Best Time for Belgium Tours
The best time for Belgium tours depends on what experience you want. Spring (April–May) is one of the most beautiful times to visit Belgium — the famous Keukenhof tulip fields in nearby Netherlands are in full bloom with beautiful tulips, and Belgium's own extraordinary flower garden displays are at their most colorful. Summer (June–August) is Belgium's most popular tourist season — the Grand Place, Bruges' picturesque canals, and Belgium's sandy beaches on the North Sea are at their most vibrant. Christmas markets transform Belgium's historic cities in December — Belgium's extraordinary Christmas markets in Brussels, Bruges, and Ghent are among the most magical and atmospheric in all of northern Europe, with Belgian waffles, hot chocolate, and Belgian beer warming every traveler through the winter months. Autumn (September–October) offers fewer tourists and comfortable temperatures — an ideal time to explore Belgium's cobblestone streets, medieval centers, and extraordinary museum collections without the summer crowds.Belgian Waffles, Beer and Culinary Delights
Belgium is famous for its chocolate, waffles, and beer — a culinary culture of extraordinary depth and quality that makes Belgian food one of Europe's greatest gastronomic traditions. Belgian waffles are one of Belgium's most beloved street foods — the light, crispy Brussels waffle (gaufre) topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream, and the denser, chewier Liège waffle coated in caramelized pearl sugar, are two of Belgium's most iconic and delicious treats. Moules-frites is Belgium's national dish — fresh mussels steamed with white wine, cream, and herbs and served with crispy Belgian fries (considered some of the best in the world) is the quintessential Belgian dining experience. Stoemp is a traditional Belgian dish of mashed potatoes with vegetables — a hearty and comforting Belgian comfort food enjoyed by locals across the country. Gentse waterzooi is a creamy Flemish fish stew — one of Ghent's most beloved and distinctive traditional dishes, a wonderful introduction to Belgium's extraordinary regional culinary traditions. Belgian beer is one of the world's greatest brewing traditions — over 1,500 different beers brewed in Belgium, from Trappist monastery ales to wheat beers and lambics, make Belgium one of the world's greatest beer destinations for any brewery tour enthusiast.Belgium Trips: Bruges and Medieval Architecture
Belgium trips to medieval Bruges are among the most rewarding and beautiful city breaks in all of western Europe — Bruges is consistently voted one of Europe's most beautiful cities, and its extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage medieval center has changed remarkably little since the Middle Ages. Bruges is known as the "Venice of the North" for its picturesque canals — the extraordinary network of medieval canals threading through the historic center, crossed by beautiful stone bridges and lined with medieval guild houses, creates one of Europe's most photographic and romantic cityscapes. Explore Bruges on a canal cruise through the picturesque canals — the extraordinary experience of drifting through the medieval city by boat with expert local guides sharing the fascinating history of Bruges' extraordinary rise and fall as medieval Europe's greatest trading city is one of Belgium's most memorable and magical travel experiences. The Holy Blood Basilica in Bruges — home to a relic of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ brought back from the Second Crusade — is one of Belgium's most sacred and historically significant religious sites, visited by millions of pilgrims and travelers every year.Belgium Guided Tours: Brussels and Grand Place
Belgium guided tours offer the deepest and most rewarding way to discover Belgium's extraordinary historical and cultural heritage. Belgium guided tours offer expert local guides who bring the extraordinary stories of Belgium's two world wars, medieval architecture, and world-class art to life at every destination. Guided tours of Brussels cover major historical sites — from the Grand Place and Brussels Royal Palace to the Atomium, Manneken Pis, and the extraordinary European Quarter that houses the institutions of the European Union. Belgium offers both guided and self-guided tour options — guided tours often include local experts and premium dining experiences, while self-guided cycling tours are popular for exploring Belgium's extraordinary flat landscapes and canal-side cycling routes. Nearly half of Belgium's most popular tours include Belgian beer brewery tours — our Belgium guided tours include visits to extraordinary Trappist monasteries and craft breweries alongside the historic sites and culinary delights of Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp.Brussels Royal Palace and Belgian History
The Royal Palace of Brussels is 50% longer than Buckingham Palace — the magnificent official palace of the Belgian royal family, stretching an extraordinary 247 metres along the southern side of the Place des Palais, is one of Brussels' most impressive and historically significant royal monuments. The Battle of Waterloo marked Napoleon's defeat in 1815 — just 20 kilometres south of Brussels, the extraordinary Waterloo battlefield where Napoleon met his final defeat is one of Belgium's most important historical sites and a fascinating day trip from Brussels. Belgium's rich history spanning the Middle Ages, the Spanish and Austrian Habsburg dynasties, Napoleonic occupation, and two world wars has left an extraordinary concentration of historical significance in this small but remarkable country. The Last Post Ceremony takes place every evening at the Menin Gate in Ypres — the extraordinary daily ceremony honoring the soldiers of World War I has been performed every evening since 1928 (except during World War II occupation) and is one of the most moving and profound Belgium travel experiences.Belgian Beer: Brewery Tour and Tasting Culture
Belgian beer is one of the world's most extraordinary brewing cultures — UNESCO recognized Belgian beer culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016, and Belgium's over 1,500 different beers represent one of the world's greatest and most diverse brewing traditions. A brewery tour is an essential part of any Belgium tour — visiting a traditional Trappist monastery brewery (where monks have brewed extraordinary ales for centuries) or an Antwerp craft brewery with expert local guides is one of Belgium's most authentic and enjoyable culinary experiences. Belgian Trappist beers — produced by Trappist monks at extraordinary monasteries including Westvleteren, Chimay, and Orval — are considered among the finest and most complex beers in the world. Belgian beer tasting with local experts at a traditional Belgian café (estaminet) — sampling extraordinary abbey ales, wheat beers, fruit lambics, and the legendary gueuze alongside moules-frites and Belgian cheese — is one of Belgium's most enjoyable and authentic cultural experiences for every traveler.Picturesque Canals: Bruges and Ghent
Belgium's picturesque canals are one of the country's most extraordinary and beloved natural and architectural treasures — from Bruges' extraordinary medieval canal network (earning it the title "Venice of the North") to Ghent's beautiful Graslei and Korenlei canal quays lined with extraordinary medieval guild houses. A canal cruise through Bruges' picturesque canals is one of Belgium's most popular and magical travel experiences — departing from the central Dijver canal, the boat journey reveals extraordinary views of the medieval city's bridges, guild houses, and historic buildings that most visitors never see from the cobblestone streets above. Ghent's canal district — particularly the extraordinary Graslei and Korenlei quays with their perfectly preserved medieval Flemish architecture — is one of Belgium's most beautiful and photogenic destinations, best explored on foot along the cobblestone streets or by river cruise through the city's extraordinary historic center. Belgium's extraordinary canal heritage — connecting cities, towns, and ports across this flat northern European country since the Middle Ages — is an essential part of understanding the rich history and extraordinary commercial success that made Belgium one of medieval Europe's greatest trading nations.Christmas Markets in Belgium: Winter Wonderland
Belgium's Christmas markets are among the most magical and atmospheric in all of northern Europe — the historic market squares of Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, and Liège transform into extraordinary winter wonderlands of lights, crafts, Belgian waffles, and hot Belgian beer every December. The Brussels Winter Wonders Christmas market — spread across the Grand Place and surrounding streets — is one of Europe's largest and most beautiful Christmas markets, drawing millions of visitors to Belgium's extraordinary capital each December. Bruges' Christmas market in the Markt and Simon Stevinplein squares — with the extraordinary medieval city as a backdrop and the Belfry Tower illuminated against the winter sky — is one of Belgium's most charming and intimate Christmas market experiences. Belgium's Christmas markets offer extraordinary culinary delights of hot chocolate, speculoos cookies, Belgian pralines from the finest chocolate shops, and warming glasses of Belgian abbey beer alongside traditional Christmas crafts and decorations. Book Christmas market Belgium trips well in advance — December is Belgium's most popular month for tourism and city center hotels fill quickly.Market Square and Grand Place: UNESCO Heritage
The Grand Place in Brussels is Belgium's greatest and most extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Site — a magnificent medieval market square considered one of the most beautiful public squares in the entire world, surrounded by the ornate 17th-century guild houses of Brussels' medieval trade associations. The Grote Markt (Market Square) in Bruges, Ghent, and Antwerp are three more of Belgium's most extraordinary and beautiful historic market squares — each offering a completely different and extraordinary architectural expression of Flemish medieval culture and commercial wealth. Belgium's towns halls — from the magnificent Gothic Brussels Town Hall (the oldest building on the Grand Place, dating to 1402) to Ghent's extraordinary 14th-century Stadhuis — are among Belgium's finest and most historically significant medieval architecture achievements. Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German — this extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity is reflected in the different architectural styles, culinary traditions, and cultural identities of Flanders (Dutch-speaking), Wallonia (French-speaking), and the small German-speaking eastern region.How Do I Book Belgium Tours?
Contact Firebird's destination specialists to book Belgium tours — we plan all details of your Belgium trip, from Brussels and Bruges hotel accommodations and airport transfers to Grand Place guided tours, canal cruises, Belgian chocolate masterclasses, brewery tours, Ghent city tours, Antwerp diamond capital visits, Ardennes day trips, and Ypres World War I memorial excursions. Our Belgium guided tours and Belgium trips cover all the key destinations — Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp, Ypres, and the Ardennes — in 10 to 11-day itineraries. A valid passport is required for all non-EU travelers — contact our local experts today to start planning your perfect Belgium tour through this extraordinary western Europe destination.
