"Romance, Chocolate & Beer: Belgium" Belgium by richiecdisc

Belgium Travel Guide: 26,861 reviews and 52,585 photos

Belgium gets little respect compared to countries on the prescribed must see itinerary of the average first time visitor to Europe. I must admit that as a college sophomore, I had really not even heard of it and when I had to change trains in Brussels on my way from Amsterdam to Paris, I could only manage an image of a Brussels sprout and quickly decided to not even venture out into the gray and gloomy looking city. When I look back and realize all I had missed, even only with regard to beer, I cringe at the thought today, but I think that Belgium would have been beyond my scope at that tender age. It is a country that is more for refined tastes and though small in size and easily explored in a short time, one that demands some attention for true appreciation. Though lacking a jagged mountain range like the Alps or a rugged coast like southwestern France, Belgium is nevertheless a coastal country with the gently beautiful Ardennes in the southern French-speaking portion of the country. The true gems however are the well-preserved romantic medieval towns of Brugge and Ghent along with equally enthralling cities like Brussels and Antwerp. Add to that a cuisine that is inadequately described as being French in quality and German in quantity, some of the finest chocolate in the world and perhaps the most diverse range of beers, and you have a little dynamo of a country well worth exploring as part of a grand European tour or in its own right. .

Last visit to Belgium: Nov 1997
Intro Written Sep 11, 2002
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (16)

Cafes are the place to be and... - Belgium

Cafes are the place to be and... Nightlife (1)

Cafes are the place to be and it certainly doen't have to be at night. Brussles: Falstaff is a must. They serve their... more travel advice

Don't forget Antwerp. It's... Things to Do (4)

Don't forget Antwerp. It's quite a beauttiful town as well and gets lost in the shuffle a bit. Ghent is fantastic as... more travel advice

You must go to Brugge if... Things to Do (4)

You must go to Brugge if nothing else. It's just an amazingly timeless city full of canals and winding cobblestone... more travel advice

Chez Leon seems like a tourist... - Belgium

Chez Leon seems like a tourist... Restaurants (3)

Chez Leon seems like a tourist trap, but it wasn't expensivie, the service was excellent and actually were the nicest... more travel advice

Comments (116)

Bwana_Brown Jun 25, 2008 at 3:30 PM Report Abuse

News flash from Alliance, Ohio: I only just discovered this 'blast from your past'. Lots of good tips that taught me some things I didn't know about Belgium! Hope all is going well with you and D on your latest USA trek!
micas_pt Sep 25, 2005 at 11:07 AM Report Abuse

Nice overview of Belgium. Looking forward to visit. Btw, that night photo of Gent is fabulous!
Norali Jul 15, 2003 at 8:46 AM Report Abuse

OMG! That's what I call a "Beer page from a non-Belgian person" :-)) Happy to have discovered it!
mtncorg Apr 30, 2003 at 12:53 PM Report Abuse

Next beer expedition you take should be back to the SE corner of Belgium and the old monastery of Orval. Nothing like drinking it from the monks. Great pages as usual.
sargentjeff Mar 2, 2003 at 1:06 AM Report Abuse

Excellent page, and I've still got some of those cities on my list of must sees in Europe. Great impression
renuschka Jul 9, 2002 at 7:06 PM Report Abuse

I didn`t find this Mannekin Pis when I was in Brussels, where
Bill_Steg May 31, 2002 at 4:23 PM Report Abuse

Great page!
Gili_S Apr 7, 2002 at 10:39 AM Report Abuse

Oh, ho, nice to see you found here more then beer :)
kellensdad Apr 7, 2002 at 7:12 AM Report Abuse

Yeah, sure, avoid the beer?!
Azhut Apr 5, 2002 at 12:46 PM Report Abuse

i like your style:)