Belgium: Budget Travel Guide

Brussels is not cheap, but it does have some freebie gems which all Cheapos should take advantage of. While we have no secret tips for nabbing free steamed mussels and Belgian beer (alas!), we do have the skinny on the top free attractions in the city. (Don’t forget to check out our Brussels city guide » Read more

Brussels is a bustling city in Belgium combining Euro cosmopolitan with old historic buildings and charm. Definitely a melting pot of people, cultures and styles, Brussels offers a lot to see and do, including the tradition of imbibing Belgian beer. But as the de facto capital of the European Union, this city can get expensive » Read more

Antwerp is one of Western Europe’s true hidden gems. Internationally overshadowed by its more bureaucratic sibling Brussels, Belgium’s second city used to be an important mercantile center in the Low Countries and has left behind a rich city to lose yourself in. Today it takes a more discerning traveler to explore this picturesque medieval city. If » Read more

If you are looking to take an affordable holiday to Brussels, you shouldn’t get spooked by the high hotel rates you’ll see when searching around the web. As home to the European Parliament, it’s true that many of the city’s hotels are popular with traveling business-types and can cost a pretty penny. However, there are still » Read more

Antwerp in Belgium, the capital of Flanders, is an oddly overlooked charmer in spitting distance by train of several big European cities, most notably Brussels (only one hour away by train), Amsterdam, Paris, London and Cologne. The city, long a diamond trade and fashion industry motor, is stylish and self-possessed. There are loads of reasons » Read more

Bruges has a hassle-free vibe, wrapping locals with a warm blanket of comfy taverns, bakeries and romantic wanders. Weekends pass slowly and satisfying as people embrace the feeling of this 14th century sleepy Flemish town. Plus, there’s no lack of affordable hotels and hostels in town starting at $47. But where do you begin to » Read more

Avoid the crowds. That’s always a good travel maxim, and it is especially true in the Netherlands and Belgium. The great majority of travelers heading for the Netherlands make straight for Amsterdam, and for British holders of InterRail passes Amsterdam has become almost the de rigeur first stop on the continent. In Belgium, it is » Read more

A surreal experience Tucked away along the Belgian coast are some quite remarkable spots. And the tram route that every 20 minutes links communities along the coast is an essay in surrealism. The tram binds René Magritte’s magnificent murals at the casino in Knokke (near the Dutch border at the northeast end of the tram route) » Read more