Belgium is a small, densely packed country in north-western Europe, squeezed between France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg. It is easy to underestimate — it gets overlooked by travellers heading to Paris or Amsterdam — but it is one of the most rewarding destinations on the continent.
The country is famous for its beer, chocolate, and waffles, and rightly so. But that's not the half of it. Belgium has three of the finest medieval cities in Europe — Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp — along with Brussels, which has one of Europe's great central squares and a surprisingly vibrant cultural life. The south of the country, the Ardennes, is beautiful hiking and cycling territory with old castle towns, river valleys, and some of the best abbey beer in the world.
Belgium is also deeply, structurally divided. The Dutch-speaking north (Flanders) and French-speaking south (Wallonia) have separate governments, education systems, and media. Brussels is officially bilingual but predominantly French-speaking in daily life. This division is real and politically sensitive, though it rarely affects visitors in any practical way beyond needing to know which language is in use where you are.
The country punches well above its weight in art history. Flemish painting from the 15th to 17th centuries — Jan van Eyck, Rogier van der Weyden, Rubens, van Dyck — is among the greatest in Western art, and much of it can be seen in the cities where it was made. The Surrealists René Magritte and Paul Delvaux were Belgian. So were the comic artists Hergé (Tintin) and the creators of the Smurfs.
Belgium is also scarred by the First World War in ways that remain visible. The landscape around Ypres in the west was among the most fought-over ground in the war, and the cemeteries, memorials, and museums there are among the most powerful anywhere.
Getting around is easy. The country is small and the rail network is excellent — you can travel between any of the main cities in under two hours from Brussels. Getting there is straightforward by Eurostar from London or high-speed train from Paris, Amsterdam, or Cologne.
