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Belgium is located in the heart of Europe, bordering the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxembourg and North Sea. This kingdom is split between the Dutch-speaking Flemish region in the north and the largely French-speaking Walloon region in the south. Headquarters of the European Union and NATO, there are three official languages and English is spoken widely too.
Belgium is made for city breaks. The country has elevated chocolate making to an art form and there are more than 400 types of beer. With five airports, it is very well connected. Flights to Belgium with easyJet and Brussels Airlines land at Brussels Airport, while Ryanair offers cheap flights to Belgium, landing at Brussels Charleroi, 46km from the city. Other airports include Antwerp, Ostend and Liège.
Flanders boasts Antwerp, Europe's diamond capital; Bruges, a popular medieval town, and Ghent, less touristy than Bruges but equally pretty. The Flanders coast has smooth sandy beaches with pretty little resort towns such as Blankenberge, De Haan and De Panne, and has one of the longest tram lines in the world - the Kusttram.
In Wallonia are the Ardennes and Liege, Namur and Tournai. Brussels is capital, a charming cosmopolitan city of cobblestone squares and modern buildings.
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Peak Season:As the weather doesn’t vary hugely between seasons and there are so many towns, there is no particularly defined peak or off-peak season. Summer is usually more full of tourists and it is wise to book Belgium flights and accommodation in advance if you’re travelling to the big cities during the holiday period. Christmas and Easter also tend to see more holidaymakers. Be aware, however, that it rains year-round.
The railway network is extremely efficient and reasonably priced and by far the best way to travel around the country. National passes are available from any major train station which gives you unlimited access to the network. There are three types of train: InterCity, InterRegional and local.
Trams and metro are available in Antwerp and Brussels, though both towns are really small enough to be seen on foot.
Taxis are readily available in all cities.
Brussels Zaventem (BRU) is 12km (8 miles) northeast of the city.
Brussels South Charleroi (CRL) (website: www.charleroi-airport.com) is 5km (3 miles) from Charleroi and 46km (29 miles) from Brussels.
The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that, in principal, allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all. All visitors require a passport that is valid for at least three months after leaving Belgium. Nationals of non-EU countries are recommended to hold return or onward tickets, sufficient funds and documents for their next destination.
UK nationals must possess a valid passport. A visa is not required for stays of up to three months. British Overseas Territories Citizens, British Nationals (Overseas) and British Overseas Citizens require an endorsement on their passports guaranteeing re-admittance to the UK or the country that issued the passport.
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Harry PearsonComedian Harry Pearson visits some of the less well known parts of the country and is surprised by the friendly encounters he has with the Belgians, though he concludes that they are a people of “low self-esteem”.
Charlotte BronteBased on her experience as a teacher in Brussels, Charlotte Bronte wrote Villette about Lucy Snowe, who sets sail from England to teach in a girl’s boarding school.
Tim WebbAll you could ever want to know about the country’s most famous export.
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