Destination | Belgium

Geographic Location: Western Europe

Capital City: Brussels (Bruxelles)

Language: French, Dutch and German

Currency: Euro (EUR) 

Quick Conversions: $1 USD = € 0.9 EUR

Climate: Maritime temperate with significant precipitation in all seasons. The lowest temperature is lowest in January at 3 °C (37.4 °F) and the highest in July at 18 °C (64.4 °F).

Famous for: Comics, Belgian beer, Belgian praline, Belgian waffle, potato fries, mussels with fries, etc.

 

Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a small country in the heart of Western Europe. The Netherlands borders it to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast and France to the southwest, and the North Sea to the northwest.

The country has been influenced by surrounding countries for many centuries, creating one of the most unique cultures. Two dominant cultures in Belgium are Flanders in the Flemish Region where Dutch is spoken and Wallonia in the Walloon Region where French is spoken; interestingly, Brussels is dominantly French spoken although located in the Flemish region. While the country is culturally and linguistically divided, Belgians quickly unite as the country, especially during the World Cup Games.

This diverse culture and influence is best reflected in Belgian cuisine with significant regional variations. But to the outside world, Belgium is best known for its pralines, waffles and potato fries. The country’s long tradition of craftsmanship for brewing beer – such as Trappist beer – is also famous with its beer culture being recognized as the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Given its glorious culinary culture, it is almost strange that Belgium does not get enough credit as the best food destinations in Europe.