BELGIUM

Prime Travel Data
Belgique and Belgie, capital city, postal codes, telephone codes, languages, electrical voltage,
holidays (dual language), embassy, consulates, USA embassy, guide books, maps, history.

This view inside the Brussels Centrale/Centraal train station is almost typical throughout Europe. Icons with arrows point to facilities in or adjacent to the station. This tunnel connects to the Metro system.

I'm saying "almost typical" because Brussels is officially bilingual. Thus the exit sign (down arrow from a box in a green field) seemingly points to two streets, rue Couverte and Overdektestraat. Actually, that is one street with two names. The rue is Walloon (French) and the straat is Vlaamse (Flemish Dutch). But actually, redux, there is no such street. Both names mean "covered street" in English, or "tunnel" to the Metro lines.

By the way, being "officially bilingual" is theory. The street language in Brussels is French, spoken with an attitude.

Carpe diem. Vivere bene! Gratia Deo.

HOW TO EUROPE: The Complete Travelers Handbook
John Bermont

This entire book is published totally free on-line by the author, photographer, and webmaster, yours truly, with help from my daughter Stephanie. I welcome all questions, comments, and complaints. For contact information please see NOTE TO READERS. Updated 28 January 2016.

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NEED TO KNOW

So here you are in Belgium and you need to know some elementary stuff — like how to make a phone call, get local money, or contact the American Embassy to report your stolen passport. Here is a convenient source for that information, plus a bit more.

This web page originally appeared in the first editon of my book How To Europe: The Complete Travelers Handbook in a section titled "Country Data Sheets" over thirty years ago. I've updated and improved it for 2016.

Important information about this data sheet.
Native name	Belgique and Belgie
Capital	Brussels (Bruxelles and Brussel)
Postal code	B
Telephone code	+32. See chapter 19, Telephoning to, from, and within Europe.
Language	Dutch, French, German. Regional.
Currency	Euro. See The Euro and Other Currencies.
European Union	Member. See chapter 25, Customs Duty, USA and Europe.
Schengen Agreement	Member. See chapter 3, Passport and Visas.
Time zone	GMT+1. See chapter 28, European Dates and Time Zones.
Electricity	220 volts, 50 Hz. See chapter 11, European Electricity: Travel Voltage Fundamentals..

Recommended books for further information:

There are plenty of guide books for Belgium. Michelin Red Guides (hotels and restaurants) and Michelin Green Guides (man-made and natural wonders) are my favorites but there are many other good ones. Some publishers produce "Benelux" books. Because Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxemburg are so small they are often grouped as "Benelux." Notice that I do not recommend any Frommers, Dummies, Steves, or other inferior guides. For some of the reasons please go to the hoi polloi.

As one example of a substandard guide, I have a 400+ page book titled Rick Steves' France, Belgium, & The Netherlands which has not a single mention of Marseille, Dijon, or Aix-en-Provence. That's like leaving Chicago, New Orleans, and Newport Beach out of a USA travel guide. But this book did include enough pages to promote his whirlwind guided bus tours, videos, backpacks, sink stoppers, and Steves' other branded products. A page of sophomoric French phrases plus sort-of maps cap off the disaster. Steves is strong on self promotion but weak on meaningful content.

For the good stuff, the links below take you directly to a page at Amazon.com. That page details the guide book, map, or dictionary. In many cases the Amazon.com listing includes readers'comments and sample pages from the book. You then have the opportunity to add the book to your shopping cart and buy it. I buy virtually all of my books at Amazon.com and have had excellent service for years.

Note: emphasis in the titles is mine — to help you in finding the information you need. Don't worry too much about publication dates. Many books are updated every three to six years. The monuments and cathedrals haven't moved in 500 years!

Have a good trip!

NOTE TO READERS

I welcome questions, comments, and complaints. If you have any concerns about your trip to Europe that have not been covered well enough on my web site please do not hesitate to write. Ask, cuss, discuss, or whatever. I read every email and update my pages when I see a question repeating, Then I will not get that question again, hopefully. In some cases readers have been so generous with their time and talent that I have included their emails verbatim, e.g. chapters 22 and 25.

I do not open attachments. I do not click links to web pages of any kind. If you have an electrical question please read both sections of my chapter 11 before writing. Those are Electric Power Converters and European Electricity. I will reply in a day or two, usually.

My email address is johnbermont@enjoy-europe.com.

Do not forget to smell the hyacinths. At your leisure scroll through the Table of Contents of How To Europe: The Complete Travelers Handbook and read all 30 chapters, FREE on line. Good deal! You'll probably find the answers you seek, and some you didn't know you needed.

FREE

This web site is totally free for everyone, and a labor of love for me. To keep it afloat I receive a commission from Amazon.com for all goods purchased through the adverts I have selected, and any other products you might buy when you are on the Amazon site. Amazon has almost everything for sale, except the Brooklyn Bridge and Mount Rushmore.

Please visit my on-line store at . Your support is most gratefuly appreciated. TIA.

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Belgium
Eyewitness Travel Guides
by DK Publishing

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Michelin the Green Guide Belgium

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Michelin Map
Belgium Luxembourg Map 716

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StreetWise Map
Brussels

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Michelin Must Sees Brussels

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Lonely Planet Pocket Bruges & Brussels

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You will need one or more of these plug adapters for your appliances and chargers. Grounded Universal 2 in 1 Plug Adapter Type E/F
Adapts grounded USA plugs to European "Shucko" plug used in Austria.

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The best travel guide to all of Europe. Europe on a Shoestring
Lonely Planet

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A comprehensive guide to 3,000 hotels and restaurants in 44 major cities. Main Cities of Europe 2015
Michelin Guide

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Michelin will get you on the right road. Michelin Road Atlas Europe

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My book will get you started. HOW TO EUROPE: The CompleteTravelers Handbook by John Bermont

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