Tours to Belgium are not accidentally compared with a trip to the heart of Europe. This small multilingual and multicultural country has a rich historical heritage and a very vibrant modern life. Rest in Belgium is, first of all, a trip to the country of castles and palaces, sightseeing tours to Brussels, Liege, Antwerp, Ghent and Bruges with their unique sights and many art galleries, museums of modern art.
By booking tours with a tour operator in Belgium, every fan of cultural holidays from Moscow and other regions has the opportunity to immerse himself in the multifaceted history of this small state, relax in prestigious hotels, enjoy national cuisine in luxurious restaurants and breathe in the magical air that fills life with a sense of a fairy tale and a dream come true!
Currency: Euro
Language: Dutch, French, German
Capital: Brussels
“Unity gives strength”
Motto of the Kingdom of Belgium
The uniqueness of Belgium lies precisely in the unity and diversity of cultures and national characteristics that make up the wealth of this small but amazing country. Traditions, history and languages of France, the Netherlands and Germany intertwined here. Ancient northern Flanders with Dutch roots, southern Wallonia drenched in French flair, and the Brussels metropolitan region. Belgium absorbed the precious heritage of Western European countries and the progressive spirit of modern Europe. Ancient castles, magnificent examples of architecture – from Gothic to Art Nouveau, museums with magnificent collections, among which are unique masterpieces of famous Flemish painters, beautiful well-groomed parks. It is in the capital of the kingdom – Brussels that the headquarters of the EU and NATO are located. Belgium also holds a special place among gourmets – thanks to its unsurpassed cuisine, this country has the largest concentration of Michelin-starred restaurants. Belgium is saturated with the “wind of freedom”, and, perhaps, not in vain, its national literary hero, the valiant Til Ulenspiegel, remained immortal, “without losing either youth, or strength, or beauty, for the love and spirit of Flanders do not grow old.”
Geographical location
Belgium is located in northwestern Europe, with an area of 30,528 km² and a population of 10.8 million people. Belgium borders – in the north with the Netherlands, in the east – with Germany, in the southeast – with Luxembourg and in the south and west – with France, and in the northwest the country is washed by the North Sea. The territory of Belgium is divided into three geographical zones: middle Belgium, stretching on the central plateau, low Belgium – a coastal plain located at an altitude of up to 100 m above sea level in the northwest of the country and high Belgium, which is the Ardennes highland, towering in the southeast at an altitude of 200 – 500 m above sea level. Administratively, Belgium is divided into three regions – Flemish, Walloon and Brussels, two of which, in turn, are divided into provinces.
Climate
Belgium has an oceanic, temperate maritime and humid climate, with mild and rainy winters and cool, rainy summers. The average temperature in January is +3°C, in July +18°C.
A bit of history
Name Belgium ( België) comes from the ethnonym of the Celtic tribe “Belgians”. In 54 B.C. the territory of present-day Belgium was conquered by the troops of Julius Caesar, and after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the country was conquered by the Germanic tribes of the Franks. In the Middle Ages, Belgium was part of the Duchy of Burgundy, in 1477-1556. became part of the Holy Roman Empire, then until 1713 was part of Spain, from 1792 to 1815. – as part of France, and from 1815 to 1830, according to the Congress of Vienna – as part of the Netherlands. After the revolution of 1830, Belgium became a neutral state, and in the 19th century the country’s economic prosperity began. Today Belgium is the Center of Europe, one of its most important cultural and political centers, a member of the UN, NATO and the EEC, a country where several cultures and languages are intertwined, a constitutional monarchy and a federal state,
Cultural heritage
The cultural heritage of Belgium is a fusion of several languages and cultures: Flemish, Belgian, French and German.
Painting: Rubens, Frans Snyders, Jan Davids de Heem, James Ensor, Constant Permeke, Leon Spilliart, Rene Francois, Marcel Brodthast, Ghislaine Magritte.
Literature: Charles de Coster, Maurice Maeterlinck, Georges Simenon, Max Valer, Emile Verhaern.
Music: Francis Goya, Louis Brassin, Salvatore Adamo, Lara Fabian.
Cuisine
Belgian cuisine, as an integral part of culture, has evolved under the influence of the cuisines of different communities and regions, while the traditions of cuisine are associated with centuries of history, and modern Belgian cuisine is an exquisite symbiosis of the best dishes from different countries. It is in Belgium that there is the highest concentration of “Michelin star” restaurants per square kilometer, most of which are in the Flemish region. By the way, the splendor of mouth-watering dishes and products inspired even the famous Flemish painters, who depicted exquisite dishes on their canvases. With all the variety of delicacies, there are dishes for which Belgium is famous all over the world.
Did you know that Belgium is the birthplace of french fries? According to legend, in ancient times in the Walloon region, in Liege, locals fried fish caught in lakes and rivers in fat, but in one of the especially cold winters in the 17th century, due to frozen reservoirs, they tried deep-fried potatoes instead of fish. Today, in Belgium, there are Friture stalls that offer not only French fries, but also other deep-fried dishes. And the delicious Belgian chocolate, the production of which was started in 1857 by Jean Neuhaus? In 1912, Jean’s son invented the delicious stuffed chocolates that are now known as pralines. Another famous Belgian sweet is waffles. The most popular varieties are: Liege – hard, with pieces of caramelized sugar inside, and airy Brussels waffles, which are served warm, with ice cream, fruit or chocolate. It’s no secret that the national drink of the Belgians is beer, repeatedly recognized as one of the best in the world. This old traditional drink, of which more than 500 varieties are produced in Belgium, often, in addition to the usual ingredients, add honey, fruits, sugar and rice.
Other Belgian specialties include: Lapin à la Gueuze – rabbit meat stewed in Gueuze beer; Belgian stoemp – mashed potatoes with carrots and onions; Asperges op zijn – Flemish asparagus in a creamy sauce; Belgian soup Waterzooi (Waterzooi) with fish or chicken; Carbonade Flamande – Flemish beef goulash; Kalfsvleeskroketten – Flemish veal croquettes; the famous national dish Moules frites, which is french fries with mussels and various sauces; Filets de sole a l’Ostendaise – sole fillet with shrimp sauce, and shrimp croquettes – Garnaalkroketten.
Holidays
January 1 – New Year
‘s Day May 1 – Workers’ Day
May 25 – Ascension Day
July 11 – Dutch Cultural Community holiday
July 21 – National Holiday
September 27 – French-speaking Cultural Community holiday
November 1 – All Saints Day
November 11 – Armistice Day
November 15 – Holiday King
December 25 – Christmas
