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Are you traveling to the colorful and culturally diverse nation of Belgium? If so, you’ll want to complete a bit of research to find the best deals, the perfect weather, and excellent tourist attractions and activities.
You’ll love learning about the country’s rich history, viewing the gorgeous architecture, and checking out the nation’s impressive nature scenes. Seeing this European country will give you the adventure of a lifetime and memories to treasure forever!
We’ll provide details on the best time to visit, including the warmest time of the year, the best weather, the least crowded periods, and the dates with the best festivals.
We’ll also cover the periods when you should avoid traveling to Belgium and the travel tips you need to make your trip perfect. Now, let’s get started!
Why You Should Visit Belgium
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So, what’s so special about Belgium? Why should you visit Belgium? Reasons are abundant. The foremost reason to see the sites of Belgium is to view the architecture. The impressive architecture is some of the best and most intricate designs in Europe.
You’ll love viewing the castles in every corner of the country. The main squares are historic and impressive. Do you enjoy a flavorful ale on a Friday night?
Then, Belgium is the perfect place to visit. The nation has more than 300 breweries and above 1,000 kinds of Belgian beers. You can try pilsners or witbier along with flavorful ales. You’ll find the glass design incredible as well.
Besides the beer, you’ll adore Belgian food. You’ll taste the incredible Belgian waffles and finally understand why these waffles are known worldwide.
You won’t find a tastier, sweeter Belgian waffle than in the country itself. You’ll also adore the savory fries in Belgium. The fries are double-fried and taste fantastic! The diverse cultures provide another incredible part of the nation.
Here, you’ll find French-speaking people in the five southern provinces known as Walloons and Dutch-speaking people called the Flemings in the five northern provinces. These are a few of the best reasons to visit Belgium.
Overall Best Time to Visit Belgium
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Generally, the best time to visit Belgium is during the Spring or early Fall. You’ll want to pick a month with great weather and the most activities and tourist attractions available. You’ll also want to find times that have fewer crowds.
The months of April, May, and June, as well as September and October, provide the best times of the year to visit Belgium.
The weather is beautiful, and the nature scenes are exquisite during these periods. During the spring the temperature ranges from 50 to 60 °F. The weather is pleasant. It provides the perfect opportunity to roam around Belgium’s cities and towns.
The temperatures in the autumn range from 54 to 60 °F on average and you’ll find the weather is perfect for travel. You’ll love the Ghent Film Festivals in Belgium during the Fall.
Also, the period provides a less crowded vacation for tourists. You can enjoy exploring more traditions and areas during this time. You’ll love going on hikes during this time.
You can travel light during the Spring since the weather tends to remain similar. Don’t forget hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen. For the Fall, bring an umbrella and raincoat. The weather tends to get rainy and wet in the Fall.
Cheapest Time to Visit Belgium
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If you’re looking for the cheapest time to visit Belgium, pick the months of January, February, and March or September to early December (except for the second half of October).
If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest time to visit Belgium for a vacation, pick early to mid-May. During the cheapest times, you’ll find yourself spending around $118 per person per day, especially if you’re willing to get standby flights and limit your spending on vacation.
You can even find vacation rental places for as little as $20 per day during the cheapest times to visit Belgium. You can get deals and rentals for cheap when you pick less desirable neighborhoods to stay in.
For instance, one-star hotels cost only around $48 per day. The cheapest time to fly to Belgium and other places worldwide is in January and February.
The next cheapest periods for getting on a plane include September through November. The weather in the winter might be chilly in Belgium while the Fall weather is a bit rainy and warm.
The inexpensive times are due to the cooler weather and fewer events or festivals in the winter. However, autumn is also a perfect time to visit Belgium and overlaps well with an inexpensive period for vacationing in the European country.
Least Busy Time to Visit Belgium
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The late fall and winter tend to be the least busy and uncrowded periods for visiting Belgium. The off-season begins in November and continues through March.
The late fall and winter tend to get chilly and rainier in Belgium, which is why many tourists aren’t keen on visiting the country at this time. You’ll see rainfall in the coastal regions, but winter is also full of carnivals and festivals across the country.
Nonetheless, since this is the off-season, you’ll find more tourist places closed. Yet, during the off-season, you can find cheap flights ranging from $398 to $1,220 depending on where you’re traveling from.
If you love spending time in Europe during the least crowded times, the winter might be the right choice. You can enjoy the festivals and spend some time downhill skiing. You’ll also enjoy the laid back culture during this time and the many markets to check out.
Worst Time to Visit Belgium
Namur, Belgium. Sept 21, 2019. Shopping street in city center of Belgian city Namur. People with shopping bags walking in pedestrian street. Crowded street with shops in Namur, Belgium/Thomas Dekiere/Shutterstock
The worst time to visit Belgium will depend on your preferences. Do you hate crowds and the busy season? If so, you’ll want to avoid the summer months of July and August. Summer tends to be the favorite time for people to visit Belgium, so you might want to avoid it.
Further, the heat can get somewhat overwhelming in the summer months. The crowds are larger in the summer and the season is busy, which makes tourism prices more expensive.
To cool off in the summer, however, you can head to the coast in Belgium, relax at the beach, and go for a swim.
However, if you hate the cold, rainy weather, you should avoid visiting Belgium during the winter months of December, January, and February. You may find more tourist places closed during the winter since it’s the off-season as well.
Yet, you can save money and find great deals in the cold months of winter. If you like winter sports like skiing, then Belgium in the winter may end up the right time to visit. It all depends on your specific preferences.
Things to Consider
There are many important things to consider when traveling to Belgium so that you can truly enjoy your vacation.
These include:
- The climate in Belgium is temperate with a moderate amount of rain
- The primary languages in Belgium are French, German, and Dutch
- The Belgian culture incorporates a love of comics series
- A primary way to travel in Belgium is by bicycle
- The country is a very peaceful place with a top ranking in the global peace index
- In Brussels, you’ll find plenty of chocolate shops, historic monuments, and large squares
- You’ll enjoy the medieval architecture and picturesque scenery throughout Belgium
- The city of Ghent has many canals and a beautiful castle
- You can find people fishing, boating, and hanging out at the pier or beach in the coastal cities
- The city of Liège has a multitude of cultures and immigrants including Algerian, Turkish, and Morrocan immigrants
These are some of the most interesting places in Belgium to see. You’ll also want to try the waffles and other delicious foods in the country along with the ales. You won’t regret visiting this beautiful European country.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Check out our answers to a few frequently asked questions about vacationing or traveling to Belgium.
How many days are enough for Belgium?
You should spend around a week in Belgium to truly get a great sense of the gorgeous country. At a minimum, you should spend at least three to four days in Belgium. That way, you can spend some time in the biggest cities of Belgium, such as Ghent, Brussels, Bruges, and Antwerp.
You can likely see these four cities in about three days, but you can also visit the Belgian war sites if you stay longer. If you want a more laid-back vacation with plenty of time to see everything while also relaxing, we suggest staying closer to one week.
Do U.S. citizens need a visa to enter Belgium?
American-born citizens with valid passports don’t need a visa to visit Belgium. If you want to stay more than 90 days, you would need to apply for a visa.
Do people speak English in Belgium?
More than half of the population in Belgium speaks English at a conversational level. This means that you will be able to communicate with them and have a chat without trouble. If you visit Wallonia, the language barrier is steeper, and it will be harder to communicate with them.
Is Belgium cheap for tourists?
Belgium and many other countries in western Europe aren’t cheap to visit unless you’re a more wealthy tourist. The majority of tourists will need to budget to get a chance to visit a nation like Belgium.
The hotels and accommodations can get expensive along with the food and drinks. Despite this, it’s possible to cut costs when traveling throughout the country.
Which part of Belgium is the best?
It’s difficult to pick the absolute best part of Belgium, but Antwerp is definitely at the top of the list. The city has beautiful, historic guild houses.
You’ll also find an impressive Town Hall and a gorgeous Plantin-Moretus Museum. Antwerp’s museums have numerous intriguing exhibits including incredible artwork from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts.
What is the prettiest town in Belgium?
Bruges may be the prettiest city in all of Belgium. The beautiful city looks like a fairy tale with amazing scenery of medieval architecture and castles. Here, you’ll love taking a boat trip through the awe-inspiring canals and roaming among the cobblestone streets. You can step into a tasty chocolatier shop and enjoy the views of colorful, amazing architecture.
So, What’s the Best Time to Visit Belgium?
To recap the information from the guide, the best time to visit Belgium is usually in the Spring and the early Fall. The weather and temperatures are best in April, May, June, September, and October. You’ll also find more festivals and fewer crowds during these times. Have a lovely vacation in the fairytale land of Belgium!