Despite being one of the smallest countries in Europe, Belgium has a lot to offer travelers – medieval castles, modern architecture, a world-renowned fashion scene, great food, and more than 1000 brands of beer – really!

Belgium also has not one, but three official languages. Luckily, more than half of Belgians speak English, so it’s easy to get around – just be aware of the monolingual road signage (the language will depend on where in Belgium you are). Here are our top tips to help you make the most of a trip to Belgium.

1. Pack a raincoat

Influenced by the weather systems of the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Belgium has a temperate maritime climate characterized by frequent precipitation and heavy cloud cover. The temperature rarely climbs above 22°C (72°F) in the summer, and thunderstorms are frequent – so you’ll want to pack rain gear, regardless of what time of year you visit.

2. Make the most of your trip by traveling around

There’s so much to see in Belgium, and it’s easy to travel from one place to the next by car or train, so we recommend splitting your time between several destinations. Get lost in the atmospheric streets of Bruges, hit the museums and fashion boutiques in Antwerp, lace up your hiking boots in Hoge Kempen National Park – the country’s only national park – and visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grand Place in Brussels. Most cities are within a few hours of one another, making it easy to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time.

3. Bring pocket change in case you need to spend a penny

In Belgium, free public restrooms are virtually non-existent. Most public facilities charge and few accept credit cards, so you’ll want to carry loose some euros and cents in change. Expect to pay around €0.50 (US$0.54) per visit – get into the habit of using the washroom before leaving the hotel or restaurant.

4. Swap taxis for public transport when you arrive in Brussels

Taxis in Brussels are among the most expensive in Europe – a cab ride between Brussels Airport and the city center will cost at least €3 (US$3.30) per km. While we won’t judge for splurging after a long-haul flight, the city’s excellent bus, tram and metro system will take you almost anywhere you need to go from 6am to midnight, seven days a week, including into town from the airport (for as little as €7/US$7.35 in total). For cheap, low-carbon transport, consider renting a bike through a bike-sharing platform, such as Villo!.

5. Don’t rush to rent a car

Belgium is car-friendly in many ways – you can drive from one end of the country to the other in a matter of hours, and nearly all the country’s motorways are fully lit at night. It’s also super easy to rent a car on the fly, thanks to car-sharing apps such as Poppy and Cambio.

At the same time, driving in Belgium can be quite an undertaking. Signage is mostly monolingual, and the names of places depend on which language is spoken. For example, the German border city of Aachen might appear on Belgian signs as Aix-la-Chapelle, the Flemish city of Ghent is also Gand, and Liège is also Lîdje, Luik and Lüttich.

6. When in doubt, speak English

Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. Dutch (specifically, the Flemish dialect) is primarily spoken in Flanders in the north, while French is mostly spoken in the southern region of Wallonia, and German is the default in eastern regions of the province of Liège. Brussels (also known as Brussel and Bruxelles) is officially bilingual, speaking Dutch and French.

With language at the center of Belgium’s knotty cultural identity debate, it’s best to speak English if you’re unsure of the dominant tongue wherever you happen to be. You’ll likely find that most people, especially in big cities such as Antwerp and Brussels, speak flawless English anyway.

7. Recycle like a Belgian

Belgians take recycling very seriously. In fact, the country boasts the highest recycling rate for household packaging in all of Europe (an impressive 94.9%). While you should always take care to recycle and reduce when you’re on the road away from home, you’ll want to be especially mindful of this when traveling through Belgium.

8. There’s no need to tip in Belgium

Tipping in Belgium isn’t a standard practice, nor is it expected, as most service staff are paid a fair living wage. Furthermore, most restaurants automatically include a 10–15% tip in the bill. If you think the service was excellent and want to leave more, you can always leave a few euros on the table after your meal.

9. Extend a hand in greeting

How do you greet people in Belgium? It depends on where you are. Most people in Brussels prefer a handshake, while most folks in French-speaking Wallonia will turn a cheek for a kiss. To play it safe in these Covid-aware times, we recommend extending a hand to test the waters.

10. Don’t leave your shopping for Sunday

If you need to stock up at the supermarket or buy souvenirs, don’t plan on doing it on a Sunday. As most Belgians are Roman Catholic, many shops are closed on Sundays, including major grocery stores and banks

11. Drink beer, lots of lovely beer

Belgium is home to over 300 breweries and more than 1000 types of Belgian beer. So, it’s practically a requirement to imbibe while you’re there (and honestly, you might be judged if you order a glass of vino instead of a homegrown brew at the local pub). Try everything from pilsners and witbier to Trappist ales and naturally fermented lambics.

Oh, and don’t expect to chug your Duvel out of any old glass. Belgians love their glassware, and you’ll find a dizzying array of options, from tulips and flutes to goblets and tankards.

12. Smoke pot if you like (but be smart about it)

In Belgium, adults 18 and older can enjoy cannabis for recreational purposes. Possession is decriminalized, and it’s legal to possess up to 3 grams of cannabis, so long as no “public nuisance” is caused. However, don’t expect to find cannabis-serving ‘coffee shops’ of the kind found in the Netherlands; Belgium is not nearly as pot-friendly as its northern neighbor, so puff discretely.

13. Can you drink tap water in Belgium?

Yes, you certainly can. Some even say the tap water is even better than the bottled mineral kind you get in the supermarket (bring a water bottle to save on plastic).

14. You can feel safe about being yourself

In 2003, Belgium became the second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage, and the country’s long-held progressive values and vibrant nightlife make it a top destination for LGBTIQ+ travelers. Brussels has long been the center of the scene – the city’s La Demence event draws partiers from all over the world 12 times a year – but even smaller towns such as Bruges and Ghent are getting in on the action.

15. Have fun – but be cautious of petty crime

Generally speaking, Belgium is a safe country with relatively low crime rates. For most travelers, the biggest risk is pickpocketing and bag-snatching in crowded areas. However, in recent years, there has been a rise in terrorist attacks across Belgium – travelers should exercise vigilance, particularly in Brussels, where international organizations, including NATO and the EU, are headquartered.

Are you planning a business trip? Whether you’re a seasoned business traveler or taking your first trip for work, planning and preparing for all aspects of your journey is essential to an enjoyable experience. With the right tools and information, you can ensure that every business trip goes smoothly. Here are some useful tips that will help make your business trip easier and more efficient.

Research Your Destination

Take some time to research your destination before you leave so that you can familiarize yourself with the area. Research details such as transportation, local attractions, places to eat, and tourist attractions that may interest you during your downtime. Others include the security and safety of the city, as well as basic information such as currency exchange rates.

Various ways to research a destination include using travel websites, reading guidebooks, and searching online for reviews. Additionally, consider looking up the weather forecast to help you determine what type of clothing to pack. This research will prepare you for your business trip and help you to be aware of potential risks or inconveniences.

Make Early Bookings

One of the best ways to make your business trip easier is to book everything as early as possible. Book your flights, hotels, rental cars, and any other services you may need in advance to take advantage of the best deals. You’ll also be able to check multiple flight times and routes to find the best options for your needs.

Early bookings will ensure that you always have a seat and a room reserved and that you’re not stuck waiting in long lines or scrambling to find other transportation. Be sure to plan ahead and book everything you need before your trip to make the most of your time on the road.

Choose the Right Accommodation

When it comes to business travel, it’s important to choose the right accommodation. Look for hotels that are located close to your meetings or other destinations so that you can save time and money on transportation costs. For instance, you can find your ideal hotel with This Hotel website and save the hassle of searching for accommodation. Also, check for discounts and other offers that may apply to your business trip.

When booking hotel accommodation, be sure to check for amenities such as internet access, shuttle services, and other facilities that can help you enjoy your business trip. Ensure that everything that will make your trip more comfortable and efficient is taken care of before you leave. You can also request additional items such as ironing boards, extra pillows, and towels to make your stay more comfortable.

Organize Your Travel Documents

Ensure that you have all the necessary documents for your trip. These may include tickets, hotel reservations, passport and visa documents, travel insurance, and any other documents related to your business trip. Make sure to keep these items in one safe and secure place. Also, take digital copies of all your documents in case of any accidental losses or damages.

Organizing and preparing your travel documents allows you to breeze through check-in procedures at the airport or other destinations. You’ll also have a stress-free journey with everything you need in one place.

Pack Smart

Packing light is essential for business trips, making your travel much easier. Avoid bringing anything unnecessary or bulky. Make sure to bring all the essentials, such as important documents, a laptop, phone chargers, and other items you need for your trip.

If you’re traveling for longer periods, bring a few extra items, such as a change of clothes and toiletries, in case of any unexpected delays or changes in plans. Also, if possible, try to avoid checking your luggage when flying to save time at the airport and make the most of your business trip.

Stay Connected

When traveling for business, it’s important to stay connected. Set up an internet connection at your accommodation and purchase a local SIM card to stay in touch with your contacts while on the road. Staying connected will help you stay on top of any changes or developments and ensure that you can be reached in case of an emergency.

If you are having difficulty locating an internet connection, consider using a virtual private network (VPN) to securely access the internet. You can also use data roaming when traveling overseas, as some phone networks offer plans specifically designed for travelers. You can also check the rules and regulations of the country you’re visiting, as there may be restrictions on using certain technologies.

Business trips can be stressful and time-consuming, but with the right preparation and planning, you can make your business trip easier and more enjoyable. From booking flights in advance to choosing suitable accommodations and staying connected while on the road, several useful tips can help you navigate a successful business trip. By following these tips, you can make the most of your business travel and ensure a successful trip.

St. Augustine of Hippo, the great philosopher, once mentioned that “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Europe is an important chapter of this book. Yes! Europe is a chapter because it is a continent with 44 countries. Thus, there is a lot to see and experience in this magnificent continent sharing its border with the largest continent – Asia. Europe cannot be called one page of the World book because each country in Europe is special in its own way and must be seen at least once in a lifetime.

Vacation in Europe is therefore a gala affair and needs time, money, research and passion to pursue. As a travel lover, this incredible continent is any day a dream destination for most of us. However, proper and timely planning about everything needs to be done well ahead of time to save money and hassles in the foreign land.

There are many countries in Europe. Therefore, there are various types of places to visit in Europe. The list is almost never-ending and for sure, however, long a vacation one plans, when in Europe, any vacation will seem short.

However, visiting so many beautiful and popular places would not be an easy affair. One has to plan for inter-city transfers, hotel bookings, meals, and lot more things. Over and above that, there are a number of things to do in Europe, for example, skiing in the Alps, enjoying theatre performances, visiting the best historical monuments, taking a gondola ride, and tasting the incredible food across the cities to experience the best flavours, textures, and mouth-melting tastes. This calls for an additional cost of tickets and entrance fees for such events and activities. Planning such events and activities in advance would help in managing the travel budget to some extent.

Before planning a vacation, most people face a dilemma about whether Europe is an expensive place to visit or not? The answer to this question though is not very easy and crisp. Why? Because planning a budget Europe trip is absolutely possible but this might require adjusting on many quarters and compromising on many fronts. Since a budget Europe trip also needs to be planned according to the taste and preferences of all the people travelling, this might be a daunting task.

However, as they say, there is a solution to every problem. Similarly, this problem of creating a budget trip to visit Europe too has solutions. There are a number of travel hacks for Europe trips that would surely take care of the budget, that too without compromising the satisfaction level of anyone.

8 Tips to Save Money on Your Vacation in Europe

Vacation in Europe is almost a dream for everyone. However, the dream is not converted into reality for most people just on grounds of the huge expenditure involved in such a trip. However, there are small tips and travel hacks which might make the tour somewhat economical. Some of these tips and travel hacks include:

1. Choosing The Cities And Places Well

Europe is a big continent with more than 40 countries. Some of these countries are quite popular tourist destinations. Choosing the right cities and the places one wants to visit wisely can keep the expenditure under control. For example, visiting places like Berlin, Paris and London are quite expensive whereas a trip to Bulgaria or Greece might not cost that much. Therefore, choosing the places wisely becomes the key to planning a budget Europe trip.

2. Booking The Flights Early

Flight tickets are quite costly. In case of any travel what pinches the most is the cost of flight tickets. However, planning much ahead of time can help the tourists get the best deals and offer on flight tickets. Last-minute bookings of tickets would only increase the cost of the trip. Furthermore, there are many places to visit in Europe. Exploring one place after another will add up to the travel cost. Therefore, planning the itinerary well is the crux of the entire trip. It is advisable to plan in a way such that no round trips have to be made within Europe. Round trips to a particular location would only add to costs. Also, it is advisable to spend some time researching the travel plans and comparing the flight fares before proceeding with the actual bookings.

3. Saving On Travelling Within Europe As Much As Possible

While flight tickets are soaring high, travellers need to search for alternative options for travelling. Interrail is one of such economical yet adventurous options for travelling and exploring Europe. Interrail is nothing but the concept of travelling across the countries in Europe by train. Some of these train travel routes are epic in themselves, thus enhancing the charm of trips to Europe. The tourists can also try to get an interrail pass from the competent authority. This will save costs further. The travel using the trains is not only safe but also enjoyable as it gives a chance to explore the places even more.

4. Taking Public Transport

European cities have a wonderful network of public transport systems. Using the public transport system would help the tourists in saving huge costs of intercity travel. The use of public transport would also help the tourists to explore the city and its life and people in a far better way. Taking the metro, bus, ferry, or tram is a much better way to explore and roam around the city. The tourists just need to have a map of the city so that they do not get lost and they are ready to go. Tourists can also book a public transport pass that allows them to travel using various modes of public transport throughout the city for the entire day. This is way cheaper than hiring a taxi each time, isn’t it?

5. Getting The Best Hotel Deals

Travelling to any location involves planning a lot of things. This includes planning where to stay and for how many days to stay. Choosing the right stay is a very important component of the entire travel plan. The hotels should be selected wisely. Choosing a hotel near a specific location might give a beautiful view but it is surely going to raise the cost of travel within the city. Therefore affordable accommodation in the central area of the city might be a wise decision. Further, though there are a lot of sites and travel companies providing the best hotel deals in Europe, one needs to be sure and wise about choosing the time of travel. In the case of off-season travel, tourists can get better deals on hotels.

6. Buying City Passes

Almost all the cities in Europe have a lot to offer. From scenic beauty to museums, monuments to zoos, tourists have a lot of things to do in each city. Therefore, many of these cities offer passes for all these major attractions. These passes are cheaper ways of visiting the major attractions. For example, a museum ticket might cost around 500-1000 INR whereas a pass like the Paris Museum Pass helps the tourists to visit 60 such museums in two days. The pass might cost somewhere between 3000-3500 INR. Such a pass would not only save costs for the tourists but would also help them save time (time of standing in a queue to get a museum ticket). Further, there are certain museums that offer free entry or discounted entry on certain days such as the Louvre offers free entry on the first Saturday of every month between 6-9:45 P.M. local time. Researching them and planning accordingly too might be a trick to save some money.

7. Choosing The Right Roaming Plans

International calls have always been costly. International roaming charges are quite high. Therefore, travellers need to choose the right roaming packages while travelling. Such roaming packs should also include data since travelling using GPS navigation or researching the places would require call data. It is advisable to use the free Wi-Fi networks available at hotels, airports and other public places. This would save them some costs since even the mobile data is costly on roaming. It is also advisable to use the calling and messaging facility wisely and use it only when needed since the calls and messages are also costly. However, the use of platforms like WhatsApp calling and messaging over a Wi-Fi network can be a useful travel hack for Europe trips. You can also choose to get an international plan for Europe for the travel duration. This might save you some costs.

8. Saving On Water And Meals

Bottled water is quite expensive in most places in Europe. However, the regular tap water supplied in Europe is safe for drinking too. Therefore, it is advisable to carry a bottle and fill it up with tap water whenever possible. Using this water would help the travellers save a huge cost of buying bottled water to drink. Furthermore, though European nations are known for their incredible food, stopping to buy a meal every time would be a waste of time and money. Therefore, carrying enough snacks to munch during the trip would be a wise decision.

Europe is a dream destination. You can make it the most memorable trip by researching well and following these tips and tricks to the extent possible. Visit Adotrip.com, your travel buddy and enjoy amazing tour packages, flight deals, hotel bookings, and other travel-related services under one roof, that too, at cost-effective rates. It is surely going to help save a lot of money when you embark on your dream destination. Bon Voyage!!!07

Talk to your kids about the entire flight experience including baggage check-in and ticketing to in-flight etiquette and safety. This would mentally prepare them for the journey and hence they would be better accustomed all the way

Travelling can be challenging especially when you are travelling alone with a toddler. The regular list of the things to be carried along grows longer in comparison to what it is when you travel alone. One has to be careful especially on long flights because you never know what might happen.

Here are some tips to prepare you to travel like a pro with your little one:

1. Talk to your kids about the journey: Talk to your kids about the entire flight experience including baggage check-in and ticketing to in-flight etiquette and safety. This would mentally prepare them for the journey and hence they would be better accustomed all the way.

2. Pack your food for the journey: It is always helpful if you pack your food especially when you are travelling with kids. Pack their favourite food so that they don’t get cranky mid-air and enjoy it without creating any hassle.

3. Surprise them with a new toy: When flying with a toddler, carry a new toy along and gift wrap it. This has two benefits – kids love to unpack stuff and a new toy grabs more attention.

4. Book your flight according to your child’s sleep routine: The best way to have stress-free travel is to choose a flight that matches your child’s sleeping routine. Once your kid falls asleep in-flight, you too are free to have a nap and spare some time for yourself.

5. Carry your stroller: Your child’s daily stroller can be of great help while you are inside a busy airport. Your kid will be less cranky when they are in their known environment. It will get easier and less tiring for you to carry your kid without the need to lift him/her all the time. The stroller is many times a good storage device to help you carry the essentials and can pass through the security checkpoints too.