Ought to extra folks go to Brussels? Residents of the Belgian capital actually suppose so.
Well-liked vacationer locations throughout Europe are bracing for an inflow of worldwide vacationers this summer season, however 74.6% of 1,000 Brussels residents surveyed in 19 municipalities described the town as an “underrated” vacation spot, in keeping with a survey performed by iVOX for Ovide-Airbnb.
Whereas the variety of vacationers to Brussels in 2025 was anticipated to be 3.7 million, down barely from 3.71 million in 2024, 79% of respondents stated tourism was “important” to Brussels when it comes to supporting native companies and the financial system as an entire.
“Not many individuals know that Brussels, and Belgium as an entire, is nice for tourism,” Angela Dansby, creator of Better of Belgium: The Full Journey Information By means of Expat Eyes, informed Euronews Journey.
“I do not suppose Brussels would not have vacationers, however I really feel it is underrated as a vacation spot. My very own guests and I’ve been there lots and have all the time been very pleasantly stunned by the town and I agree with you.”
Dansby is a way of life journalist who has lived in Belgium since 2015. For her newest title, revealed in April 2026, she walked a whole bunch of kilometers along with her trusty DSRL in hand, photographing and writing about 32 cities throughout the nation.
Written by a self-proclaimed Belgitude skilled, the 200-page information takes you thru practically 100 areas, every highlighting why the multilingual vacation spot deserves a spot on each explorer’s European itinerary.
Fifteen years in the past, after securing a piece visa with a Brussels-based shopper and persevering with to work for a public relations agency whereas residing in Chicago, what was imagined to be only a “one-year experiment” become a decades-long keep.
When requested what stored her on this nation for thus lengthy, she replied: “Alongside the best way, I turned a twin citizen. I fell in love with Belgium and Belgians.”
Euronews Journey caught up with Dansby to get her perception into Belgium’s finest vacationer locations, common locations to eat, the place to expertise native artwork, heritage and tradition, and even locations which can be usually neglected by the common vacationer.
meet folks from all around the world
Belgium, the de facto middle of Europe, is dwelling to 11.9 million folks, of whom round 180 completely different nationalities are represented. For Dansby, her prime tip for touring to Belgium is to “meet folks from all around the world, particularly in Brussels.”
The place can I’m going to satisfy folks from all around the world? She recommends including fortress searching to your to-do record. Belgium is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy, so discovering fairytale points of interest just isn’t troublesome.
“Belgium has the best variety of castles per sq. kilometer on the planet,” Dansby stated, explaining that there are round 3,000 castles within the nation. “I really like discovering them. Nice examples embrace Chateau de Bouillon, Chateau de Beloeil and Chateau de Veve.”
All three areas she recommends are within the French-speaking Wallonia area of southern Belgium, the place castles and fortresses are preserved. Visited by 135,000 folks annually, Chateau de Bouillon gives guests a 360-degree panoramic view of the medieval metropolis.
As for the place else to go to get pleasure from tourism, artwork, heritage and tradition, Dansby stated vacationers can go just about wherever.
However to deliver dwelling a very distinctive story, she suggests going to Oostdwinkerke and seeing shrimp fishermen at work on horseback. Listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Record, the boys head to the ocean on horseback about 40 occasions a yr, persevering with a 500-year-old custom.
finest belgian snacks
Consuming is one in every of Dansby’s favourite issues to do in Belgium, and who can blame her? The nation’s gastronomic scene has a whole bunch of eating places listed within the Michelin Information and greater than 100 starred eating places, making it “the third-highest density on the planet,” she stated.
For vacationers trying to get pleasure from a meal, Dansby recommends eating places in Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges and Knokke-Heist.
“Eupen is ideal for conventional German cooking,” she stated, recommending dishes reminiscent of sauerbraten, a marinated pot roast, and euner platz, a flat oval brioche dish full of raisins and sprinkled generously with pearl sugar.
Dansby says Liege is the place to go for espresso, meatballs and waffles, Ghent for waterzoe (a creamy hen and vegetable soup) and Ostend for seafood.
Readers could also be stunned to be taught that the French weren’t the one ones who acquired a style for snails. Belgian Petit Gris de Namur, from the Namur division within the Wallonia area, is normally mixed with garlic butter, herbs and served with mushrooms.
past brussels
In keeping with Dansby, a few of Belgium’s finest experiences go far past the hum-drum vacationer routes.
Whereas cities like Brussels could also be synonymous with native gastronomy, Mr Danby stated Hasselt, within the nation’s Flemish area, additionally had a vibrant meals scene.
TripAdvisor’s prime three locations to eat within the metropolis embrace two Michelin-listed eating places: Ross, which serves Belgian and Dutch delicacies, and La Fontera, which is understood for its Italian and French delicacies.
“DeHaan can also be a stupendous coastal city, with a trip dwelling named after Albert Einstein, who spent a number of months there,” she stated.
Different locations with deep historical past embrace Plogstelt. This village, situated within the nation’s Wallonia area, was additionally the positioning of the 1914 Christmas Truce, when opposing troopers laid down their weapons and performed a recreation of soccer throughout World Warfare I.
Do’s and don’ts
Dansby laughs at potato chips, however advises in opposition to utilizing the phrase “french fries” due to the controversy over the snack’s origins. “Name it frites as an alternative! And take a look at consuming it with mayonnaise as an alternative of ketchup. That is the Belgian approach,” she stated.
Her different Belgium journey ideas embrace exploring the nation utilizing the nation’s public transport. Belgium’s bus strains are divided into three components, with De Rijn overseeing the Flemish community and TEC overseeing bus journey in Wallonia. In Brussels, STIB covers each bus and metro transport.
The nation can also be nice for exploring on foot. Mountain climbing via the nation’s various terrain is one in every of Dansby’s favourite actions. “Particularly in locations just like the Ardennes Forest, the German-speaking a part of Ostbelgian, or the ‘purple carpet’ of bluebells within the Hallebosch Forest each spring,” she says.
Dansby stated he additionally added weekly out of doors markets and native festivals to vacationers’ itineraries whereas out and about. “These occasions give nice perception into Belgium’s previous and current.”
Her last recommendation? “Be happy to ask the locals something,” she stated.
