Why Belgium you ask? Why not Belgium? Honestly, I had no clue what to expect when I booked my mom and I a flight to Belgium for her birthday. I had no special reason as to why I chose Belgium; I just knew that I want to visit every country in Europe and I hadn’t been to Belgium yet! I was a bit skeptical because quite frankly, not many people talk about Belgium. It isn’t one of those “bragged about” countries – like France, Italy, Spain, and so on. I happened upon a blog post titled “Is Belgium Boring?” from my favorite travel blogger Brooke, over at World of Wanderlust, her conclusion being no.
How to Spend 7 Days in Belgium
Upon leaving for Belgium a majority of what I heard consisted of people asking, “What’s in Belgium?” “Where is Belgium?” I even heard, “Well once you get there its cheap and easy to travel around Europe so you can see other countries instead.” Now that I have experienced the country for myself, part of me is okay with people thinking that because… less tourists. The other part of me feels a bit sad for those people because they are missing out on an incredibly beautiful and fun country. A country where it’s okay to start drinking beer at 10 am. A country that takes pride in making and eating the most delicious waffles, french fries, and mussels one can find. A country full of smiling people who are happy to have you visit. And a country so richly seeped in history that you can take any number of tour to learn what makes Belgium so uniquely Belgium.
Belgium in seven days. What a whirlwind! A fantastic, crazy, tiring, feet aching, WHIRLWIND. The best part of staying in one country for an extended period of time is diving head first into the culture. You get away from the big city that is the capital, and move through smaller villages and the countryside, the places that are so unique to a specific country, but nobody talks about. You get to meet the locals, try the local cuisine, and in Belgium’s case – drink a LOT of Belgian beer! Instead of hitting the “highlights” you get a chance to see a bigger part of the country. Away from the tourist hot spots. So if you’re going to Belgium, slow down and take your time. Spend a week or more to see the entirety of Belgium. Not just the capital city of Brussels.
Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp
The first thing I did while planning my week in Belgium was to pick which cities I wanted to explore. I chose to spend time in the northern region because quite frankly, I was able to find more information in that area. I started my week by flying into the capital city, Brussels. Here I spent one night before catching a 30 minute train into Ghent,the college town of the Flanders region. After spending one day in Ghent I hopped on a train that took me 30 minutes further onward to the fairytale town known as Brugge. I spent two days in Brugge before catching an hour and a half train ride further north into Antwerp. What was previously known as the fashion capital of the world, is now more famously known for being in the diamond business. And after one day in Antwerp, I caught my final train taking me back to where I started. Brussels, where I spent the night and flew out the following morning. Overall, I enjoyed my route through Belgium. If I were to go back and do the same trip over, I’d extend my time in Ghent and cut out on night in Brussels.
So you tell me, have you ever visited Belgium?
Belgium Essentials – What You Need & Need to Know About Visiting Belgium
TRAVELING THROUGH BELGIUM
- To book a flight to Belgium, I recommend using a big search engine to compare options (if you’re from the US sign up for Going to get cheap flight alerts)
- For car rentals in Belgium, I recommend Discover Cars
- For train tickets, I recommend Omio
- If you want an English speaking driver waiting to pick you up at the airport in Brussels, use Welcome Pickups
- I highly recommend travel insurance when traveling through Belgium – I use and recommend SafetyWing
- If you need a SIM card, aloSIM for an easy and affordable e-SIM – use code “KYLEE5” for a 5% discount
ACCOMODATION IN BELGIUM
- To easiest way to book hotels in Belgium is through Booking.com or Expedia
- The easiest way to book rentals in Belgium is through VRBO
TOURS IN BELGIUM
- For tours and activities in Belgium, I recommend using Viator
WHAT TO BRING TO BELGIUM
- Don’t forget a Belgium guide book to help plan your travels
- You’ll need a travel plug adapter (Belgium uses type C)
- My favorite luggage is Calpak
- My favorite travel backpack is Nordace
- I recommend bringing a reusable water bottle to cut down on plastic waste
- I recommend an eye mask for long flights and to help with jet lag
For a more recommendations for Belgium, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel and search “#ppinbelgium” or look for the “Belgium” highlight
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Founded by Kylee, a NICU nurse with nine years of experience, including seven years as a travel nurse; Passports and Preemies was created in 2017 and is now the go-to travel and lifestyle channel for nurses who crave adventure beyond the bedside. Whether you’re a staff nurse looking for your next getaway or a travel nurse navigating life on the road, this space is designed to help you maximize your time off, explore the world, and prevent nurse burnout.
On Passports and Preemies, you’ll find everything from travel nursing insights – how to get started, land the best assignments, and thrive on the road – to expert travel tips, destination guides, and real-talk about balancing nursing with a life well-traveled. Passports and Preemies also includes Beyond the Bedside – group trips for nurses around the world; as well as the podcast, Passports and Preemies Talks.
