Ode to Belgium

Anyone who’s spent time with me knows how much I love Belgium. I can talk nonstop about how great it is  – and I do. Every. Chance. I. Get. Because it’s a crying shame that such a treasure barely makes a cameo in Europe’s list of must-see destinations. So, on the heels of a recent research trip to the region, here’s a short list of my favourite things Belgium has to offer, in a brazen attempt to impress upon you the allure of this oft-over-looked country.

The Food

I often follow my stomach when choosing a place to visit, so you won’t be surprised to hear me say the food in Belgium is incredible. The offerings go far beyond the usual suspects of frîtes, mussels, chocolate and waffles. The culinary culture is deep, and heavily influenced by Belgium’s history and geography, with its connections to the spice trade, the Hanseatic League, its neighbouring countries and various conquerors. The country has been invaded by almost every other European people — Romans, Vikings, Spanish, French, Germans, and Dutch – effectively becoming a meeting point for both the Germanic cultures of northern Europe and the Latin cultures of the south. During the Middle Ages, Belgium was a key player in the trade routes that brought spices to Europe from Asia and the Americas. This influence can be seen in the use of rich, aromatic flavours in many Belgian dishes, resulting in some of the most rich, flavourful and comforting concoctions you’ll find in Europe. The style can run from casual brasserie fare to the most sophisticated Michelin-starred meals. No one leaves Belgium hungry.

The Beer

Belgian beer is renowned for its wide variety, complex flavours, and long brewing tradition. You’ll find several distinct styles: Trappist ales (brewed by monks), Lambics (wild-fermented beers), strong Belgian ales (like Dubbels and Tripels), and more. Individual breweries often use unique yeast strains, giving their beers distinctive fruity, spicy, and sometimes sour notes. The culture has deep historic roots, with many regional variations, and a strong focus on craftsmanship. Traditions are both revered and fiercely local; each beer is served in a special glass meant to best highlight its flavours, and the selection of beers offered can change from town to town.

The Art

I should start by saying that as a former student of 16th-century Netherlandish Art, I’m particularly biased in this department. Belgium’s artistic legacy runs deep, and it’s hard to reduce it to a short paragraph. For me, it’s the contributions from the Mediaeval and Renaissance periods that signal the golden age for Belgian art, especially in the Flanders region. Artists like Jan van Eyck and Pieter Bruegel the Elder transformed the landscape of Western European art. Pioneers in oil painting, their detailed, naturalistic work set the tone for European art in the 15th and 16th centuries. The most famous works feature religious themes, but the stunning attention to detail in everyday life and nature was revolutionary at the time. The large art museums in Brussels and Antwerp house world-class collections, and countless paintings still exist in situ in churches throughout the country.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention baroque master Peter Paul Rubens and surrealist René Magritte, who are arguably the most widely recognized artists from the country. The former’s home and studio in Antwerp offers a fascinating view into his work (though it’s closed to visitors for renovation until September 2025) and the latter’s work is brilliantly displayed at the Magritte Museum in Brussels.

The Countryside

I’m always struck that, despite its small size and high density, there is such a clear distinction between cities and countryside iin Belgium. Wherever you are in Belgium, you’re seldom more than 20 minutes away from a big city (usually by train), but the space in between is full of fields and open countryside. The notion of urban sprawl that we’re so accustomed to in North America just doesn’t exist in the same way. Green meadows punctuated by poker-straight rows of poplar trees are common vistas. Crops such as sugar beets, brussels sprouts (cliché, I know), leeks and grains are interspersed with grazing pastures for sheep and cows. The landscapes are reminiscent of northern-european landscape paintings from the 17th century. I can’t get enough. This delightful form comes in a high-contrast colour palette of either slate-grey or vivid blue skies (depending on the time of the year), emerald green fields, the burnt orange of the roofs in Flanders and the varied grey-blue stone indigenous to Wallonia in the south. This patchwork of colours is the first thing I notice from the airplane window as I fly into Brussels.

The Cycling

Cycling in Belgium isn’t just a mode of transportation, it’s a way of life. Especially when it comes to road racing, the country has produced some of the most famous cyclists in the world – most notably Eddy Merckx, generally considered the greatest cyclist of all time. His achievements in the 1960s and 1970s helped solidify Belgium’s status as a cycling powerhouse. The country is also home to several prestigious one-day races, the Flemish Classics which are beloved by Belgians. The Tour of Flanders is the most famous, where thousands of spectators line the cobbled streets and hilltops of Flanders to cheer on the riders, often in challenging weather conditions (that’s a euphemism). It’s a festival for cycling fans, and highly atmospheric. If you’re visiting in the spring, you’re pretty much guaranteed access to a race every weekend. One of my favourite rituals is heading out for a bike ride early on Saturday or Sunday mornings, where I inevitably run into local riders doing exactly the same thing, and then pouring into nearby cafés for a beer afterwards. It never gets old.

Reducing this fabulous country to just a few talking points doesn’t do it justice, but I hope this glimpse into Belgium’s rich tapestry of food, art, countryside, and culture sparks your curiosity. Belgium offers a unique blend of experiences that can’t be found elsewhere in Europe, and I love to share my affection for it in the trips we plan. So, the next time you’re headed to Europe, consider stepping off the beaten path side aside a few days (or weeks) for Belgium.