 MRI
Buy,
Sell, Rent
Holiday
Property
0871 512 0738 |
|
|
Copyright © 2007 Myers Real Estate International & Millennium New Media UK Copyright Law |
Destination information: Map of Europe Holiday Property Holiday Property
Listings:
For centuries Belgium
has been influenced by its larger
neighbours. This region has been fought over in countless wars and
occupied by many different foreign powers, including the dukes of
Burgundy, the Spanish Habsburgs, and the French. Some of the fiercest
battles in European history have been fought on Belgian soil: Waterloo
in 1815, the Ypres Salient between 1914 and 1918, and the Battle
of the Bulge in 1944. After centuries of foreign domination, Belgium
finally gained independence in 1830. This small kingdom grew into
one of the most prosperous countries in Europe, particularly under
King Léopold II, who used wealth from the Congo to embellish Brussels,
Antwerp, and Ostend. Devastated by two world wars, Belgium was a
founding member of the European Economic Community and NATO; most
of the institutions of the modern European Union are located in
Brussels.
The country is divided by a language line that runs from east to west just south of Brussels. To the north lies the prosperous Flemish-speaking region of Flanders, while to the south is the French-speaking region of Wallonia. The capital, Brussels, is mainly French-speaking, although officially is bilingual. Its tumultuous history has given modern Belgium a fascinating diversity of architecture, art, and cuisine, exemplified in the four great historic cities: Brussels, Antwerp, Bruges, and Ghent. These bustling centres boast a rich heritage of paintings—from the works of the van Eycks, Rubens, and Rembrandt to those of the Surrealist painter Réné Magritte—and a wealth of magnificent buildings, from the dazzling baroque of Grand Place in Brussels to the swirling art nouveau excesses of Victor Horta. They also offer some of the best restaurants and cafés in Europe. Rural Belgium also contains the vast forests of the Ardennes, and along the Flemish coast there are a string of traditional beach resorts. Each region in Belgium has its own special cuisine, while almost every town has a local beer worth sampling. The country is also famed for its lace-making and its luxurious chocolates, sold in the specialist shops found everywhere in the larger cities.
Entry RequirementsCitizens of the European Union (EU), as well as citizens of Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, and Switzerland, can enter Belgium with a valid passport or official identity card. Other nationals should consult the Belgian embassy or consulate in their country of residence before departure, for any visa requirements.
Emergency phone numbers
Ambulance/fire:100
Time zonesCentral European Time (GMT plus one hour). Clocks are put forward one hour from the last Sunday in March to the Saturday before the end of October.
DrivingVehicle documentsCheck with your motor vehicle insurance company regarding any insurance documents you will need and whether additional motor insurance is required. Make sure you have a red warning triangle in the car in case of an accident or breakdown. The international registration letters of your country of residence must be displayed at the rear of the car.
Rules of the roadCarry your full valid driving licence or International Driving Permit, vehicle registration documents, and insurance documents with you in the car at all times. Although a Green Card is not mandatory, it is still advisable. Traffic drives on the right. Cars entering a road from the right have priority, unless indicated otherwise. Seat belts must be worn by both front- and back-seat passengers. Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to travel in the front seat if there is room in the back seat. Headlights must be dipped in towns and on open roads at night. Cars from the United Kingdom must fit headlights with an anti-dazzle strip. The limit of alcohol in the blood while driving is 50 mg per 100 ml (5g/l). Fines for traffic infringements may be delivered on the spot.
Roads, tolls and speed limitsMotorways are toll-free in Belgium. In more rural areas, roads are less well-maintained which makes for slower journeys. Speed limits are 120 kilometres (75 miles) per hour on motorways and all two- and three-lane carriageways, 90 kilometres (56 miles) per hour on other roads outside built-up areas, and 50 kilometres (31 miles) per hour in built-up areas.
Driving tipsWatch out for trams while driving in Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent, as they tend to appear suddenly and must always be given the right of way. For reports on weather and road conditions, telephone 0900 27 003.
AssistanceUse the orange-coloured emergency telephones located on motorways and trunk roads to report accidents or breakdowns. There are three motoring organisations that can provide assistance in the event of a breakdown: Touring Club de Belgique (TCB), rue de la Loi 44, Brussels, tel: (02) 233 22 11; Royal Automobile Club de Belgique (RACB), rue d'Arlon 53, Brussels, tel: (02) 287 09 00; and Vlaamse Automobilistenbond, Sint-Jacobmarkt 45, Antwerp, tel: (02) 253 63 63.
The electrical current in Belgium is 220 volts AC. Round, two-pin plugs are used. An adapter is essential for UK and Irish appliances.
MoneyNotes and coinsEuro
Currency exchangeTravellers cheques are the safest way to carry money. Credit cards are widely accepted in Belgium; Visa is the most common, followed by MasterCard. Not all shops and restaurants accept credit cards, so it is worth checking in advance. For cash currency transactions, most banks and cash machines accept credit cards and Eurocheques, although there is usually a commission charge. Banks usually give better rates than bureaux de change, but they do charge commission for each transaction. Travel agents, such as American Express and Thomas Cook, cash their travellers cheques free of charge. Banks are open 09.00 to 13.00 and 14.00 to 16.00 Monday to Friday. Some banks are also open 09.00 to 12.00 on Saturdays.
TippingBoth VAT and service charges are included in the prices listed in hotels and restaurants, although it is normal practice in restaurants to round the bill up to the nearest BF10. Taxi drivers include the tip in their charges, which tend to be quite high in Belgium.
1
January: New Year's Day Travellers with disabilities There is not a great deal of accessibility to public buildings or public transport in Belgium. However, Croix Rouge de Belgique can coordinate loans of specially adapted equipment to travellers with disabilities, as well as give advice. They can be contacted at Service Handynet pour Handicapés, rue Joseph Stallaert 1, 1060 Brussels, tel: +32 2 344 25 34. Vlaamse Federatie van Gehandicapten (VFG) offers information on special holidays for travellers with disabilities and can be contacted at 32 rue St Jean, 1000 Brussels, tel: +32 2 511 50 76. The Belgian Tourist Office publishes a pamphlet of camping and caravanning sites, indicating those which provide facilities for travellers with disabilities.
TransportMetro, buses and trams
Buses are the cheapest method of public transport in Belgium. Further
information and bus schedules can be obtained from local tourist offices.
Trams are the most interesting but also the slowest method of getting
around Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent.
FerriesCross-Channel services operate from Ostend or Zeebrugge. Boat trips can be made along the canals in Bruges and Ghent. You
may have found this page by searching for the following keywords:
|
