Belgium
Kingdom of Belgium
Western Europe · BEL
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Belgium
Belgium is one of Europe's easiest compact culture trips if you want dense historic cities, museums, and a route that moves well by train. It works best as a short multi-stop itinerary through Brussels and one or two smaller cities, rather than a single-base trip that never leaves the capital.
Popular For
Things To See
- Brussels
- Historic Centre of Brugge
- Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels)
- Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex
- Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai
- Stoclet House
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- June through September is the easiest broad window in the current brief.
- Belgium is compact enough that a multi-city rail trip usually lands better than staying only in Brussels.
- Brussels, Brugge, Antwerp-linked museum time, and one or two heritage stops already make a strong first itinerary.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Belgium.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Belgium Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Belgium.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Brussels
- Population
- 11,825,551
- Area
- 30,528 km²
- Region
- Western Europe
Languages
- German
- French
- Dutch
Currency
euro (€)
EUR
1 USD = 0.85 EUR
Cost of Living (World Bank)
76.2
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 66.4
- Restaurants
- 80.7
- Rent
- 23.8
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Brussels (50.83°N, 4.33°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
89/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 100/100
- Lived safety
- 68/100
This traveler-facing score is lower than the legal protections score because lived-safety context is weaker, based on broader traveler safety and development conditions.
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal✅
- Relationship recognitionMarriage
- Adoption recognition✅
- Anti-discrimination laws✅
- Employment protections✅
- Legal gender recognition✅
- Conversion therapy ban✅
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.951
Very high human development
- 5-year change
- +0.009
- 10-year change
- +0.026
- Trend
- stable
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.979
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.031
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.666
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (16)
- 🏛️
Funerary and memory sites of the First World War (Western Front)
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
The Great Spa Towns of Europe
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
Colonies of Benevolence
Inscribed 2021
- 🏛️
The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
Inscribed 2016
- 🏛️
Major Mining Sites of Wallonia
Inscribed 2012
- 🏛️
Stoclet House
Inscribed 2009
- 🌿
Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe
Inscribed 2007
- 🏛️
Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex
Inscribed 2005
- 🏛️
Neolithic Flint Mines at Spiennes (Mons)
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels)
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Historic Centre of Brugge
Inscribed 2000
- 🏛️
Belfries of Belgium and France
Inscribed 1999
- 🏛️
Flemish Béguinages
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
La Grand-Place, Brussels
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
The Four Lifts on the Canal du Centre and their Environs, La Louvière and Le Roeulx (Hainaut)
Inscribed 1998
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 16.3%
- Forest cover
- 22.6%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 3
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 8
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
75/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
29/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
90/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise increased caution in Belgium due to terrorism. Country Summary: There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other related activities in Belgium. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target: Tourist locations Transportation hubs (e.g. airports, train stations, mass transit) Markets and shopping malls Local government buildings Hotels, clubs, and restaurants Places of worship Parks Major sporting, music, and cultural events Schools Public areas Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Belgium. If you decide to travel to Belgium: Stay alert in tourist spots. Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and Alerts from the U.S. Embassy and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the Country Security Report for Belgium. Prepare a plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist. Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel and return to the United States. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data