- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Useful details
- Perfect travel to Belgium
In addition to gorgeous cut diamonds and Manneken Pis sculpture in the center of its own capital, Belgium has something to offer even the most spoiled tourist. Medieval architecture of Antwerp and Bruges, the best chocolate in the world, antique lace and the exposition of the Royal Museum of Art are just a few of the amazing discoveries that await guests of a small European state at every step. A trip to Belgium can become part of a large tour of the Benelux countries or perform solo, because the saying "Small spool, but dear" characterizes the kingdom to the fullest.
Important points
- A Russian tourist will have to apply for a visa to travel. Belgium is a member of the Schengen Agreement, which means that the package of documents for the consulate is standard, the visa fee is also within the Schengen norm - 35 euros.
- Not everyone is familiar with the English language in Belgium, and therefore the knowledge of several common phrases in French or an ace in the sleeve in the form of a small Russian-French phrasebook will greatly facilitate the communication of the guests of the kingdom with the hosts.
Choosing wings
The planes of most European airlines will help you to get from Moscow to Brussels:
- Aeroflot passengers will be the fastest in the Belgian capital. The price of a direct flight ticket is about 200 euros round trip, and the travel time is about 3.5 hours.
- For 4, 5 hours, excluding connections, you can get to the Belgian capital from the Russian capital on the wings of KLM. In this case, the transit point will be Amsterdam.
- Swiss Airlines are also ready to take on board anyone who wants to travel to Belgium. With a transfer in Zurich, the flight will take about 5.5 hours, and for a Swiss ticket you will have to pay from 190 euros.
Hotel or apartment
Neat and comfortable Belgian hotels, even if they have stars on the facade, are quite consistent with the place they occupy in the table from the ranks. Usually these are representatives of world chains or typical city hotels with a local flavor.
A night in a "three-ruble note" in the capital of the kingdom will cost 50-60 euros. To services of guests - wireless Internet, parking and a private bathroom. For breakfast you will have to pay 5-7 euros. In 5 * hotels in Brussels, royal comfort reigns, which is quite logical, given the price from 130-150 euros per room per day. But the guests of Brussels hostels adhere to the principle of "in cramped quarters but not offended" and rent a bed in a dormitory room ten times cheaper.
The town of Bruges, famous in the famous film for the efforts of Colin Farrell, despite its small size, boasts a rich selection of hotels. You can stay in a three-star hotel in Bruges for 50 euros in the "low" season and for 70-80 euros in the summer. The minimum cost of a day in inexpensive Bruges hostels, presented on specialized sites on the Internet, is 15-20 euros. At the same time, the amenities will be common, as will the room where the sleeping places are located.
Cheap hotels in Antwerp are hostels with the ability to spend the night in a dormitory room for 15 euros per day and individual studio rooms from 45 euros and above. "Fives" are traditionally expensive, and for a night in a three-star hotel you will have to pay 70-80 euros, usual for Belgium.
Belgians also rent private housing to tourists and the prices for beds are hardly humane. For example, a separate one-bedroom apartment in the center of Brussels will cost you about 50-70 euros per day, and the keys to a room in an apartment with the owner will be given to you for 30-35 euros.
Transport subtleties
Urban public transport in Belgium is buses and taxis. A single bus ride costs 2, 10 euros, if you do not purchase passes for several trips or days. For example, tickets for 5 trips at once will cost 8 euros, and for 10 trips they will cost 14 euros. For a daily pass, you will have to pay 7 euros. With this ticket, you can make as many changes as you like within 24 hours from the moment of the first composting.
The Brussels Card will help you save on travel and visiting most of the capital's museums. Its cost is 24, 36 and 48 euros for 1, 2 and 3 days, respectively.
It is convenient to travel between cities by buses and electric trains. By purchasing a Rail Pass, you will be able to profitably operate your rail transport. The cost of 10 trips with such a ticket will be about 80 euros.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
When traveling through Belgium, the most important thing is to resist the urge to constantly taste the delicious chocolate for which the royal masters are famous. The rest of the Belgian cuisine will be able to be enjoyed by beer lovers, lovers of potato and seafood dishes, and those who cannot imagine their table without a bowl of soup or meat delicacies.
Traditionally, Asians now offer the lowest food prices in Europe. Street stalls of Chinese, Indian and Thai food and on the streets of Belgian cities are gaining more and more space under the sun. The average portion of such fast food will cost a maximum of 4-5 euros.
A set lunch served during the day at many places in Belgium is a surefire way to dine high quality and not too expensive. Its cost, on average, is from 12 to 18 euros, and the menu contains a solid portion of hot, salad and first course.
The European level of service is offered by the status restaurants of Belgium, where the average bill for a dinner with wine for two is from 60 to 80 euros.
Useful details
- Every 15 minutes, a bus leaves from the passenger terminal of Brussels Airport to the center of the Belgian capital. The price of the trip is 3 euros.
- From the airport railway station, located in the basement of the passenger terminal, electric trains leave every quarter of an hour to the central railway station of the capital. Travel time is approximately 17 minutes. From here, trains follow to other cities in the kingdom.
- The cost of a liter of gasoline in Belgium is about 1.44 euros.
- Some sections of the kingdom's highways require payment to travel. For example, through a tunnel near Antwerp, laid under the river Scheldt. Cars whose height is no more than 2.75 meters will be charged 6 euros.
- Having paid for parking on the streets of Belgian cities, do not forget to place a receipt under the windshield in the visibility zone of the controllers.
Perfect travel to Belgium
The rainiest months in Belgium are November and April. However, precipitation is preferred on its territory during the entire autumn-winter period, and therefore the best time to travel is spring and summer.
Even in the height of July, the kingdom's temperate maritime climate guarantees low thermometer readings. Their columns adhere to a pleasant + 23 ° C on a summer day.
The proximity of the sea provides the Belgians with rather mild winters. Humidity can be quite high, but the air temperature is also kept in the range of +5 ° С in January-February, and its minus values are extremely rare.
If the purpose of your tour to Belgium is to get acquainted with its national customs, be guided by the calendar of holidays and festivals. Interesting events take place on November 15, Royal Dynasty Day and July 21, National Day of the country. In the middle of summer, the annual cultural festival starts in the city of Ghent. The Ghent Holidays offer the traveler a varied entertainment program, which includes concerts of street musicians, performances by participants in folk theaters, carnival parades, fireworks and constant tastings of the best sorts of beer.
