How well do you know Belgium? How much are you yearning to experience even a day or two in the life of a Belgian?
Well, if things and your feelings get more serious, just know that the idea of visiting or settling down in the captivating country of Belgium is definitely one of the greatest decisions you could do in life!
This country somewhere in Western Europe has loads and tons of offers more than what you could ever imagine.
If you’re eager to feel the grounds of Belgium beneath your feet, now is the perfect time to plan for your most-awaited Belgian trip. But first, check out these facts about the mesmerising country that will give you extreme excitement like no other!
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Brussels: Ever-loving Audrey Hepburn’s place of birth
The film and fashion icon, the epitome of beauty and elegance, and the ever-loving Audrey Hepburn was actually born in Brussels, the capital city of Belgium. So, if you’re a certified Audrey Hepburn fan, Brussels is the place which deserves a spot on your bucket list!
This might confuse many of Audrey Hepburn’s admirer since she’s mainly active in the United States as a Hollywood actress and held a British passport.
But like her birthplace, Brussels, which is known as a place with a multicultural and multilingual identity, she was known to speak fluently in at least 6 languages – which made her a polyglot.
The Belgian War of Independence and diversity in languages
The Belgian Revolution which takes place in the year 1830 was the conflict that led to the separation of the southern provinces (mostly the former Southern Netherlands) from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Through blood, courage, and utmost bravery, the Belgian people got their absolute independence in the year 1830, the year that marks the founding of an independent Kingdom of Belgium.
Today, Dutch, French, and German are the three official languages in Belgium. Which makes it more interesting for having diversity in languages.
The 2nd Country to legalise Same-sex marriage
In the midst of debate regarding the legalisation of same-sex marriage in different countries around the world, you might want to know that Belgium is the 2nd country, next to the Netherlands, to permit same-sex marriage back in 2003. Also, in the year 2002, euthanasia in Belgium was also legalised.
The country with the longest period without a government
Between the years 2010-2011, Belgium dethroned Iraq for bagging the record of the longest government formation in history.
It took 541 days to form coalitions and an additional 48 days to settle government positions. Which conveys an intriguing fact that Belgium survived a total of 589 days without a government – how on earth did they do that?
Belgium is a place for chocolate maniacs
There’s no doubt Belgium can be considered as the sweetest country/place on earth! For over 400 chocolatey years, it has been producing chocolates and now consists of over 2,000 chocolate shops.
In fact, you can find the largest chocolate selling place in the world here at Brussels International Airport. So, Belgium undeniably the perfect haven for chocolate maniacs!
Robert Cailliau is a Belgian and a co-inventor of the World Wide Web
If you grew up with the knowledge that the World Wide Web was established and developed in CERN, Switzerland, that’s good! But do you know who invented it?
Well, say thanks to Tim Bernes-Lee for establishing it or else the world wouldn’t be able to disseminate information in merely a snap of their fingers.
But, behind the success of the WWW and the inventor Bernes-Lee is his Belgian colleague Robert Cailliau who lend his helping hands to deliver a life-changing development in the world.
The country with the most castles anywhere in the world
If you have a big heart for fairytales then Belgium is a place to satisfy your castle cravings. It’s simply because it has lots of castles per kilometre compared to any other country in the world! Yes, you read it right.
So, if you want to feel and live like a princess or a prince, then why not visit this place and make your dream character come to life? For your guide, see the list of the finest castles you might want to include in your Belgian tour itinerary.
- Castle of Corroy-le-Chateau
- Jemeppe Castle
- Jehay-Bodognee Castle
- Chateau de Modave
- Bornem Castle
- Rumbeke Castle
- Het Steen
- Antoing Castle
- Gaasbeek Castle
- Gravensteen
Where to stay in Belgium?
While you’re dreaming and planning to visit and experience the wonderful offers of the small but beautiful country of Belgium, you might also want to consider the place to stay for your Belgian tour.
Well, booking apartments in Belgium isn’t a piece of cake, especially during peak season. That’s why you’re advised to look for the following luxury serviced apartments or book for a hotel as early as possible.
There’s no need to worry because there’s an available accommodation in Antwerp which may save you from your hotel/apartment stay dilemmas. You can also search for the nearest stores or dining if you ever booked accommodation in Antwerp or anywhere else in Belgium.
What to eat and drink in Belgium?
Of course, after finding the perfect place to stay for a few days or so in Belgium, it’s now time to figure out what are the best foods and drinks offered in the multicultural country.
Here is the list of top delicacies you never want to miss tasting once you set foot in Belgium!
- Belgian Fries
- Moules-Frites
- Stoemp
- Grey shrimp croquettes
- Speculaas
- Waterzooi
- Belgian waffles
- Belgian chocolates (of course!)
- Sirop de liege
- Tomates aux crevettes grises
Congratulate yourself for coming this far! That only proves how much you’re willing to feel the Belgian ambience and breeze right on your skin and feel the warm Belgian grounds right under your feet.
So, you can now say that you had a glimpse of your dream country. And if the time comes that you successfully landed in Belgium, don’t ever forget to collect memories and share it with us!
AUTHOR BIO:
Kath Ramirez embraced the dream of being a writer since she was in 4th grade. She took it seriously and she’s now a graduate of AB Journalism and a current writer to Australian and United Kingdom-based companies. Aside from writing, Kath also keeps herself busy spending time with her family, cherishing the role of a mom to 3 dogs and a puppy, reading random books, and diving into the world of photography. She’s not even a pro to whatever she’s engaged into right now, but one thing she knows, she’s happy and that’s more than enough.
