Hello! My family (me, my wife, two kids, 8 and 3 years old) will be traveling to Paris from November 16-26 and I would really like to see a little bit of Belgium while we are in the area. I think at most we will have 2 full days + our arrival and the day we check out and head back to Paris. Our flight lands in CDG at 6 AM, so I though that would be easiest to head straight from the airport to Brussels after we get in. Instead of trying to do another train transfer with our luggage, I was planning to get a hotel in Brussels and then take a day trip to Bruges and a day trip to Ghent the next day. A few questions - and many thanks in advance!

1. Is it a good idea to get a hotel near midi station so we can quickly get to and from the hotel for those day trips, as well as have less time with all the luggage when we arrive/depart Brussels? Or is this area not going to be good for staying, and better to get a hotel in the center even though we will only walk around central Brussels for one day?

2. Any problems with the above plan? What would you do differently? My main concern is that with luggage and my 3 year old needing to be carried sometimes, we may have a tough time with additional transfers.

3. Any suggestions for things to do with kids this age if the weather doesn't cooperate and it's colder than expected or raining?

4. Anything happening in any of these places - Brussels, Ghent, Bruges - during November 16-19 that is specifically worth checking out?

I want to go to Belgium this Christmas and visit Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges (the classic route), but with one important detail: I want to propose to my partner. We’ll be there for five days. I want to spend the first night in Brussels, but I’m not sure where to stay for the remaining days. I’m debating whether to base ourselves in either Ghent or Bruges and just travel by train from there, or if it’s better to book separate accommodation in each city. What do you recommend—that approach, or staying in each city individually?

We are staying in Brussels next May for 2 weeks and are planning on taking the IC train from the airport to downtown then transfer to the local train to the Sainte Catherine stop. Our Airbnb is a minute or two walk from there. We'll most likely have one checked bag and two carry ons with us.

It seems very straight forward, but is there anything else I should know ? Anything to watch out for? Any tips to make it easier?

Hi everyone!

I'm putting together an itinerary for a trip to Europe next year and came up with the list of cities below. I'd really love your opinions, especially regarding Belgium.
From my initial research, I got the feeling that Brussels, Ghent, and Bruges are very similar.

Do you have the same impression? Is it worth including all three in the itinerary, or does it get too repetitive?

Hey everyone, I am coming to the Zoniënwoud on saturday with some friends and I was wondering if you can advice me what the best area is for a nice walk (for people that have never been there).

I did an organised walk last year and at some point the route went on these wooden paths which felt truly magical but I cannot remember where this was approximately located.

I added the map of the entire route I walked then. Maybe if anyone recognizes the area in the photos?

Thank you in advance :)

Me and my two friends (we’re all 27) are coming to Brussels between 19th - 21st October.

Would love some recommendations for the best bars, pubs and clubs which will be lively and have a good crowd.

Or even any events that might be on.

Cheers in advance

Myself and my partner just booked a stay in Brussels, our place is quite close to the EU buildings, though she seems to now have the belief that Brussels is very unsafe to travel to? We are coming from the UK, we were also thinking about Ghent as a backup?

Dear fellows!

I’m moving to Brussels soon, and I’ve received a really nice offer for a renovated duplex apartment in a traditional maison bruxelloise. The apartment occupies the second and third floors, with the upper floor tucked under the roof.

The apartment itself is beautiful, but one thing that caught our attention is how narrow the staircase is!
For those of you who live (or have lived) in these traditional Brussels houses, what has your experience been like? Are there any particular advantages or disadvantages we should be aware of?

One obvious plus for us is that the apartment is within easy walking distance of the institution where I’ll be working, which is a big advantage.

I’m just wondering whether living in a renovated maison bruxelloise is a good option in the long run, or whether we’d be better off looking for an apartment in a newer, more modern building.

I’d really appreciate hearing your experiences, advice, or anything you wish you’d known before moving into one of these houses!

Thanks a lot! 😊

I am studying masters at vub just moved to Belgium few days back was looking for company to travel around Brussels and make friends
F 21

I'm looking for a WWI focused tour between Ghent and Bruges on Dec 22. Something that would cover private car pick up in Ghent - hit sites such as Diksmuide, Trench of Death, Vladslo, Passchendaele/Tyne Cot, Ypres/Lost Post and then drop off in Bruges. Do you know someone who would have the interest in something like this? I've tried "With Locals" and a few other private guide sites, no luck yet.

The trains are hella expensive, and the flixbus before that one is at 12😭 If you believe that it’s undoable, are there other cheap bus companies that can bring me to the airport maybe?

Two big art shows open in Liège and Ghent, Namur fills its citadel with nature photography, and Brussels opens its last round of 19th-century interiors.

⚠️ Heads-up

Rail strike, Sunday night and Monday. From Sunday 11 Oct at 22:00 until the last train on Monday 12 Oct, fewer trains will run. The alternative timetable appears in the NMBS app 24 hours ahead, so plan Sunday-evening returns before 22:00. In Brussels, STIB expects disruption on Friday 9 Oct (national demonstration) and possibly on Monday. Details

Liège. After unrest in the city centre this week, the city has banned gatherings of more than three people in public places until 16 Oct. Households, people going to shops, cafés or restaurants, and authorised events are exempt. Letec buses and trams were also stopped by a strike on Thursday, so check before you travel. Details

⭐ Weekend highlight: Festival International Nature Namur (Citadelle de Namur and Le Delta, Namur, 10–18 Oct)

Belgium's big nature film and photo festival opens on Saturday and runs for nine days. Most of it is free: the Nature Village with stands from nature groups, the indoor and outdoor photo exhibitions at the Citadelle (60 photos picked from 4,238 contest entries), the talks, and most of the guided nature walks (booking required). The films are the paid part: €8 per session of two films, €4 for children, or €40 for a pass that covers six sessions. Buy tickets online or at the Le Delta box office, because no tickets are sold at the Citadelle.

🏛️ Brussels

ANTE Festival, final weekend (Brussels-City, Laeken, Schaerbeek and Saint-Josse, Sat + Sun): The second weekend moves to a new set of normally closed 19th-century interiors north of the centre. €13 per visit (€6.50 reduced), down to €9 each if you book five. Under-12s are free but need a booked ticket. Online booking closes Friday 9 Oct at 10:00; after that, try the door or check the list of tours with places left. On Sunday, kids aged 6–12 can join a treasure hunt through the Maison des Arts in Schaerbeek (€8, FR at 13:00, NL at 14:30).

🦁 Flanders

Jenny Montigny at MSK Gent (Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent, opens Sat, until 10 Jan): A Ghent painter who exhibited internationally in her lifetime and was quickly forgotten after her death in 1937 gets a major show, more than a century after her first retrospective. Expect village scenes along the Leie, interiors and portraits, plus drawings of wounded Belgian soldiers she made in London during WWI. Her teacher, Émile Claus, also features in Liège's new show (see Wallonia). €15, €7.50 under 26, free under 19.

Film Fest Gent (various cinemas, Ghent, until 18 Oct): Belgian premieres, a competition focused on film music, and screenings at Kinepolis, Studio Skoop, Sphinx and other venues around town. Tickets per screening on the festival site.

Sint-Gummarus procession (Lier, Sun, late morning): Sixteen bearers carry the silver reliquary of Lier's patron saint, which weighs over 800 kg, through the streets. It follows the 10:00 pilgrimage mass at St Gummarus Church and has been on Flanders' intangible heritage inventory since 2019. Free.

🐓 Wallonia

Impressionism, a Belgian story (La Boverie, Liège, from Fri 9 Oct, Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00): Around 150 works put Belgian painters such as James Ensor, Théo Van Rysselberghe and Émile Claus next to Monet, Renoir, Pissarro and Sisley, with loans from the Musée d'Orsay. €18, €12 for ages 6–25, under-6s free. Booking a time slot online is advised, and each e-ticket includes a code for 40% off one train trip to Liège. Texts in French, Dutch and English.

Parcours d'Art (Huy, Sat + Sun 14:00–18:00): Final weekend of Huy's art trail. Around 40 artists show painting, photography, ceramics, sculpture and textile work in heritage buildings, shop windows, courtyards and gardens across the centre. This year's theme is chance. Free.

Arts dans la ville (Tournai, all October): Paintings, sculpture, installations and performances in museums, heritage buildings and a few unexpected spots around the city.

🌸 Nature tip

Saturday is the Night of Darkness, when towns switch off decorative lighting to show what light pollution hides. In Ghent, the monument lighting goes off from 19:00 to midnight, and the three towers stay dark from Friday evening to Monday morning. The university's public observatory sets up telescopes in the Bourgoyen nature reserve, at De Kaaihoeve in Meilegem and at Het Leen in Eeklo. You will only see stars if the sky clears between Saturday's showers.

📸 Speaking of decorative lighting, guess the city on the photo with lots of lights reflected in the water.

If you know some other activities or events for this weekend, shard them in the comments!

This is the spot to post your low-effort content!

Got a great photo you want to share, but don't want to make a bigger post? This is the place for it!

1. It should be your own original photo.
2. Include the location and what it is we're seeing. Why did you like it or want to share it?
3. Any (SFW) subject matter is allowed, as long as it features Belgium (it could be a train station in Antwerp or your favourite spot in Brussels). As long as it's Belgium, it's fine.

Looking for a recommendation for a spot for new years dinner that serves mussels and oysters? Budget friendly options would be lovely! Thank you so much!!

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Trip to Belgium/France

Hello, I’m planning a round trip between Brussels and Strasbourg for the weekend of October 16–18.

It will be my first time traveling with FlixBus; how does it work?

The bus departs from Gare du Nord; how early should I arrive before the bus gets there? Also, once it arrives, what is the procedure for the ticket and my small suitcase?

Does reserving a seat actually make a difference?

The bus will be stopping in two other French cities; is there a risk of theft regarding the luggage?

Do the USB ports work?

Are there overhead luggage racks like on trains?

Thanks.

I will be visiting Belgium (Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp) for 10 days in early December. I've Googled what to kind of weather to expect, and it looks like it will be cold and rainy. Does "rainy" mean drizzly/gray/misty days, or more like continual steady rain? I have good options for raincoats, and I can pack to dress for cold weather, but I am trying to decide what the most appropriate footwear will be. Any help is appreciated.

Hello, I'm going to pick up my sister from zaverntem airport on Saturday and my 4 year old is coming with. I was hoping to park and go inside to show her some airplanes. Do any of you frequent flyers know if there's a place to do that and also what parking would be best for that? Thank you very much!

I made this map for Montpellier (France) a few days ago, and people asked for other cities, so here's Brussels.

Pick any starting point and the whole region gets colored by how long it takes to get there by STIB metro, tram and premetro, walking and waiting included, based on STIB's official timetables. Click anywhere for a detailed itinerary, and tick a box to add buses.

From the Grand-Place: Gare du Midi is about 10 min away, Schuman 15 min, Stockel and Erasme 25 min, Heysel/Atomium just under 30.

It only covers STIB for now (no SNCB, De Lijn or TEC). If some times look off to you, let me know, local feedback really helps!

4+ hours in passport control line, with my 80yo father on a trip to celebrate his birthday. The 20yo staff denied us access to the handicap line until he could not stand anymore. This barbaric system pushes people to their breaking point, and after 4+ hours people with children started freaking out on the staff.