlah besar barang pembuatan, kebanyakannya ke EU.

Sejarah

Belgia adalah pewaris beberapa bekas kuasa Abad Pertengahan, dan anda akan melihat jejaknya di mana-mana semasa perjalanan anda di negara ini.

Selepas kejatuhan Empayar Carolingian pada abad ke-9, wilayah yang sekarang Belgia, Belanda, dan Luksemburg, adalah bagian dari Lotharingia, sebuah kerajaan sementara yang akan segera diserap ke dalam Kerajaan Jerman; namun, watak khas "Lower Lotharingia" tetap utuh di kerajaan feudal: ini adalah asal-usul Negara Rendah, istilah umum yang merangkumi Belgia, Belanda, dan Luxembourg sekarang.

Kawasan-kawasan kebebasan yang luas secara autonomi di Negara-negara Rendah adalah antara tempat terkaya di Eropah Abad Pertengahan dan anda akan melihat jejak kekayaan masa lalu ini di bangunan-bangunan kaya di Bruges, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Leuven, Tournai, Mons, dll. Bandar-bandar ini secara progresif jatuh di bawah kawalan keluarga yang kuat dan bercita-cita tinggi: Dukes of Burgundy. Seluruh wilayah dukes meluas dari Negara Rendah hingga ke sempadan Switzerland. Dengan menggunakan kekayaan, strategi, dan pakatan, Dukes of Burgundy bertujuan untuk menyusun semula Lotharingia. Kematian duke terakhir, Charles the Bold, mengakhiri impian ini. Namun, harta karun Dukes of Burgundy tetap menjadi bukti peraturan mereka di muzium dan mercu tanda Belgia.

Keluarga Habsburg yang kuat kemudian diwarisi dari Negara-negara Rendah. Pembaharuan adalah alasan bahawa Belgia dan Belanda pertama kali dipisahkan: separuh utara Negara-negara Rendah menganut Protestan dan memberontak menentang pemerintahan Habsburg, sementara separuh selatan tetap setia kepada penguasa dan kepercayaan Katolik. Kedua-dua bahagian ini hampir sama dengan Belgium dan Belanda sekarang.

Belgia dipanggil Belanda Austria, kemudian Belanda Belanda, bergantung pada cabang Habsburg mana yang memerintahnya. Maharaja Jerman dan raja Sepanyol yang berkuasa, Charles V, dilahirkan di kota Ghent di Belgia dan memerintah dari Brussels. Banyak tempat di Belgium diberi nama, termasuk bandar Charleroi dan juga jenama bir. Setiap tahun, Brussels meniru perarakan pertamanya di kota mereka yang disebut Ommegang.

Belgia sebentar tadi merupakan bahagian dari Kerajaan Napoleon. Selepas kekalahan Napoleon, Kerajaan Belanda besar diciptakan, yang terdiri dari seluruh Negara Rendah. Walau bagaimanapun, penentangan agama masih berlaku dan perpecahan itu diperburuk oleh perbezaan politik antara liberal Belgia dan bangsawan Belanda. Belgia merdeka dari Belanda pada tahun 1830 setelah revolusi pendek dan perang melawan Belanda.

Ia diduduki oleh Jerman semasa Perang Dunia I dan II dan mempunyai banyak kubur perang di dekat zon pertempuran, kebanyakannya berada di sekitar Ieper (dalam bahasa Inggeris, ditulis sebagai kuno Ypres, dengan Yperite nama lain untuk gas mustard kerana penggunaan intensif di WWI). Ia telah berkembang dalam setengah abad yang lalu sebagai negara Eropah moden dan berteknologi maju dan anggota NATO dan EU. Ketegangan antara Flemings yang berbahasa Belanda di utara dan Walloon yang berbahasa Perancis di selatan telah menyebabkan pindaan perlembagaan yang memberikan pengiktirafan dan autonomi formal kepada wilayah-wilayah ini.

Medan

Dataran pesisir rata di barat laut, bukit bukit tengah, bukit berhutan dan lembah Hutan Ardennes di tenggara.

Iklim

Bersuhu; musim sejuk dengan musim panas yang sejuk. Secara amnya agak hujan, lembap dan mendung. Suhu tahunan purata Belgium dalam dekad antara 1976 dan 2006 adalah 10 ° C - ukuran yang agak tidak bermakna bagi bukan meteorologi.

Elektrik

Elektrik dibekalkan pada 220 hingga 230 V dan 50 Hz. Outlet adalah CEE7 / 5 (pin bumi lelaki yang menonjol) dan menerima sama ada CEE 7/5 (Grounded), CEE 7/7 (Grounded) atau CEE 7/16 (non-grounded) plug. Palam CEE 7/4 jenis Jerman yang lebih lama tidak serasi kerana tidak menampung pin bumi yang terdapat di outlet jenis ini. Walau bagaimanapun, kebanyakan peralatan Eropah moden dilengkapi dengan palam CEE 7/7 hibrid yang sesuai dengan cawangan CEE 7/5 (Belgium & Perancis) dan CEE 7/4 (Jerman, Belanda, Sepanyol dan sebahagian besar Eropah).

Pelancong dari UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Itali, Switzerland dan semua negara lain yang menggunakan 230 V dan 50 Hz, yang menggunakan palam yang berbeza, hanya memerlukan penyesuai palam untuk menggunakan peralatan mereka di Belgium.

Pelancong dari AS, Kanada, Jepun dan negara-negara lain yang menggunakan 110 V 60 Hz mungkin memerlukan penukar voltan. Walau bagaimanapun, beberapa komputer riba, pengecas telefon bimbit dan peranti lain boleh menerima sama ada 110 V atau 230 V jadi hanya memerlukan penyesuai palam sederhana. Periksa plat penunjuk voltan pada perkakas anda sebelum menyambungkannya.

Kawasan

Belgium terdiri daripada tiga wilayah, yang disenaraikan dari utara ke selatan:

Bandar

Belgium mempunyai kadar urbanisasi yang sangat tinggi dan mempunyai sejumlah kota yang luar biasa untuk wilayah yang kecil

• 50.854.351 Brussels - Ibu negara Belgium dan ibu negara EU yang tidak rasmi. Pusat bersejarah yang bagus dan beberapa muzium menarik. Salah satu bandar yang paling pelbagai budaya di Eropah.
• 51.2166674.42 Antwerp - Bandar kedua terbesar di Belgium, dengan katedral raksasa, jalan-jalan abad pertengahan dan warisan seni, dan tempat yang bagus untuk fesyen.
• 51.2166673.2333333 Bruges - salah satu bandar terkaya di Eropah pada abad ke-14, ia adalah pelancongan namun masih sangat sahih, abad pertengahan dan tenang pada waktu malam, dengan rumah tumpangan kecil dan perniagaan keluarga jauh lebih banyak daripada hotel rantai.
• 51.053.7333334 Ghent - dulunya salah satu bandar terbesar di Eropah, kini gabungan Antwerp dan Bruges yang sempurna: bandar yang selesa dengan terusan, namun dengan sejarah yang kaya dan populasi pelajar yang ramai.
• 50.8833334.75 Leuven - sebuah bandar kecil yang dikuasai oleh salah satu universiti tertua di Eropah. Pusat bersejarah yang indah dan kehidupan malam yang meriah.
• 50.6333335.5666676 Liège - kota Wallonia kedua terbesar, di sepanjang sungai yang luas, pemandangan bandar industri dengan mendaki dan resort di bukit-bukit berdekatan, ia mempunyai watak yang sangat kuat, bebas dan kehidupan malam yang menarik.
• 51.0166674.4666677 Mechelen - bandar abad pertengahan kecil dengan daerah bersejarah yang bagus di sekitar katedral.
• 50.453.958 Mons - memiliki keistimewaan luar biasa kerana memiliki dua laman web yang tertulis di Tapak Warisan Dunia UNESCO Senaraikan dan satu acara dalam Senarai Perwakilan Warisan Budaya Tidak Berwujud Kemanusiaan.
• 50.4666674.8666679 Namur - ibu kota Wallonia, di pertemuan Sambre dan Meuse dengan Benteng.

Destinasi lain

• 50.8666674.4666671 Kraainem - sebuah kawasan perbandaran dengan sejarah perindustrian yang kaya di pinggiran Brussels dengan banyak mercu tanda bersejarah.
• 50.8166674.52 Tervuren - terkenal dengan jarak dekat dengan Hutan Sonian yang rimbun, taman-tamannya, dan kediaman musim panas kerajaan.
• 50.9333334.3833333 Grimbergen - terkenal dengan bir dengan nama yang sama, semakin terkenal di seluruh dunia, tetapi masih dihasilkan di biara.
• 50.255.6666674 Ardennes - wilayah yang paling jarang penduduknya di Benelux, ini adalah kawasan pedesaan berbukit yang diliputi hutan
• 50.2666674.9166675 Makan malam - bandar kecil dalam suasana semula jadi yang menakjubkan, tempat yang popular untuk sukan pengembaraan seperti berkanu dan mendaki batu, dikunjungi paling baik pada musim sejuk
• 50.7833334.1166676 Pajottenland - juga disebut "Tuscany of the utara", adalah wilayah hijau di sebelah barat Brussels, yang terdiri dari perbukitan, padang rumput, desa kecil dan istana. Rumah bir Geuze dan hebat untuk aktiviti mendaki, berbasikal, dan menunggang kuda.
• 50.49255.8641677 Spa - rawatan air panas di bandar spa yang memberikan namanya kepada semua spa di dunia telah menarik pengunjung selama berabad-abad.
• 50.852.8833338 Ypres, 50.852.7333339 Poperinge dan kampung sekitar - musnah semasa Perang Dunia I, bekas kubu ketenteraan ini ditandai dengan peringatan dan perkuburan.
• 51.16444.139110 Sint-Niklaas - terkenal dengan dataran pasarnya (yang terbesar di Belgia), festival belon tahunan dan pemandangan berdekatan di sepanjang sungai Scheldt.

Masuk

Syarat kemasukan

Belgium adalah anggota Perjanjian Schengen.

• Biasanya tidak ada kawalan sempadan antara negara-negara yang telah menandatangani dan melaksanakan perjanjian tersebut. Ini merangkumi sebahagian besar Kesatuan Eropah dan beberapa negara lain.
• Biasanya terdapat pemeriksaan identiti sebelum menaiki penerbangan atau kapal antarabangsa. Kadang-kadang terdapat kawalan sempadan sementara di sempadan darat.
• Begitu juga, a visa diberikan untuk mana-mana ahli Schengen adalah sah di semua negara lain yang telah menandatangani dan melaksanakan perjanjian tersebut.
• Sila lihat Mengembara di sekitar Kawasan Schengen untuk maklumat lebih lanjut mengenai bagaimana skim ini berfungsi, negara mana yang menjadi anggota dan apa syarat untuk kewarganegaraan anda.

Warganegara dari negara-negara di atas diizinkan bekerja di Belgium tanpa perlu mendapatkan visa atau kebenaran lebih lanjut untuk tempoh tinggal tanpa visa selama 90 hari. Walau bagaimanapun, kemampuan bekerja bebas visa ini tidak semestinya meluas ke negara-negara Schengen yang lain.

Dengan kapal terbang

Lapangan terbang Brussels (BRU ^IATA), juga dikenali sebagai Zaventem kerana bandar di mana ia terletak terutamanya, adalah lapangan terbang utama Belgium. Ia tidak terletak di Brussels, tetapi di sekitarnya Flanders. Lapangan terbang adalah pangkalan syarikat penerbangan nasional Brussels Airlines. Syarikat penerbangan perkhidmatan penuh lain menggunakan BRU, serta syarikat penerbangan bajet seperti Ryanair, Bersemangat dan JetairFly.

Ada kereta api (€5.10) berjalan setiap 15 minit ke pusat Brussels mengambil masa 25 minit, sebahagian dari mereka terus Ghent, Mons, Nivelles, dan Flanders Barat dan laluan bas nombor 12 dan 21 (€3 di mesin layan diri /€5 menaiki kapal terbang) setiap 20 hingga 30 minit ke Place Luxembourg (daerah Parlimen Eropah). Bas berhenti di NATO dan Schuman (untuk institusi EU) dalam perjalanan ke pusat bandar. Terdapat juga dua kereta api setiap jam untuk Leuven, mengambil masa 13 minit. Teksi ke pusat Brussels berharga lebih kurang €35 - lebih murah jika ditempah lebih awal. Teksi teksi: 32 2 268–0000, Teksi Autolux: 32 2 411–4142, Teksi teksi: 32 2 349–4949.

Lapangan terbang Brussels South Charleroi (CRL ^IATA), kira-kira 50 km (31 mi) selatan Brussels, kebanyakannya melayani syarikat penerbangan tambang murah, seperti Ryanair dan Wizzair. Anda boleh sampai ke Brussels Gare du Midi dengan jurulatih dalam masa satu jam (€13 sehala, €22 kembali). Sekiranya anda pergi ke bahagian lain di Belgium, beli tiket kereta api kombinasi melalui stesen kereta api Charleroi Sud dari mesin penjual TEC di luar lapangan terbang paling banyak €19.40 sehala.

Namun, jika anda benar-benar tersekat, tidak biasa pemandu teksi mengambil kad kredit. Harga perjalanan menaiki teksi ke Brussels adalah tambang yang ditetapkan (lebih kurang) €85 mulai Januari 2020) dan anda boleh menghubungi pemandu teksi sama ada mereka akan menerima kad kredit anda atau tidak.

Lapangan Terbang Antwerp (ANR ^IATA) mempunyai beberapa penerbangan perniagaan, termasuk CityJetpautan yang berpatutan ke lapangan terbang London City. Lapangan terbang lain termasuk Oostende, Liège dan Kortrijk, tetapi mereka hanya mengendalikan penerbangan kargo dan carter.

Penerbangan ke lapangan terbang di negara jiran mungkin perlu dipertimbangkan, terutama ke Amsterdam Lapangan Terbang Schiphol yang mempunyai pautan rel langsung ke Brussels, juga berhenti di Antwerp dan Mechelen.

Lapangan Terbang Liege (LGG ^IATA) terletak berhampiran bandar Liege. Lapangan terbang kecil dilayan hanya oleh TUIFly, syarikat penerbangan kos rendah. Ia mempunyai antara 5-10 setiap hari terutama dari Sepanyol, kadang-kadang ke Yunani dan Maghribi. Ia mengalami pilihan pengangkutan yang sangat buruk ke kota Liege: ada bas bernombor 57 yang beroperasi beberapa kali sehari, ia menuju ke stesen kereta api Liege-Guillemins, bas ini hanya beroperasi pada minggu-minggu. Pilihan lain adalah dengan menaiki bas nombor 53 atau 85 yang kadang-kadang melalui lapangan terbang ke pusat bandar, kira-kira. 30 minit. Bas TEC tidak mempunyai harga istimewa untuk Lapangan Terbang Liege dan akan dikenakan biaya €3.50 bagi setiap orang.

Teksi akan berharga lebih kurang €25.

Dengan kereta api

Terdapat kereta api langsung antara Brussels dan:

• Luxembourg (kereta api biasa, berjalan setiap jam). Semua pengangkutan awam di Luxembourg adalah percuma. Ia mengambil masa sekitar 2 jam 30 minit dari Luxembourg ke Brussels, 3 jam dari Luxembourg ke Liege.
• Paris, Cologne, Aachen, Rotterdam, Amsterdam (Thalys )
• Lyon, Bordeaux, lapangan terbang Paris-CDG dan banyak bandar Perancis lain (TGV dikendalikan oleh SNCF).
• London, Ebbsfleet, Ashford, Lille, Calais, Rotterdam, Amsterdam (Eurostar). Sekiranya anda pergi ke bandar lain di Belgia, tiket "mana-mana Stesen Belgium" (£ 5,50 sehala di kelas 2) termasuk pengangkutan tempatan dalam tiket Eurostar anda. Bergantung pada jarak, ini mungkin lebih murah untuk mendapatkan tiket yang berasingan. Penumpang yang melakukan perjalanan dari UK ke Belgium melalui pemeriksaan pasport / kad pengenalan Perancis (dilakukan atas nama orang Belgia) di UK sebelum menaiki pesawat, dan bukannya tiba di Belgium. Penumpang yang melakukan perjalanan dari Lille / Calais ke Brussels berada di dalam Kawasan Schengen.
• Frankfurt, Cologne (ICE dikendalikan oleh Deutsche Bahn)
• Zurich, Switzerland, melalui Luxembourg (kereta api biasa, 2 setiap hari)

Terdapat kereta api antara bandar setiap jam dari Brussels melalui Antwerp ke Rotterdam dan Amsterdam di Belanda. Perkhidmatan antara bandar beroperasi dari Brussels ke Amsterdam melalui Mechelen, Antwerp, Rotterdam, The Hague dan Schiphol. Sambungan langsung lain ke Amsterdam adalah Thali yang mahal (tempah lebih awal untuk tambang yang berpatutan). Alternatifnya adalah dengan menaiki kereta api dari Brussels atau Antwerp ke Roosendaal (NL), di mana terdapat kereta api antara bandar ke Rotterdam dan Amsterdam. Penumpang yang pergi ke Belgium dari Belanda perlu membeli tiket mereka di meja NS Internationaal atau laman web yang berbeza dengan yang menjual tiket kereta api domestik. NS Internationaal juga menjual tiket Thalys dengan harga yang sama seperti yang dilihat di laman web Thalys.

Kereta api antarabangsa bersambung dengan kereta api domestik di Brussels 'Gare du Midi / Zuidstation, dan dengan semua tiket Eurostar atau ICE dan beberapa Thalys, anda boleh menyelesaikan perjalanan anda secara percuma dengan kereta api domestik. Untuk semua kereta api berkelajuan tinggi, anda perlu menempah terlebih dahulu untuk tambang murah, sama ada dalam talian atau menggunakan agensi pelancongan. Tidak ada lagi kereta tidur yang dijadualkan lagi.

Anda mungkin juga ingin memeriksa sambungan TGV ke Lille. Keretapi dari seluruh Perancis ke Lille lebih kerap dan biasanya lebih murah. Terdapat sambungan kereta api terus dari Lille Flandres ke Ghent dan Antwerp. Sekiranya TGV anda tiba di Lille Europe, perjalanan berjalan kaki 15 minit ke stesen keretapi Lille Flandres.

Rancang perjalanan anda dengan Jadual waktu Deutsche Bahn. Ia mempunyai semua hubungan domestik dan antarabangsa di seluruh Eropah.

Merokok tidak dibenarkan di kereta api Belgium.

Tambang kereta api untuk penumpang 65 yang melancong di Belgium sering dibatasi €6 dan sah untuk pulang pada hari yang sama tetapi tambang seperti itu mungkin memerlukan perjalanan hanya selepas jam 09:00.

Dengan kereta

Lebuh raya utama Eropah seperti E19, E17, E40, E411 dan E313 melalui Belgium.

Carpooling

Cara termurah untuk ke Belgium (€3/ 100 km (62 mi)) dari mana sahaja di Eropah - jika anda agak fleksibel dan bernasib baik - biasanya teksi. Banyak perjalanan juga ditawarkan Kereta Blabla.

Dengan bas

Anda boleh sampai ke Belgium dari seluruh Eropah Eurolines jurulatih. Bas antarabangsa mempunyai tempat persinggahan di Antwerp, Stesen Brussels Utara, Leuven & Liege.

Terdapat syarikat bas yang melayani diaspora Bosnia, yang menyediakan yang murah dan bersih cara untuk sampai ke seberang benua Eropah. Lawatan separa berjalan tiga kali seminggu dari pelbagai destinasi di Bosnia dan Hercegovina ke Belgium dan Belanda, di luar musim kira-kira €132 untuk tiket pulang.

Dengan kapal

Terdapat feri semalam ke / dari Zeebrugge dari Hull di England, tetapi tidak murah.

Dari Perancis

• Terdapat kereta api domestik Belgia yang berhenti di Lille (stesen Lille-Flanders).
• Antara terminal De Panne landasan kereta api Belgia (dan trem pantai - Kusttram) dan bandar pesisir Perancis Dunkirk, terdapat laluan bas yang dikendalikan oleh DK'BUS Marine: [1]. Anda juga boleh menaiki bas DK'BUS yang menuju ke jarak paling dekat dari sempadan dan kemudian menyeberang dengan berjalan kaki di pantai dan tiba di stesen trem Pantai yang mudah, seperti Esplanade.

Daripada German

• Anda boleh menaiki bas antara stesen keretapi di Eupen (Belgium) dan Aachen (Jerman) yang cukup pantas dan lebih murah daripada melakukan perjalanan yang sama dengan tiket kereta api antarabangsa.
• Sekiranya destinasi anda di Belgium jauh dari sempadan, anda boleh menaiki kereta api tempatan dari Aachen ke Welkenraedt dan kemudian menukar ke kereta api InterCity yang menghubungkan Eupen dengan Oostende, lewat Leuven, Brussels, Ghent dan Bruges. Perjalanan dari Aachen ke Brussels memakan masa kurang dari dua jam.

Dari Belanda

• Untuk senarai bas melintasi sempadan antara Belgium dan Belanda, anda boleh melihat senarai di [2].
• Selain merupakan hasil yang luar biasa dari sejarah Eropah kuno, kota Baarle (secara rasmi Baarle-Hertog di Belgium dan Baarle-Nassau di Belanda) adalah titik perubahan yang mungkin, kerana perhentian bas utama di bandar ini Sint-Janstraat dikendalikan oleh bas Flemish (Belgian) dan Belanda.
• Syarikat Flemish (Belgia) De Lijn mengendalikan bas melintasi sempadan antara Pusing Ganti di Belgium dan Tilburg di Belanda, yang kedua-duanya termini dalam rangkaian kereta api negara masing-masing.
• Terdapat bas (laluan 45) yang dikendalikan oleh syarikat Flemish (Belgia) De Lijn yang bergerak di antara stesen kereta api di Genk (Belgium) dan Maastricht (Belanda). Terdapat bas lain (laluan 20A) yang berlepas dari Kesukaran, pergi ke Maastricht. Sambungan kereta api sedang dibina.

Keliling

Menjadi sebuah negara kecil (300 km sebagai jarak maksimumnya), anda boleh sampai ke mana-mana dalam beberapa jam. Pengangkutan awam, apabila berfungsi sepenuhnya, cepat dan selesa, dan tidak terlalu mahal. Di antara bandar-bandar besar, terdapat sambungan kereta api yang kerap, dengan bas yang jaraknya lebih kecil. Laman web yang berguna adalah Perancang Mobiliti Pintar, yang memiliki perencana jalan dari pintu ke pintu untuk seluruh negara, yang meliputi semua bentuk pengangkutan awam (termasuk kereta api, bas, kereta bawah tanah dan trem).

Melihat peta mungkin menunjukkan bahawa Brussels adalah titik permulaan yang baik untuk meneroka Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Namur dan Leuven dalam perjalanan sehari. Antwerp terkenal di kalangan mereka yang ingin berada di tempat kosmopolitan, dan Ghent adalah yang teratas dengan mereka yang menyukai gabungan provinsiisme yang berpikiran terbuka. Liège cantik, tetapi terlalu dekat dengan Jerman untuk menjadi pangkalan yang baik untuk lawatan sehari. Mechelen dianggap membosankan oleh pelancong, tetapi mempunyai asrama belia yang sangat baik di sebelah stesen kereta api dengan kereta api ke tempat lain setiap 30 minit.

Untuk melakukan beberapa lawatan tempatan, terutama di Flanders, banyak infrastruktur tersedia untuk berbasikal. Basikal boleh disewa hampir di mana sahaja. Di pinggir negara Wallonia, basikal gunung tersedia, dan arung jeram popular di sepanjang perbatasan dengan Luxembourg.

Dengan kereta api

• Perancang perjalanan Belgiantrain.be. Gunakan perancang perjalanan rasmi yang dikendalikan oleh National Railway Company of Belgium untuk mencari jadual perjalanan dan harga kereta api (dikemas kini Mei 2016)

Sebilangan besar Belgium dihubungkan dengan kereta api, dikendalikan oleh NMBS (SNCB dalam bahasa Perancis) dengan sebahagian besar laluan utama melalui Antwerp, Namur atau Brussels. Di sinilah anda akan tiba dengan kereta api antarabangsa, dan keduanya boleh dicapai dengan kereta api dari lapangan terbang Brussels atau dengan jurulatih dari lapangan terbang Antwerp atau Charleroi. Pemindahan sangat mudah. Semua tiket ICE dan beberapa Thalys membenarkan pemindahan percuma pada hari yang sama dengan kereta api domestik ke stesen Belgium yang lain. Terdapat juga kereta api Thalys dari Paris terus ke Ghent, Bruges dan Oostende tanpa perlu menukar kereta api di Antwerp atau Brussels. Dari London (oleh Eurostar) anda perlu beralih di Brussels untuk Antwerp, Leuven atau Ghent, tetapi untuk Bruges, anda sudah boleh beralih di Lille (Perancis) tanpa perlu membuat jalan memutar melalui Brussels. Di Lille dan Brussels kakitangan sangat membantu dan bersedia tersenyum.

Kereta api tepat pada waktunya dan kebanyakannya moden dan selesa.

Tambang biasa untuk kereta api Belgia lebih murah jika dibandingkan dengan Jerman atau UK, tanpa keperluan atau kemungkinan untuk menempah. Tambang kelas 2 tidak lebih tinggi daripada €21.30 untuk perjalanan domestik terpanjang (sehala). Kelas 1 berharga 50% tambahan. Kereta api boleh menjadi sangat kenyang pada waktu sibuk, jadi anda mungkin memerlukan tiket kelas 1 untuk mendapatkan tempat duduk pada waktu itu. Di stesen kereta api, anda boleh membayar dengan wang tunai atau kad kredit. Tiket pergi balik 50% lebih murah pada hujung minggu.

Sebilangan besar tiket dijual untuk laluan yang ditentukan pada hari yang ditentukan, jadi anda boleh menaiki kereta api pada hari tiket anda. Tidak ada pengesahan tambahan semasa anda menaiki kereta api.

Anda boleh merancang laluan anda melalui SNCB / NMBS laman web, aplikasi (tersedia dalam bahasa Inggeris, memberikan maklumat masa nyata mengenai kelewatan dan pembatalan) atau dengan meminta kakitangan stesen.

Anda boleh membeli tiket melalui laman web, aplikasi, mesin layan diri, kaunter tiket dan di kereta api. Sekiranya anda ingin membeli tiket di kereta api, anda harus memberi amaran kepada konduktor kereta api. Elakkan membeli tiket di kereta api, kerana anda perlu membayar tambahan €7 setiap tiket. Banyak stesen yang lebih kecil tidak lagi mempunyai kaunter tiket, dan jika ada, stesen tersebut tidak dibuka dengan kerap. Di setiap stesen, terdapat sekurang-kurangnya satu mesin layan diri. Sekiranya kaunter tiket ditutup dan mesin layan diri tidak berfungsi, tidak ada bayaran tambahan yang akan dikenakan di kereta api jika anda menangani masalah ini kepada konduktor.

Anda boleh membayar dengan wang tunai dan kad kredit. Anda juga boleh membayar dengan PayPal melalui laman web atau aplikasi. Pembayaran tanpa sentuhan diterima di kebanyakan stesen kereta api dan di beberapa mesin layan diri. Bagi pembayaran tunai di mesin layan diri, mereka hanya membenarkan duit syiling, tidak ada bil kertas. Tidak membeli tiket boleh menyebabkan denda hingga €225.

Pilihan yang murah jika anda merancang beberapa perjalanan kereta api adalah Pergi Lulus[3] untuk pelancong yang berumur di bawah 26 tahun, yang memberi anda 10 perjalanan kelas 2 tunggal (termasuk pertukaran kereta api jika perlu) untuk €53. Ia sah selama setahun dan boleh dikongsi dengan atau diberikan kepada orang lain tanpa sekatan. Sekiranya anda berumur 26 tahun ke atas, anda boleh menggunakan Laluan Rel. Ini berharga €83 untuk kelas ke-2 atau €128 untuk 1hb. Semasa menggunakan hantaran ini pastikan anda telah mengisi garisan kosong dengan tangan sebelum anda menaiki kereta api. Konduktor kereta api boleh menjadi pemilih ketika pas tidak diisi dengan betul. Walau bagaimanapun, jika anda menghubungi kakitangan stesen kereta api sebelum menaiki kereta api, mereka dengan senang hati akan membantu anda. Menjadi amalan biasa untuk meminta orang lain di platform menggunakan pena mereka ketika anda tidak memilikinya.

Pilihan paling murah jika anda melancong semasa cuti sekolah di Belgia, untuk orang di bawah 26 tahun, adalah Pergi tanpa had lulus untuk €15 seminggu atau €25 sebulan (hanya pada bulan Julai dan Ogos). Pas ini membolehkan anda menaiki dan mematikan mana-mana kereta api NMBS / SNCB di kelas 2 di mana-mana (nasional) laluan. Anda memerlukan kad MoBIB peribadi untuk pas ini. Anda boleh membeli ini untuk €5, hanya di pejabat tiket berawak. Cuti sekolah adalah cuti musim panas (dua bulan: Julai dan Ogos), cuti musim luruh (minggu 1 November), cuti Krismas (dua minggu merangkumi Hari Krismas dan Tahun Baru), cuti musim bunga (satu minggu pada akhir Februari - awal bulan Mac), cuti Paskah (dua minggu sekitar Paskah). Tarikh tepat dua percutian terakhir berbeza setiap tahun.

Sekiranya anda mengunjungi acara atau konsert tertentu, pastikan untuk memeriksa sama ada perjalanan kereta api anda belum termasuk dalam tiket. Beberapa festival dan konsert utama seperti Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop atau I Love Techno termasuk perjalanan kereta api dengan harga tiket. Untuk mengunjungi tempat-tempat khas seperti taman tema atau muzium, maklumkan pilihannya 'B-Lawatan'. Dengan cara itu anda membeli tiket masuk dan tiket kereta api dalam satu di stesen kereta api. Harga ini selalu murah, biasanya mengakibatkan harga tiket masuk biasa ditambah €4-5 untuk perjalanan. Ejen meja pasti akan memberitahu anda butirannya.

Terdapat kereta api IC (InterCity), kereta api L (tempatan, berhenti di setiap stesen), kereta api P (kereta api tambahan semasa waktu sibuk) dan Kereta api S (melayani pinggir bandar besar). Bagi pelancong, Kereta api IC atau kereta api ICT (kereta api pelancongan) adalah pilihan terbaik kerana ia lebih laju, lebih kerap dan lebih selesa. Anda hanya perlu menggunakan kereta api L dan kereta api S jika destinasi anda tidak dilayan oleh kereta api IC. Keretapi L dan kereta api S cenderung kurang sesak, kecuali pada waktu sibuk. Kereta api S terutama ditujukan untuk penumpang di kawasan berdekatan, tetapi juga dapat digunakan untuk beberapa perjalanan di kota. Sebagai contoh, perjalanan Ghent-Bruges mengambil masa 25 minit dengan kereta api IC dan 42 minit dengan kereta api L, tetapi harganya sama.

Jadual keretapi biasanya berubah sekitar 10 Disember. Perubahan tersebut biasanya terhad untuk memperkenalkan beberapa stesen kereta api baru dan menambah beberapa laluan biasa. Tiada talian yang dihentikan dalam masa yang sangat lama. Di sini, anda boleh menemui a peta stesen kereta api dan stesen kereta api Belgium.

Dengan bas dan trem

Bas meliputi seluruh negara, serta trem dan metro di bandar-bandar besar. Sebilangan besar laluan merangkumi jarak pendek, tetapi boleh pergi dari bandar ke bandar dengan bas. Walau bagaimanapun, ini jauh lebih perlahan dan hanya sedikit lebih murah daripada menaiki kereta api. Terdapat juga Kusttram [4], berjalan di sepanjang hampir seluruh pantai Flemish dari Perancis ke Belanda - pasti bernilai perjalanan pada musim panas.

Di bandar, tiket biasa untuk satu zon tidak akan berharga lebih daripada €2, dan terdapat pelbagai kad perjalanan yang tersedia. Pengangkutan tempatan disediakan oleh syarikat yang berbeza: STIB / MIVB di Brussels [5], De Lijn di Flanders dan TEC di Wallonia, dan, di luar Brussels, mereka tidak menerima tiket masing-masing. Tiket lebih murah apabila dibeli di mesin tiket.

Sebilangan besar pelancong tidak memerlukan syarikat bas, kerana lebih senang menggunakan kereta api antara bandar dan berjalan kaki di dalamnya. Hanya Brussels dan Antwerp yang mempunyai kereta bawah tanah, tetapi, walaupun di sana, anda boleh berjalan kaki dengan berjalan kaki. Pusat bersejarah Brussels hanya sekitar 300 m (980 kaki) dengan panjang 400 m (1.300 kaki). Antwerp jauh lebih besar, tetapi perjalanan menaiki kereta kuda memberikan pemandangan yang lebih baik daripada kereta bawah tanah.

Dengan kereta

Belgium mempunyai rangkaian lebuh raya bebas tol moden yang padat, tetapi beberapa jalan sekunder di Wallonia tidak diselenggara dengan baik. Tanda selalu dalam bahasa tempatan sahaja, kecuali di Brussels, di mana mereka dwibahasa. Oleh kerana banyak bandar di Belgium mempunyai nama yang sangat berbeza dalam bahasa Belanda dan Perancis, ini boleh menyebabkan kekeliruan. Sebagai contoh, Mons dalam bahasa Perancis adalah Bergen dalam bahasa Belanda; Antwerp dipanggil Antwerpen dalam bahasa Belanda dan Kemarahan dalam bahasa Perancis; Liège dalam bahasa Perancis adalah Luik dalam bahasa Belanda dan Lüttich dalam bahasa Jerman, dan sebagainya. Ini bahkan berlaku untuk bandar-bandar di luar Belgium; memandu di sepanjang lebuh raya Flemish, anda mungkin melihat papan tanda untuk Rijsel, yang merupakan bandar Perancis Lille atau Aken, yang merupakan bandar Jerman Aachen. Pintu keluar ditandai dengan perkataan Uit (di luar) di kawasan Flemish, Susun di kawasan Walloon dan Ausfahrt dalam bahasa Jerman.

Pemandu di Belgium juga harus mengetahui peraturan "keutamaan dari kanan". Di persimpangan jalan, lalu lintas yang datang dari kanan mempunyai hak jalan kecuali dinyatakan sebaliknya dengan papan tanda atau papan turapan. Anda kemungkinan besar akan mengalami persimpangan di kawasan bandar dan pinggir bandar. Pelawat yang berhati-hati akan melihat banyak kereta dengan penyok di sebelah kanan mereka! Memandu secara bertahan dan kereta anda akan mengelakkan nasib yang sama.

Di Belgium, lebuh raya sangat tidak selesa, terutamanya di jalan raya sekunder. Tidak ada keseragaman dalam susun atur dan warna; banyak yang berada dalam keadaan buruk, diletakkan dalam keadaan canggung atau hilang begitu sahaja. Peta jalan yang baik (Michelin, De Rouck, Falk) atau sistem GPS disyorkan. Belgium adalah salah satu daripada beberapa negara yang menggunakan nombor E Eropah di laluan utama.

Selain kamera berkelajuan tetap di jalan raya dan jalan sekunder, terdapat juga kamera berkelajuan rata-rata yang berjalan sejauh beberapa batu di lebuh raya di sekitar bandar-bandar besar.

Sewa kereta

Beberapa kereta sewa dilengkapi dengan sat nav tetapi ada baiknya anda meminta ini semasa anda menempah kereta anda. Ini mungkin kaedah yang paling dipercayai untuk pergi dari A ke B di Belgium. Dengan cara ini anda akan dapat melihat beberapa laman web di Belgia, setinggi mungkin, tetapi seni bina di bandar-bandar adalah sesuatu yang patut dikagumi. Anda akan terkejut melihat betapa bersihnya bandar dan kampung di Belgium. Lalui pada setiap petang dan anda akan melihat orang-orang yang menjaga jalan di hadapan kediaman mereka - sebuah nuansa masyarakat kampung yang sebenar dan ketinggalan zaman.

Perangkap laju diletakkan di sepanjang jalan dengan kerap dan ketika memandu dalam keadaan mabuk hanya dalam jumlah kecil dikenakan hukuman berat, seperti €125 di tempat yang dikenakan denda 0,05 peratus dan 0,08 peratus. Atas jumlah alkohol dalam sistem anda dan anda menghadapi apa-apa hukuman penjara sehingga 6 bulan dan kehilangan lesen memandu selama 5 tahun.

Dengan ibu jari

Tempat terbaik untuk pengembara. Hanya meminta lif! Mempunyai papan tanda kadbod dengan nama bandar di atasnya dapat membantu menaikkan kenderaan dengan cepat.

• Meninggalkan Brussels: Menuju ke selatan (mis. Namur) sampai ke stesen bawah tanah bernama 'Delta'.

Di sebelahnya anda mempunyai 'taman dan perjalanan' yang besar dan perhentian bas. Berjalan kaki di dekat perhentian bas akan membawa anda perjalanan dalam masa kurang dari 5 minit semasa waktu lalu lintas.

• Menuju ke Ghent / Bruges: Tempat yang bagus berhampiran Pusat Membeli-belah yang disebut 'Basilix' di Berchem-ste-Agathe. Anda boleh sampai ke tempat ini dengan bas N ° 87.

Tempat alternatif untuk pergi ke utara adalah di Anderlecht, berhampiran Hospital Erasme / Erasmus (Stesen Metro Erasme / Erasmus.)

• Menuju ke Liège / Hasselt: Naik pra-metro ke stesen 'Diamant' di Schaarbeek. When leaving the station you should see a lot of outgoing cars just below you. Just walk and follow the roadsigns mentioning 'E40'. You should arrive in a small street giving access to a road joigning the E40 (the cars are leaving a tunnel at this point). Just hitchhike on the emergency lane at this point, in the portion near the tunnel. Cars should still be riding slowly at this point and see you are visible to them, so it's not that dangerous.
• Leaving Louvain-la-Neuve (University) to Brussels (north) or to Namur (south), stand at the roundabout next to exit/entrance "8a" near to "Louvain la Neuve-centre" road signs. Quick lift guaranteed. Avoid exit 7 or 9, since they have far less traffic.

Lihat

Mostly known for its key role in European Union administration, the small nation of Belgium might leave you surprised by its rich and gorgeous heritage. It boasts a number of fascinatingly historic cities packed with medieval and Art Nouveau architecture and famous for their long traditions in arts, fashion and fine dining. If you've seen the best of them, the Belgian countryside offers anything from sandy beaches to the densely forested hills and ridges of the Ardennes.

Brussels, the country's vibrant capital, is a modern world city with a highly international character. It combines massive post-modern buildings in its European Quarter with impressive historic monuments, such as the World Heritage listed Grand Place, surrounded by guildhouses and the Gothic town hall. There's Laken Castle and the large St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral, dedicated to the cities patron saints. The Royal Palace is a more recent but no less grand structure. One of the city's most famous landmarks is the Atomium, a remarkable steel structure and remnant of the 1958 World's Fair. And yet, with all those magnificent sights at hand, many travellers' favourite is a tiny bronze fountain in the shape of a peeing boy: the curious Manneken Pis. The Walloon Brabant province, a few kilometres south of Brussels, is certainly worth a visit. There you can visit the Lion's Mound in Waterloo or the beautiful Villers Abbey in Villers-la-Ville.

Perhaps the most popular of the Belgian cities is Bruges. Much of the excellent architecture that arose during the towns Golden Age, roughly the 14th century, remains intact and the old centre is a valued Tapak Warisan Dunia UNESCO. Among its most prominent landmarks is the 13th century belfry, where the carillonneur still rings the bells on a daily basis. With countless other noteworthy monuments, Bruges is a highly popular destination and get a bit overcrowded during holidays. And then there's Ghent, which in ages past was one of the wealthiest cities in northern Europe. Although larger and much busier than Bruges, its excellent medieval architecture can definitely compete. Its beguinages, belfry and former cloth hall are World Heritage Sites. Or visit Antwerp, the country's current place to be as it is a hotspot of the Belgian fashion, clubbing, arts and diamonds scenes. Nevertheless, the city's timeless old centre is right up there with the others, boasting the countries most stunning cathedrals. Other pleasant cities with good sights include Leuven, with the oldest Catholic University still in use and Liège.

In Wallonia, don't miss the city of Mons which has been the Cultural Capital of Wallonia since 2002. In 2015 the city had the honour of being the Cultural Capital of Europe. Mons is the largest and most important city in the Province of Hainaut, of which it is the administrative and judicial centre. One of its primary aims, however, has been to safeguard its heritage to better share it with the growing numbers of tourists to the area. Three major masterpieces, the Belfry, the Neolithic flint mines at Spiennes and the Doudou, all of which have been added to UNESCO's World Heritage List, can be found in and around Mons.

For hiking, biking and camping, head to the rugged hills of the Ardennes with their tight forests, caves and cliffs. They are home to wild boar, deer and lynx and hide a number of friendly villages, lots of castles and a few other notable sights. The impressive caves of Han-sur-Lesse, castle of Bouillon and the modern Labyrinth of Barvaux are some of the best picks. The city of Namur makes a great base from where to explore the Ardennes and has some fine sights itself too. The city is beautifully located along the rivers Meuse and Sambre and from the ancient citadel you'll have a great view over town.

The Belgians brought forward a good number of world famous masters of art, and their love for arts is still today reflected in the range of fine arts museums. The Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts in Brussels and the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten in Antwerp are just a few excellent examples. However, the Belgians love museums, with over 80 of them in the capital alone. Besides arts, they display anything from history and folklore to industry and technology. As some of the worst fighting of both World Wars took place on Belgian territory, there's also a large number of memorials and museums dedicated to those dark times, along some humbling military cemeteries.

Adakah

• Mons International Love Film Festival: yearly festival of cinema (February)
• Ritual Ducasse of Mons: Doudou is the popular name for a week of collective jubilation that takes place in Mons on the weekend of the Trinity each year. There are four key moments: The Descent of the Shrine, The Procession, The Ascent of the Car d’Or and The Battle called Lumeçon (Trinity Sunday).
• Ethias Tennis Trophy: one of the better matches in the world. (October / Mons)
• Ommegang: a parade in Brussels that celebrates the beginning of the reign of Charles V of Habsburg. It takes place on the stunning cityscape of the Grand Place and involves thousands of stunts in period costume.
• Zinnekeparade: the yearly celebration of the Brusseler's spirit - the theme changes each year and involves costumes & chariots made by volunteers and locals.
• DOCVILLE - International Documentary Film Festival, Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven, ☏ 32-16-320300. International Documentary Film Festival in the beginning of May, with national and international competition in the city of Leuven. Selected films have a focus on cinematography. €4.50-6.  

• Graspop Metal Meeting. Yearly heavy metal festival held in the town of Dessel, in June. 

• Carnaval de Binche. Three days in February the town of Binche is transported back to the 16th century for one of the most fantastic festivals of the year. Highlighted by music parades and fireworks, the climax of this event is when the Gilles appear on the Grand Place and throw oranges to the spectators. This infamous festivity has been classified as part of the world's cultural heritage by UNESCO along with its renowned Gilles. 
• Rock Werchter. End of June, beginning of July, Werchter. 
• Dour festival. "European Alternative Music Event" - 12–15 July 2007 - Dour. 
• Pukkelpop. Mid- August 
• Atomium built for the 1958 Brussels World Fair (Expo ’58), it is a 102 metre tall representation of an atomic unit cell. More precisely, it is symbolic of a unit cell of an iron crystal magnified 165 billion times. Nine steel spheres 16m in diameter connect via tubes with escalators 32 m long.
• Gentse Feesten. 2nd half of July. Huge, ten day long street festival in the historical centre of the city of Ghent. The biggest street festival in Europe, with theatre, music in all genres, techno parties, and so on - Gentse Feesten 
• Activiteiten Gent & Antwerpen, Rerum Novarumlaan 132 (Merksem), ☏ 32 475 696 880. Great boat tours around Ghent and Antwerp. 
• 24 hours cycling, Louvain-La-Neuve Louvain-La-Neuve is in the Wallonia not far from Brussel, it's a small pedestrian city created in the 60s for the French-speakers students. Every year, in October, they organised a bicycle competition. Actually, the course is a pretext to enjoy the event... And to drink beers. This party is one of the most important consumption of beers of the whole Europe.
• Belgian Beer Tour Belgian Beer Tour is a tour operator specialising in tours of Belgium breweries. It offers a great way for beer lovers to visit their favourite breweries and discover new ones. The tours cover a wide range of beers and appeals to connoisseurs and amateurs alike.
• International Short Film Festival Leuven, Naamsestraat 96, 3000 Leuven, ☏ 32-16-320300. International Short Film Festival with many foreign guests and directors. Focus on the best Flemish and European short films. €4.50-6.  
• TomorrowLand, De Schorre, Boom. 
• Flowercorso Loenhout, Loenhout Centre. one of the largest flower corsos of Belgium. With the title of Royal Corso their theme cars and floats are totally covered with over flowers and go up to 80 feet length. Every year, start of September €2-8. 

Talk

Lihat juga: Dutch phrasebook, French phrasebook

Belgium has three official languages at the federal level: Dutch, French dan German. However, one will quickly notice that the Belgian versions of these languages possess a few idiosyncrasies:

• Flemish Dutch is not always easy to understand for other Dutch-speakers. Flemings tend to sound more formal than the Dutch, and certain vowels may be pronounced differently, often in a way that sound like British English. Flemish Dutch is also a lot less "guttural" than its northern counterpart.
• The French spoken in Belgium, whilst marked by distinct annunciations and intonations, is mostly intelligible to the average French person, and younger generations in urban areas like Brussels tend to speak with a relatively standard French accent. Nevertheless, some "rural" accents can come off as harsh to the casual listener (especially those around Charleroi and near the German border). Walloon French also incorporates rather archaic sayings and idioms, and Anglicized words are used more profusely than in France or Quebec.
• The German spoken in Belgium is nearly identical to Hochdeutsch (standard German) but, not unlike Walloon French, incorporates antiquated sayings. German-speaking Belgians also speak a lot more slowly than Germans.

Although Belgium has three official languages, that does not mean that all of them are official everywhere. The official language of Flanders is Dutch and the official language of Wallonia is French. Brussels' official languages are Dutch and French (though French is more commonly spoken) and German is the official language in nine municipalities in Wallonia (Eupen and its surroundings).

Virtually all Flemish people are bilingual in both Dutch and French, whereas the Walloons are typically monolingual and don't speak any Dutch. Even though German is an official language, less than 1% of the population understands it fluently and you're unlikely to find speakers of the language outside the German-speaking community.

English is widely spoken by the younger generations in the Dutch-speaking areas and Brussels. In contrast, English is not as widely spoken in the French-speaking areas, though it is still possible to find English speakers. English may not be understood by the oldest of Belgians.

It's important to note that language is a highly sensitive issue in Belgium, and there's no place in Europe other than Belgium where you can get into trouble for using the "wrong language". Refer to the section on 'Hormat' for more.

A very small number of inhabitants of Wallonia, particularly the older generations, still speak the Walloon language. This language, while not official, is recognized by the French Community of Belgium as an "indigenous regional language", together with a number of other Romance (Champenois, Lorrain and Picard) and Germanic (Luxembourgian) language varieties. On the flipside, Italian is rather commonplace in Wallonia due to immigration. (At least 10% of Walloons can trace their origins back to Italy.)

Due to its international status, Brussels is home to a myriad of other languages; in addition to English being widespread, it is possible to find people who speak Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Arabic, etc.

In Belgium, foreign films and TV shows are available in their original language with French and Dutch subtitles in Flanders and Brussels cinemas and in the Dutch-language TV channels. Only children's TV shows and movies are dubbed.

In Wallonia, all movies and TV shows have a dubbed version in French or German and selected foreign films/TV shows have an original language version (marked with a "VO" in the cinema listing or in the case of TV shows, can be accessed through the remote control).

Beli

Wang

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Belgium uses the euro, like several other European countries. One euro is divided into 100 cents. The official symbol for the euro is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for the cent.

All banknotes and coins of this common currency are legal tender within all the countries, except that low-denomination coins (one and two cent) are phased out in some of them. The banknotes look the same across countries, while coins have a standard common design on the reverse, expressing the value, and a national country-specific design on the obverse. The obverse is also used for different designs of commemorative coins. The design of the obverse does not affect the use of the coin.

Petua

Tipping in Belgium is not usually done as service charge is always included. However, you may tip as a sign of appreciation. Usually, this is done by paying in bank notes with a total value slightly higher than the price of the meal and telling the waiter/waitress that they can keep the change.

Items

• Belgian chocolate: A long tradition has given Belgian chocolate a superior refinement process that is recognized worldwide.
• Laces in Bruges
• Designer fashions in Antwerp
• Jewelry in one of Antwerps many jewelry shops
• Bir
• Belgian comic books and related merchandising, especially in Brussels

Makan

Belgians like to eat. Belgium is famous for its good cuisine and people like to go to restaurants frequently. Best description for Belgian food would be "French food in German quantities".

General rules

• As anywhere else in the world, avoid the tourist traps, where the touts are trying to get you in the restaurants. You will get average to bad quality food for average to high prices, and, at busy times, they will try to get rid of you as soon as possible to make space for the next customer. A good example of this is the famous "Rue des Bouchers/Beenhouwersstraat" in Brussels in this picture.
• Belgium is a country that understands what eating is all about and can be a real gastronomic paradise. You can have a decent meal in about every tavern, from small snacks to a complete dinner. Just pop into one of those and enjoy it.
• If you want to eat really well for not too much money, ask the local people or the hotel manager (that is, supposing he does not have a brother restaurant-manager) to give some advice for a good restaurant. Not a bad idea is to find a restaurant or tavern a little bit outside of the cities (if advised by some locals) they are usually not too expensive but deliver decent to high quality food. And ordering the specialties during the season will be both beneficial for your wallet and the quality of the food.
• Quality has its price: since the introduction of the euro, price for eating out in Belgium nearly doubled. Expensive food like lobster or turbot will always cost a lot of money at any restaurant. But you can also find some local and simple dishes, rather cheap and still very tasty (such as sausages, potatoes and spinach). Normally a dinner (3 dishes) will be around €30-50 depending your choices of food and restaurant. And for cheap, greasy food, just find a local frituur, also called a frietkot atau friterie, it will be the best Belgian Fries you'll have had in ages. However, when you are in such a frituur, it may be best to avoid snacks (other than the fries themselves, and the rich choice in sauces that comes with them), which are generally fried and made out of low-quality scrap meat. Do NOT order a cheeseburger or hamburger in such a place! The so-called burger which you would get if you do, is especially notorious for being fried and containing a mixture of low-quality meat.

Specialities

A number of dishes are considered distinctly Belgian specialities and should be on every visitor's agenda.

Mussels are a firm favorite and a side-dish of Moules et frites/Mosselen met friet (Mussels with French fries). The traditional way is to cook them in a pot with white wine and/or onions and celery, then eat them up using only a mussel shell to scoop them out. The top season is September to April, and as with all other shellfish, do tidak eat the closed ones. Belgium's mussels always come from the nearby Netherlands. Imports from other countries are looked down on.

Balletjes/Boulettes are meatballs with fries. They will either be served with a tomato sauce or with the sauce from Liège, which is based on a local syrup. For this reason they will often be introduced as Boulets Liégeois.

Frikadellen met krieken are also meatballs, served with cherries in a sauce of cherryjuice. This is eaten with bread.

Stoemp is mashed potatoes and carrots with bacon and sausages. It is a typical meal from Brussels.

Stoofvlees (or Carbonade flamande) is a traditional beef stew and is usually served with (you have guessed it already) fries.

Witloof met kaassaus/Chicons au gratin is a traditional gratin of chicory with ham and a cheesy bechamel sauce, usually served with mashed potatoes or croquettes.

Konijn met pruimen: rabbit cooked in beer and dried plums.

Despite the name, French fries (frieten in Dutch, frites in French) are proudly claimed as a Belgian invention. Whether or not this is true, they certainly have perfected it — although not everybody agrees with their choice of mayonnaise over ketchup as the preferred condiment (ketchup is often considered to be "for kids").

Every village has at least one frituur/friterie, an establishment selling cheap take-away fries, with a huge choice of sauces and fried meat to go with them. The traditional thing to try is friet met stoofvlees, but remember the mayonnaise on it .

Waffles (wafels in Dutch, gaufres in French) come in two types:

• Gaufres de Bruxelles/Brusselse wafels: a light and airy variety.
• a heavier variety with a gooey center known as Gaufres de Liège/Luikse wafels.

The latter are often eaten as a street/ take-away snack while shopping and therefore can be found at stands on the streets of the cities.

Last but not least, Belgian chocolate is famed around the world. Famous chocolatiers include Godiva, Leonidas, Guylian, Galler, Marcolini and Neuhaus, with Godiva, Leonidas and Neuhaus being official suppliers of chocolate to the Belgian royal family. In nearly all supermarkets, you can buy the brand Côte d'Or, generally considered the best 'everyday' chocolate (for breakfast or break) among Belgians.

International

As a small country in the centre of western Europe, the cuisine is influenced not only by the surrounding countries but also by many other countries. This is also emphasized by many foreigners coming to this country to make a living here, for instance by starting a restaurant. You can find all types of restaurants:

• French/Belgian: A traditional Belgian restaurant serves the kind of food you will also find in the best French restaurants. Of course there are local differences: at the coast (in France as well as in Belgium) you have a better chance to find some good seafood, like mussels, turbot, sole or the famous North Sea shrimp. In the southern woods of the Ardennes (remember the battle of the Bulge?), you are better off choosing game or local fish like trout.
• English/Irish: There are Irish bars and pubs everywhere and Belgium is no exception, try the Schuman area of Brussels for more Irish pubs than you can shake a stick at. There is also an English pub just off of Place de la Monnaie in central Brussels.
• American: There are McDonald's or lookalikes in most towns. The Belgian variety is called "Quick". You may also find a local booth serving sausages, hot dogs or hamburgers. Try it: the meat tastes the same, but the bread is much better. Ketchup in this region is made with less sugar (even the Heinz brand). Pizza Hut, Domino's, and Subway also have establishments, but you won't find Burger King. There are no real American restaurants, although there is an American bar on the Toison d'Or in Brussels that serves food.
• Italian: Roughly 500,000 people in Belgium are Italian or have Italian heritage, and ties have been historically close between Belgium and Italy, so finding a tasty pizza or mouth-watering pastas is not difficult, especially in Brussels and Wallonia.
• Mexican: Only in the cities and rather costly for only medium quality. ChiChi's (near Bourse) serves Mexican American food but would not be considered a good value by American standards. ChiChi's uses reconstituted meats.
• Chinese: They have a long tradition of restaurants in Belgium. Rather cheap, but an acceptable quality.
• German/Austrian: Maxburg in the Schuman area (next to Spicy Grill) makes a good schnitzel.
• Greek/Spanish/Italian: Like all over the world, nice, rather cheap, with a good atmosphere and typical music (Greek: Choose meat, especially lamb) (Spanish: Choose paella and tapas) (Italian: Choose anything).
• Japanese/Thai: You usually find them only in the cities and they are rather expensive, but they give you great quality. The prices and the quality are both satisfying in a concentrated cluster of Thai restaurants near Bourse station. Avoid Phat Thai though if you don't want disruptions - as they let pan handlers and flower pushers enter and carry out their "work".
• Arabic/Moroccan: Rather cheap, with a great variety of local dishes, especially with lamb; no fish or pork or beef.
• Turkish: Rather cheap, with a great variety of local dishes, especially with chicken and lamb and also vegetarian dishes, dishes with fish are rare; no pork or beef.
• Belgium offers a wide selection of other international restaurants.

Minum

For party-minded people, Belgium can be great. Most cities are close to each other and are either large urban areas (Brussels, Antwerp) or student areas (Leuven, Liège, Ghent), etc. In this little region, you will find the most clubs, cafés, restaurants per square mile in the world. A good starting point can be places with a strong student/youth culture: Leuven around its big university, Liège in the famous "carré" district, etc. You can expect a wide variety in music appreciation, going from jazz to the better electronic music to even some solid heavy metal bars. Just ask around for the better clubs and there you will most likely meet some music fanatics who can show you the better underground parties in this tiny country.

The government has a mostly liberal attitude towards bars, clubs and parties. They acknowledge the principle of "live and let live". As long as you don't cause public disturbance, vandalize property and get too drunk, the police will not intervene; this is also one of the main principles of Belgian social life, as drunk and disorderly behaviour is generally considered offensive. Of course, in student communities this is more tolerated, but generally, you are most respected if you party as hard as you like- but with a sense of discretion and self-control.

Officially, drugs are not allowed. But as long as you respect the aforementioned principles, you are not likely to get into serious trouble. Beware though, that driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs is not tolerated and traffic laws are strictly enforced in this matter. Especially in the weekends on main roads, you have a good chance of being stopped for an alcohol check.

Air

Tap water is drinkable everywhere in Belgium, but most restaurants do not serve it. Hot spring or some other mineral water is typically served and costs about €2 per bottle.Spa is like bru and chaudfontaine a very famous water brand.

Bir

Belgium is to beer what France is to wine; it is home to one of the greatest beer traditions in the world. Like other European countries in medieval times, beers were brewed in a huge variety of ways with many different ingredients. In addition to the standard ingredients of water, malted barley, hops and yeast, many herbs and spices were also used. This activity was often done in monasteries, each developing a particular style. For some reason, uniquely in Belgium many of these monasteries survived almost into modern times, and the process was handed over to a local commercial brewer if the monastery closed. These brewers would often augment the recipe and process slightly to soften the taste to make it more marketable, but the variety survived in this way. These beers are called Abbey beers and there are hundreds and hundreds with a range of complex tastes unimaginable until you've tried them.

The Trappist label is controlled by international law, similar to that of Champagne in France. There are only six Trappist Abbeys in Belgium that produce beer qualified to be called Trappist. In order to carry the Trappist label, there are several rules that must be adhered to during the brewing process. The beer must be fermented within the walls of the abbey, the monks of the abbey must be involved in the beer-making process, and profit from the sale of the beer must be directed towards supporting the monastery (similar to a non-profit organization).

Belgium offers an incredible diversity of beers. Wheat / white beers (with their mixture of barley and wheat) as well as Lambic beers (sour-tasting wheat beers brewed by spontaneous fermentation) originated in Belgium. For the non-beer lovers, lambic beers are still interesting to try, as they are often brewed in fruity flavors and don't have a usual beer taste. Several well known mass-produced Belgian beers are Stella Artois, Duvel, Leffe, Jupiler, Hoegaarden. The names given to some beers are pretty imaginative: e.g. Verboden Vrucht (Forbidden Fruit), Mort Subite (Sudden Death), De Kopstoot (Head Butt), Judas and Delirium Tremens.

Warmly recommended are also Kriek (sweet and sour cherry beer) and, for the Christmas season, Stille Nacht (Silent night).

Plain blond draughts (4%-5.5%): Stella Artois, Jupiler, Maes, Cristal, Primus, Martens, Bavik.

Trappist ales (5%-10%): Achel, Chimay, Orval, Rochefort, Westvleteren, Westmalle.

Geuze: Belle-Vue, the lambic Mort Subite (Sudden Death), Lindemans in Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Timmermans, Boon, Cantillon, 3 Fonteinen, Oud Beersel, Giradin, Hanssens, De Troch.

White beers: Hoegaarden, Dentergemse, Brugse Witte.

Jenever

The city of Hasselt is well known in Belgium for its local alcoholic beverage, called jenever. It is a rather strong liquor, but it comes in all kinds of tastes beyond your imagination, including vanilla, apple, cactus, kiwi, chocolate. Hasselt lies in the east of Belgium, and is about one hour away by train from Brussels and 50 minutes from Antwerp. Trains go two times an hour from Antwerp.

Pub

Pubs, or cafés, are wide spread. They all have a large variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic, hot and cold beverages.Some serve food, others don't.Some might be specialised in beer, or wine, or cocktails, or something else.Smoking in pubs is forbidden by law.

Tidur

Belanjawan

• Couchsurfing. has a lot of members in Belgium 
• Vrienden op de fiets. If you are travelling in Flanders by bicycle or by foot, there is a list of 260 addresses where you can stay at private homes with bed and breakfast for no more than €18.50 per person per night, although you must also pay €9 for membership of this scheme. 

Hotel

Belgium has many fine hotels. Capital Brussels has countless rather expensive business hotels catering to the European Union's bureaucrats, and while you can usually get a good room for under €100, prices can spike if there's a big EU shindig in town.

Belajar

The different stages of education are the same in all communities:

• Basic education (Dutch: basisonderwijs; French: enseignement fondamental), consisting of
  • Pre-school (kleuteronderwijs; einseignement maternel): -6 years
  • Primary school (lager onderwijs; enseignement primaire): 6–12 years
• Secondary school (secundair onderwijs; enseignement secondaire): 12–18 years
• Higher education (hoger onderwijs; enseignement supérieure)
  • University (universiteit; université)
  • Polytechnic (hogeschool; haute école)

Education is organized by the regions (Dutch-speaking Flanders on the one hand, French and German speaking Wallonia on the other) and the small federal district of Brussels has schools run by both the Flemish and Walloon authorities. Both states recognize independent school networks, which cater to far more students than the state schools themselves. Most Flemish students go to a Flemish Catholic school. However, every independent school needs to follow the official state curriculum, and Catholicism in Flanders has long been extremely liberal anyway.

Kerja

Having one of the highest labour taxes in Europe, Belgium is struggling to reposition itself as a high-tech country. In that struggle, Flanders is far ahead and much wealthier than Wallonia, in contrast to the previous decades, where Wallonia's steel industry was the main export of Belgium. Highly skilled people will have the most chance to find work, and knowing multiple languages (Dutch, French, English and perhaps German) is almost a standard requirement. Interim offices providing temporary jobs are flourishing in a search to avoid the high labour taxes.

Belgium has one of the highest tax rates in the world. An employer who pays a salary about €1500 a month actually pays another €1500 or more in taxes. Where does this money go to? It goes to social security. People only pay a small charge for healthcare, for example. And the budget for education, arts and culture is enormous. The budget for defense is however very tiny.

Although Belgium is undesirable for building wealth, it's a good place for someone who already is wealthy to reside because there is very little capital gains tax (some forms of capital gain is not taxed at all).

Kekal selamat

With the notable exceptions of certain parts of Brussels (mostly the northern and western sections of the region) and Antwerp, Belgium is a very safe country. Tourists should not have to fear for their lives when taking basic precautions and knowing where they are going. Crimes such as murder are uncommon and natural hazards are rare.

As with much of Europe, however, petty crimes like pickpocketing do occur regularly, mostly in Brussels and more touristy cities, Bruges and Antwerp being prime examples. Aggravated assaults have occurred sporadically throughout the years, but they rarely involve tourists, except in Brussels.

Muslims and people of North African or Middle Eastern ancestry may experience mild resentment from certain people, a problem that is particularly acute among older generations, in rural areas, and wealthier sections of Brussels dan Antwerp. The burqa dan niqab are illegal in public. With all that said, Belgians are noticeably more welcoming towards Muslims than other Europeans, and public expressions against Islam have become widely condemned.

People who are recognisably Jewish, such as men who wear kippot, have also experienced harassment and worse, and should check on current conditions for Jews before they go.

Marijuana laws are quite lenient, with small amounts only punishable by fines. You may get into trouble for smoking weed in public, though.

The emergency phone number in Belgium (fire, police, paramedics) is 112.

Stay healthy

In the winter, like most other European countries, only influenza will cause you a considerable inconvenience. No inoculations are needed to enter or leave Belgium.

Tap water is safe to drink throughout Belgium.

Sambung

Belgium has a modern telephone system with nationwide cellular telephone coverage, and multiple internet access points in all cities, free in most libraries. Also in multiple gas stations, NMBS/SNCB train stations and diners on the highways there is Wi-Fi available.

• Many cafés offer free Wi-Fi nowadays, but don't write it on the door for whatever reason...
• if you can't find any you can always fall back on Quick, McDonalds, Lunch Garden, Carrefour Planet atau Starbucks which all offer free Wi-Fi.

Belgium has some of the slowest internet speeds in Western Europe.

Mudah alih

Belgium uses the GSM standard of cellular phones (900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands) used in much of the world except parts of the Americas. There are three main companies (Proximus, Orange and Base, and a large number of MVNOs) offering wireless service. The country is almost totally covered.

It is no longer possible to buy anonymous prepaid SIM cards in Belgium as a result of new Belgian anti-terror legislation. Buying a SIM card in advance from Mobile Vikings now requires name and address registration. If you stay for some time, buy a pre-paid cell phone card that you can use in any phone that supports the GSM standard on the 900/1800 MHz bands. With these cards, incoming calls and SMSes are generally free. You can get SIM cards for the three main companies in dedicated phone shops.

All networks provide UMTS and HSDPA (3G) mobile internet coverage, and are rolling out a 4G network, mainly in the big cities.

Hormat

Giving tips in bars or restaurants is virtually unheard of, even in larger cities. Doing so does shows that you were satisfied with the service given, but you are absolutely not obliged to do so. Depending on the total, a tip of €0.50 ke €2.50 is considered generous.

Belgians in general are very proud of their comic book artists. The "Belgian school of comic books" is hailed as a national point of pride. There are dozens of beautiful yet expensive merchandise items, and the Belgians are fond of them. A plastic figurine of a comic book character or a special artwork of a hailed comic book artist would be a perfect gift for your Belgian friends and in-laws, for example.

Try to show appreciation for some of the things made in Belgium. For instance, French fries, beers, comic books, chocolate, and the like. Inquiries about them will be welcomed and appreciated by the vast majority of Belgians.

Do not speak French in Flanders or Dutch in Wallonia. Even if you're looking to practice your language skills, try not to speak the wrong language in the wrong region as it can be considered offensive. Some people won't hesitate to either dismiss you or at worst give an icy response. This doesn't apply to the German-speaking areas (as the German-speaking community is an observer in the Flanders-Wallonia dispute) and Brussels. As a tourist, it's better to communicate in English as it's considered to be the "diplomatic" language of the country.

The Flanders-Wallonia dispute and the possibility of Belgium partitioning are highly controversial issues and should be avoided. You should avoid discussing them where possible.

As with many countries in Europe, Inquiring about someone's salary or talking about your own is uncommon and in conversation is a great way to make someone feel uncomfortable. Similarly, discussing personal, political, or religious convictions are no-go areas until you're better acquainted with someone.

Do not tell the Walloons (and most of the people of Brussels) that they are French. Most Walloons, despite speaking French, are not and do not consider themselves French. And, for similar reasons, do not tell the Flemish (and also the people of Brussels) that they are Dutch. Most Flemings, despite speaking Dutch (Flemish), are not and do not consider themselves Dutch. The same applies to the 75,000 German-speaking Belgians, who have a heavy historical background with their neighbour Germany.