Why Belgium for a Honeymoon
Belgium offers fairytale scenery with very little effort. Bruges and Ghent are compact, mostly car-free in their centers and connected by frequent trains. You can spend your days on foot, ducking into churches with Flemish masterpieces. Spend your evenings at candlelit tables by the canals.
The country is also a pleasure for the senses. Belgian chefs take classic dishes seriously, from mussels in white wine to beef stew braised in dark beer. Beer menus run to hundreds of choices. Chocolatiers turn out pralines by hand.
It pairs easily with neighbors. A week split between Bruges, Ghent and Paris or Amsterdam is simple by rail. Belgium often costs less than those big-name capitals for a comparable hotel.
Best Time to Visit
Late April through June and September are the best months. Days are long and mild, often in the 60s and low 70s. Canal-side terraces fill up in the evenings.
July and August are warmer but bring the biggest crowds, especially in Bruges, where day-trippers pack the center. Stay overnight to enjoy early mornings and evenings once the tour groups leave.
October and November are cool, gray and quieter. December brings Christmas markets to Brussels, Bruges and Ghent, with lights, mulled wine and skating rinks, which can make a cozy honeymoon if you dress warmly.
January through March are cold and damp. Rain is possible year round, so pack a compact umbrella whatever the month.
Where to Go
Bruges is the most romantic stop: a compact medieval city of canals, swans, cobblestones and a towering belfry. Stay at least two nights to enjoy it after the day-trippers leave.
Ghent is bigger, livelier and less touristy. It has a castle in the middle of town, the van Eyck brothers' Ghent Altarpiece and an excellent food scene with a young university crowd.
Brussels deserves a night or two for the Grand-Place, Art Nouveau architecture and fine dining. Antwerp offers Rubens' house, a striking cathedral and boutique shopping.
For countryside, the Ardennes in the southeast have forests, river valleys and small towns such as Durbuy and Dinant, popular for weekend escapes with hiking, kayaking and cozy inns.
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
- Days 1 to 2: Land in Brussels. Explore the Grand-Place, the Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and the Sablon district's chocolate shops.
- Day 3: Day trip to Antwerp or Leuven, returning to Brussels for dinner.
- Days 4 to 6: Train to Ghent. Visit the Ghent Altarpiece, Gravensteen and the Graslei, with a boat tour and long dinners.
- Days 7 to 9: Bruges. Climb the Belfry, wander the Begijnhof, take a canal cruise and cycle to Damme.
- Day 10: Train to Brussels Airport for your flight home.
With extra days, add two nights in the Ardennes or continue by train to Paris or Amsterdam.
Budget and Costs
All figures here are approximate and vary with season and exchange rates. Comfortable boutique hotels in Bruges and Ghent often run about $180 to $350 a night, with luxury properties higher. Brussels has a wider range, including good business hotels on weekends when rates drop.
Dinner for two with drinks in a nice restaurant typically costs $90 to $160. Casual meals of fries, waffles and beer are cheap and filling. Museum entries are modest.
Trains are a bargain compared with car rental. Bruges, Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels are all under an hour apart by rail. Fares are low by US standards. Parking in old town centers is expensive and limited, so skip the car unless you head to the Ardennes.
Getting There and Around
Brussels Airport (BRU) is the main gateway, with nonstop flights from several US cities. Trains from the airport station reach central Brussels in about 20 minutes. Direct trains also run to Ghent and Bruges, roughly one and one and a half hours away.
Inside Belgium, trains are frequent, comfortable and easy to use. Buy tickets in the SNCB app or at station machines. Weekend fares are often cheaper. Most old town centers are walkable, with buses and trams for longer trips.
High-speed trains connect Brussels-Midi with Paris in about 1.5 hours, Amsterdam in under 2 hours and London in about 2 hours via the Channel Tunnel. Charleroi Airport south of Brussels serves budget European airlines.
Staying Safe
The US State Department rates Belgium at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, because of the risk of terrorism. Attacks can happen with little warning and could target places tourists go, such as transportation hubs, markets, restaurants and major events.
For couples, this mostly means sensible awareness rather than changing plans. Stay alert in crowded places, follow instructions from police and enroll in the State Department's STEP program so the embassy can reach you.
Day to day, petty crime is the more common issue. Pickpockets operate in busy areas of Brussels, particularly around the main train stations and on the metro. Keep phones and wallets secure. Bruges and Ghent feel calm, though their main squares draw crowds.
Culture and Etiquette
Belgium is divided by language. Flanders in the north speaks Dutch, Wallonia in the south speaks French and Brussels is officially bilingual. Using the wrong language can feel awkward, so when in doubt start in English, which most people speak well, especially in Flanders.
Greet shopkeepers when you walk in. Dining is unhurried. Waiters will not bring the check until you ask.
Beer is serious business. Each beer has its own glass and bartenders take pride in serving it properly. Trappist beers are strong, so pace yourselves.
Service is included in bills. Rounding up or leaving a few euros for good service is appreciated but not expected.
Quick tips
- Buy train tickets in the SNCB app; Bruges and Ghent are under an hour from Brussels.
- Service is included in restaurant bills, so round up or leave a few euros only for good service.
- Watch your bags around Brussels-Midi and Brussels-Nord stations, where pickpockets work the crowds.
